Minamoto clan samurai (1045–1127)
Minamoto no Yoshimitsu |
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| Native name | 源 義光 |
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| Other name(s) | Shinra Saburō |
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| Born | 1045 |
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| Died | November 25, 1127(1127-11-25) (aged 81–82) |
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| Allegiance | Minamoto clan |
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| Battles/wars | Later Three-Year War |
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Minamoto no Yoshimitsu (源 義光, 1045 – November 25, 1127) was a Japanese samurai lord during the Heian period. He served as Governor of Kai Province. He is credited as the ancient progenitor of the Japanese martial art, Daitō-ryū aiki-jūjutsu and Takeda-ryū.
Biography
Yoshimitsu was born the son of Chinjufu-shōgun Minamoto no Yoriyoshi (988-1075) of the Minamoto clan. His brother was the Minamoto no Yoshiie. He was also known as Shinra Saburō (新羅 三郎), a nickname that comes from the Shinra Zenjindo Hall of Mii-dera Temple, where he had his coming-of-age ceremony. His Dharma name was Senkōin Shuntoku Sonryō (先甲院峻徳尊了).
According to Daitō-ryū's initial history, Yoshimitsu dissected the corpses of men killed in battle, and studied them for the purpose of learning vital point striking (kyusho-jitsu) and joint lock techniques. Daitō-ryū takes its name from that of a mansion that Yoshimitsu lived in as a child, called "Daitō", in Ōmi Province (modern-day Shiga Prefecture).
For military service during the Later Three-Year War (1083–1089), Yoshimitsu was made Governor of Kai Province (modern-day Yamanashi Prefecture), where he settled. He fought his nephew Minamoto no Yoshikuni over land. When his older brother Yoshiie died he planned the death of his nephew and fourth generational Kawachi Genji leader Minamoto no Yoshitada because he wanted to be the leader of the clan.
Yoshimitsu's son, Minamoto no Yoshikiyo, took the surname "Takeda" and is also known as Takeda Yoshikiyo, and the techniques Yoshimitsu discovered would be secretly passed down within the Takeda clan until the late 19th century, when Takeda Sokaku (Daitō-ryū) and Oba Ichio (Takeda-ryū) have started to teach them to the public.
