The Battle of Minatogawa

April 25, 1185

Kenji Makoto gripped the tsuka of his katana with both hands and awaited the enemy. He was loyal to Emporer Go-Daigo, and while defeat appeared imminent, Kenji refused to surrender.

He wore his traditional imperial Samurai attire, and because he came from the humble Makoto family, he carried with it both pride and humility.

He could hear the approaching footfall of the Ashikaga force as they came across the field.

Battle was imminent.

To his sides, his fellow imperial loyalists unsheathed their katanas and prepared for combat. Years of honing their skills had led to this moment.

Kenji could see the enemy approaching now from the north, clad in their own traditional Japanese warrior attire. Hundreds and hundreds of the enemy foot soldiers charged forward, led by the richest of warriors upon horseback.

Their hearts were as strong as his, Kenji guessed.

He thought back to home, and his wife, and his two young sons. They may never see their father again, but his legacy would inspire the bloodline to continue.

The rebellious forces of Ashikaga Tadayoshi charged Kenji’s line and the two armies engaged in battle. It was a ferocious, bloody affair like many of the battles in the Nanbaok-cho Wars.

Indeed, Kenji was felled by an enemy soldier. And, while he lay on the ground bleeding and breathing his last breath, he knew that this was not the end of the Makoto story.