“That went remarkably well.”

In his heart, Yoshitsune relished the fortuitous turn. Looking back at that stormy night in Osaka Harbor, most of his retainers thought it suspicious when he ordered the ships to depart. Many of them even opposed the order. However, Yoshitsune overcame the opposing voices. A tailwind picked up when the ships set off, and they were at Shikoku in a matter of hours. They managed to approach Yashima.

All of it happened according to Yoshitsune’s plan. The Minamoto clan set houses on fire, deceiving the Taira clan into thinking they had come in force, and upended their assumptions by invading from the south. Yoshitsune considered the ebb and flow of the tides in approaching the isolated Yashima Island. He calculated the moment the tides receded to reveal the shoals and sent oxen ahead while avoiding deep patches of water. The Minamoto cavalry rode splashing into Yashima, and the bloodbath began.

Perhaps Yoshitsune was made careless by how smoothly the battle proceeded. A master archer of the Taira found his moment, took aim at Yoshitsune, and shot.

“Lord Yoshitsune!”

A man raced in front of the unsuspecting Yoshitsune. It was his retainer, Sato Tsugunobu. He took the fatal arrow, sacrificing himself for Yoshitsune. Cradled in his Lord’s arms, Tsugunobu said, “I gave my life for yours, Lord. There is no higher honor upon this earth.” Then he breathed his last.

***
It was an honor, and no mistake. Tsugunobu’s grave still stands in Yashima to this day, 800 years later.