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Sanada Masatoyo

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Sanada Masatoyo (died 1582) was a Japanese swordmaster who founded the Sanada-ryū school of combat in Azuchi Castle during the late 16th century. His school became a rival of the Shinkage-ryū (新陰流, "new shadow school") school led by Kamiizumi Nobutsuna.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Rivalry with Kamiizumi Nobutsuna[edit | edit source]

By 1581, a duel had been waged against Nobutsuna's school. Masatoyo defeated three of his students and won Nobutsuna's katana from him, which humiliated the elder swordmaster in the eyes of Oda Nobunaga. However, in the spring, during Masatoyo's pledge of fealty to Nobunaga, Nobutsuna's newly-trained student Diogo challenged and killed Masatoyo's students in an actual duel, winning back his mentor's lost blade.[1] This led Masatoyo to harbor a grudge against Diogo, who proclaimed his new name to be Yasuke, and his mentor Nobutsuna.[2]

In 1582, Masatoyo traveled to Azuchi again to find Nobutsuna at his home. Enraged, he attacked and killed Nobutsuna and wrote a message in his blood for his students. When Marume Nagayoshi arrived at his sensei's estate, followed shortly by Yasuke, they found their dead master and Masatoyo's message. Although Nagayoshi wanted to kill Masatoyo himself, Yasuke convinced him that would ruin his and their sensei's memory and that he would deliver justice himself.[2]

Death[edit | edit source]

At his estate, Sanada waited until Yasuke arrived. During their confrontation, Masatoyo admitted that his attack was to draw Yasuke out and to kill him in combat to assert his strength over Nobutsuna. While keeping Nobutsana's katana at his house, he dueled Yasuke. However, he lost and was killed by Yasuke, ending his deluded notions. Afterwards, Yasuke recovered the katana Crimson's Edge from the house and read Nobutsuna's last message to him before leaving the estate.[2]

Appearances[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]