Kumawaka’s Revenge: The First "Ninja" Assassination?
Proto-Ninja or Not?
The story of Kumawaka, a 13-year-old avenger from 14th-century Japan, is often hailed as one of the earliest examples of a ninja-like assassination. While it has all the hallmarks of a shinobi operation—stealth, cunning, and the exploitation of environmental factors—this incident predates the formalized ninja tradition by centuries. The tale, found in the 14th-century epic Taiheiki, provides a fascinating insight into how such stories influenced the later perception of ninjutsu and its operatives.
The Tale of Kumawaka
Kumawaka’s story begins with tragedy. His father, Hino Suketomo, a loyal imperial counselor, was exiled to Sado Island and sentenced to death for his role in Emperor Go-Daigo’s plot to overthrow the shogunate. Suketomo’s execution was ordered by Homma Saburo, a monk serving as the governor of Sado. The young Kumawaka vowed to avenge his father’s death, setting in motion one of the most famous revenge stories in Japanese lore.
According to Stephen Turnbull’s Real Ninja: Over 20 True Stories of Japan's Secret Assassins, Kumawaka was taken in by Homma after his father’s execution. Feigning illness, he stayed in Homma’s residence, secretly observing and planning his retribution. The opportunity came on a stormy night. Homma had retired to bed in a dimly lit room, with a sword placed nearby. Kumawaka noticed a swarm of moths outside the window. Opening the shutters, he allowed the insects to swarm around the lamp, extinguishing it in their frenzy. With the room cloaked in darkness, Kumawaka seized the sword and fatally struck Homma.
The Escape
The young avenger’s escape was as cunning as the assassination itself. Guards pursued him through the stormy night. Spotting a grove of tall bamboo near a moat, Kumawaka climbed the stalks, which bent under his weight, gently lowering him across the water to safety. The ingenuity of this escape further cemented Kumawaka’s reputation as a resourceful and stealthy operator.
Different Versions of the Story
The Taiheiki's account of Kumawaka’s revenge has been retold in various forms, each adding its own nuances:
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Turnbull’s Account
In Ninja AD 1460-1650, Stephen Turnbull emphasizes the harsh weather conditions during the assassination. Kumawaka’s weapon of choice was the victim’s own blade, which he drove into Homma’s chest. -
Larry Getlen's Interpretation
Writing for the New York Post, Larry Getlen highlights Kumawaka’s calculated patience and quotes John Man’s observation that Kumawaka had vowed to “stab Homma or his son and rip out my belly” in an oath of revenge. Getlen notes Kumawaka targeted his father’s executioner, using moths to extinguish the room’s candlelight before stabbing the victim through the navel and throat. -
Ninja Attack! by Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt
This version adds context to Kumawaka’s journey to Sado Island. Paying a local merchant for passage, he infiltrated Homma’s mansion with the single-minded purpose of avenging his father. The narrative underscores the lengths Kumawaka went to in fulfilling his promise.
Kumawaka and the Ninja Connection
Despite its ninja-like elements, this tale predates the organized shinobi tradition. Historical ninjutsu developed later. Shinobi were primarily spies, scouts, and saboteurs rather than assassins. Stephen Turnbull echoes this sentiment, describing ninjutsu as a discipline rooted in subterfuge and intelligence gathering rather than outright murder. Yet, the archetypal elements of stealth, environmental manipulation, and audacious escapes found in Kumawaka’s story undoubtedly influenced the romanticized image of the ninja.
Conclusion
Kumawaka’s tale is not a true ninja assassination but a compelling proto-ninja story. His ingenious methods, from darkening a room with moths to escaping across a moat using bamboo, embody the traits associated with ninjutsu: adaptability, resourcefulness, and stealth. While Kumawaka himself was not a shinobi, his story laid the groundwork for the myths and legends that would later define ninja lore.
References
- Getlen, Larry. “Rise of Japan’s Peasant Assassins, the Ninja.” New York Post, Feb. 10, 2013.
https://nypost.com/2013/02/10/rise-of-japans-peasant-assassins-the-ninja/ - Turnbull, Stephen. Real Ninja: Over 20 True Stories of Japan's Secret Assassins.
- Turnbull, Stephen. Ninja AD 1460-1650. Osprey Publishing.
- Yoda, Hiroko, and Matt Alt. Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai and Outlaws. Tuttle Publishing.
- Taiheiki (Historical Text).
Image: Kumawakamaru escapes his pursuers by swinging across the moat on a bamboo. Woodblock print on paper. Kuniyoshi, 1842–1843.
