Watanabe no Tsuna

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(Japan, Heian: 953-1025) is one of the four retainers of the famous and legendary Genji hero Minamoto no Yorimitsu (who is otherwise known as Raikoh). Together they slew many creatures, ranging from men to demons.

Tsuna accompained Raikoh when they visited the hut of Yamamba, a man-eating hag. There they found a boy known as Kaidomaru, who had been brought up among animals and endowed with superhuman strength. The boy requested that Raikoh allow him to become one of his retainers, and Raikoh accepted, giving the boy the name Sakata no Kintoki, often shortened to Kintoki.

Watanabe no Tsuna's other comrades are Urabe no Suetake and Usui Sadamitsu. Together, the four are collectively known as the Four Guardian Kings.

He also assisted Raikoh in slaying Shuten Doji, the demonic ground spider. His most famous feat is most likely when he defeated the demoness Ibaragi Oni, the principal follower of Shutendoji, single-handedly at Rashomon (or Rajomon) gate at the southern end of Suzaku-oji, the central North-South street in the old capital Heiankyo (now Kyoto).

At the end of the intense battle Watanabe no Tsuna cut off the demoness' arm before it fled. Tsuna imprisoned the demoness' arm within a holy talisman, which only he had the ability to release. The demoness later returned to claim the lost arm, and tricked Tsuna to release the arm from its binding. Later, Tsuna accompanied Raikoh to Shuten Doji's lair. The legend is continued in a Japanese tale known as Ooeyama.

Alternate Information

Tsuna is also featured as a playable character in From Software's beautiful creation, . He has a wolf like type appearance and wields a dual-sided curved sword.

Information on the Legend and History of Shutendoji ---- http://park.org/Japan/Hitachi/nippon/oni/e/t_shutendoji.html

Notes

Watanabe Tsuna, along with Raikoh, Usui Sadamitsu, Sakata no Kintoki, Urabe no Suetake, Abe no Seimei, and several other well known figures in Japanese mythology are all featured in the Xbox video game, Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors.

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