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Kuma (熊) was a Japanese warrior who served as Lady Oichi's bodyguard during the late 16th century.
Biography
Early life
Kuma was born in Hachiman and grew up with his family on a rice farm. Some time prior to 1573, Ōmi's daimyō Azai Nagamasa held a sumo match in the village, with Kuma being one of the participants. Kuma's size and strength impressed Nagamasa, who promptly took him into his household and gave Kuma's father a koku of rice. Afterwards, Kuma served Nagamasa and later Lady Oichi, becoming her personal bodyguard.[1]
Oichi's bodyguard
After Nagamasa's death in 1573, Kuma accompanied Oichi when she returned to live in Azuchi Castle. In the spring of 1581, Kuma was present with Oichi when she went to meet Diogo, an African retainer of Oichi's brother Oda Nobunaga. Oichi wished to express her gratitude to Diogo after he had helped an elderly servant who was bullied by a group of Sanada Masatoyo's students.[2]
A year later, at the castle residence of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, Kuma met Diogo, now a samurai known by the name Yasuke, and informed him of Oichi's request to meet her at Odani in northern Omi.[3] When Yasuke arrived, Kuma brought the samurai into the residence's gardens to meet Oichi.[4]
After Oichi asked Yasuke for help in dealing with the Shinbakufu in the area,[4] Kuma was sought out by Yasuke in his lookout in Hachiman. There, Kuma told the samurai about a group of corrupt daikans forcefully taxing the residents in the region. After Yasuke eliminated the group, Kuma expressed his gratitude and told the samurai stories of his past before handing him a list of more corrupt daikans throughout Japan, whom Yasuke agreed to deal with.[1]
Later, Kuma accompanied Oichi to the Hogonji Temple on Chikubushima, where the lady held her last meeting with her followers in her guise as "The Wheel", a member of the Shinbakufu. Yasuke and his ally Fujibayashi Naoe, who had learned about the meeting and infiltrated it, were shocked to discover Oichi's identity as The Wheel, but Kuma vouched for his mistress, claiming that she was not a willing participant in the atrocities committed by the other Shinbakufu. In the end, Yasuke and Naoe agreed to spare Oichi's life after she vowed to make up for her mistakes, which Kuma was grateful for.[5]
Appearances
References