Grave of Benkei

At the foot of the hill upon which sits Chūson-ji, the most important Tendai temple in northern Japan, lies the grave of one of the most legendary warriors in Japanese history. This is the story of Musashibō Benkei, a warrior monk whose strength, loyalty, and dramatic death have made him one of Japan’s most enduring folk heroes.

The story of how Benkei came to be in Yoshitsune’s service is as remarkable as the tale of his death. According to legend, Benkei was on a personal mission in Kyoto to relieve 1,000 samurai of their swords, believing them to be arrogant and unworthy of their status. After taking 999 swords, he chose the small, unassuming Minamoto no Yoshitsune as his final target. Following a duel at Gojo Bridge, Yoshitsune emerged victorious. After losing a rematch at Kiyomizu-dera, Benkei pledged his lifelong service to Yoshitsune.

Yoshitsune’s brother, Minamoto no Yoritomo, eventually turned against him after a dispute regarding Yoshitsune’s military appointment with the Northern Fujiwara clan. When the clan’s sympathetic leader died, Yoritomo persuaded the successor to betray Yoshitsune. The attack came in 1189 at the Battle of Koromo River, outside Yoshitsune’s residence in Hiraizumi.

Even as the battle turned against them, Benkei remained fiercely loyal. He reportedly held off hundreds of enemy soldiers, killing hundreds and terrifying the rest so thoroughly that they dared not approach. Even after he was struck by arrows, his body remained standing, creating the legend of Benkei’s “standing death.” His sacrifice bought Yoshitsune the time to commit seppuku and avoid capture.

After the battle, Benkei was buried near the entrance to Chūson-ji. The head priest of the temple wrote a haiku for him: “Musashibō, the lord of this pine tree will never change his color.” For centuries, Benkei’s loyalty has been celebrated in Japanese folklore, honored through Noh and kabuki plays, immortalized in art, and revered at Benkei-dō, a small shrine within the Chūson-ji temple complex.