EDUTAINMENT

Select Category

Edutainment > Articles on Art > Japanese History / Legends > Soga Brothers

Soga Brothers at Yui Beach
by Chikanobu Toyohara 1838-1912
copyright protected

The story of the Soga brothers - Juro and Goro - is another popular theme in Japanese culture based on a real event in feudal Japan from 1193. It is all about vendetta - revenge. Apart from a confusing number of names and some side lines, the story is basically rather straightforward. And the end is like that of an Italian nineteenth century opera. The chief characters are all dead - but honor was restored.

Historical Background

Japan had been ruled by an emperor, a member of the Fujiwara family, since the 7th century. During the 12th century two other strong family clans came into the game - the Minamato and the Taira. The Minamato are also called Genji and the Taira clan is also known as the Heike or Heishi.

First the Minamato and the Taira kicked the Fujiwara emperor out of power. When he was neutralized to a purely representational figure, the Minamato and the Heike families could finally concentrate on fighting against each other. First the Minamato had the upper hand. But in 1159 the Heike under their leader Kiyomori defeated them and chased them out of the capital Kyoto.

After the death of Kiyomori in 1181 the tide turned again. The Minamato got the final upper hand in the decisive naval battle of Dannoura of 1185. Their leader Yoritomo established himself as the uncontested military ruler of Japan - the Shogun. In the following years, the reckless Yoritomo unified and pacified the land - basically by having everyone executed who looked like having one ounce of Taira blood in his veins or whom he considered to be a potential danger for his power like his own brothers Yoshitsune and Noriyori.

The Assassination of Kawazu Sukeyasu

Soga Goro Tokimune
by Yoshitoshi Taiso 1839-1892
copyright protected

The Ito clan with Ito Jiro Sukechika as head of the family was allied with the Heike. Ito had a son, Kawazu Saburo Sukeyasu, an active Sumo wrestler. One day Kawazu Sukeyasu was murdered by his cousin Kudo Suketsune in the mountains of Hakone.

The murdered Kawazu Sukeyasu left two young sons, at that time three and five years old. From now on the story has a few different versions about an intrigue to behead the two young children at a beach. The murderer feared the possibility of a later revenge - not without reasons. But somehow the lives of the two young lads were spared.

The widow of the murdered Kawazu Sukeyasu later married again - a man named Soga. Soga adopted the elder son Juro Sukenari. The younger brother, Goro Tokimune was sent to a Buddhist temple to become a monk. Sending unwanted people to a cloister was a common practice - not only in Japan. There are numerous similar stories in European history.

The Hunting at Mount Fuji

Soga Brothers and Mt. Fuji
by Kunisada Utagawa 1786-1865
copyright protected

But the two brothers had other plans than singing holy mantras. They wanted to revenge their father and they had secretly trained themselves for this moment.

One day the opportunity for the avenge of their father had come. Kudo Suketsune was outside his mansion on a hunting session hosted by the Shogun Yoritomo.

When Juro Sukenari got aware that their chance for revenge had come, he grabbed a horse and rode like mad to Oiso, the place where his younger brother Goro was kept as a monk.

The story now gets a little bit twisted with a marriage arranged by the mother of the two boys. Anyway, while the preparations for the marriage were still going on, the two brothers managed to sneak out of the mansion during the night, while a heavy storm was raging the region.

Juro and Goro made it to the hunting camp at the slopes of Mount Fuji, found Kudo Suketsune in a tent and killed him. There are again different versions about the circumstances. In one version Kudo Suketsune was drunk, in another in the company of a prostitute. Maybe both versions are correct.

Two Dead Heroes

Night Attack by Soga Brothers
by Chikanobu Toyohara 1838-1912
copyright protected

The whole camp was in uproar and a fight broke out between the retainers of the slain Suketsune and the two brothers. The elder Juro was killed in this fight and the younger Goro was captured by a sumo wrestler named Goromaru. Shogun Yoritomo had to make a decision and it was not a good one for Goro. It was not his day - he was executed.

In the Kabuki play version, the death of the Soga brothers is seen under a positive light. Shogun Yoritomo condemned Goro, but at the same time he honored the brother's deed by reinstalling their mother as the legitimate owner of her late husband's estate.

Goro was 20 and Juro 22 years old when they died. Fortunately the two Soga brothers had no children. Thus the story has no continuation with a new vendetta.

Search for Soga brothers

You can buy art on this site in our ongoing art auction, or direct. See also our upcoming auctions and our art products. If you have any questions, please contact us.

The images on this web site are the property of the artist(s) and or the artelino GmbH and/or a third company/institution.  Reproduction, public display and any commercial use of these images, in whole or in part, require the expressed written consent of the artist(s) and/or the artelino GmbH. . 

	Web www.artelino.com

Japanese History / Legends