How Benkei Met Yoshitsune

Nine hundred years ago, in Japan, a blacksmith’s daughter gave birth to a baby boy. Some said the boy’s father was a god, but most said his father was an evil spirit. But one thing everyone agreed on – that the baby was different from other human children. He was an unusually large baby, and had been born with long hair like a wild man’s, and big sharp teeth. He had the strength of twelve men, and he grew far more rapidly than other babies did. Soon everyone began calling him Oniwaka, which means ‘devil’s child’.

As a little boy, Oniwaka was always getting into trouble, fighting this child or that, breaking this thing or that. His poor mother was driven mad dealing with her neighbour’s complaints and trying to keep the child in check. At last, at her wits’ end, she decided to send him into a monastery. Living in the quiet atmosphere there with only serene and disciplined men for company would calm his rowdy spirit, she thought.

So little Oniwaka became a monk. But even so he kept getting into trouble, and being sent from one monastery to another, from one temple to another, in the hope that somewhere he would settle down. Finally, when he was seventeen years old, Oniwaka left the monasteries and became a yamabushi, a wandering, bandit monk.  He began calling himself Saito Musashibo Benkei.

Benkei was a huge man, almost two metres tall, and with supernatural strength. He took great pride in his skill with arms, and would often challenge unsuspecting travelers to a fight, on the condition that whoever won the fight would also win his opponent’s sword. Of course, Benkei never lost a single fight, and at the end of just a few years, he had collected nine hundred and ninety-nine swords. He was now in search of his thousandth sword.

One day, Benkei wished to offer special evening prayers at the Kitano shrine in Kyoto. But other monks warned him, “Do not go to Kitano, Benkei. A spirit guards the Goyo Bridge, which you will have to cross on your way.”

“I am not afraid of a spirit,” said Benkei, amused.

“Ah, no, Benkei. We know you are not afraid of anything. But this spirit even Benkei should beware! It kills all those who dare cross Goyo Bridge after dark.”

Now, more than ever, Benkei was determined to offer evening prayers at Kitano shrine. “Perhaps I will win my one-thousandth sword  fighting this spirit,” said Benkei to himself.

As he approached Goyo Bridge, all was quiet and very dark. There was no one in sight. Then, just as Benkei was about to cross the bridge, there jumped before him the figure of a little boy.

“Ah, the spirit,” thought Benkei to himself. He bowed low before the spirit and said, “Let me pass. I go to offer evening prayers at Kitano shrine.”

But the spirit spoke up in the voice of a young boy and cried, “Stand and fight! If you defeat me, you may pass, else not!”

Benkei accepted the challenge, and drawing his sword, faced the spirit. Benkei had never faced such an opponent in his life. The spirit leaped and danced and parried and thrust as though he had wings. Soon Benkei was fighting to retain his position, and then he was fighting for his life! And suddenly the fight was over, with Benkei at the spirit’s mercy and acknowledging defeat.

“You are a good swordsman,” said the spirit, “so I will spare your life.”

Benkei bowed low before him. “Who are you?” he asked. “In all my life I have never met anyone – mortal or spirit –  who could beat me.”

The spirit answered, “My name is Ushiwaka. I am the son of Minamoto Yoshihomo, and younger brother of Yoritomo!”

“You are no spirit then!” cried Benkei.

“Ah no,” laughed Ushiwaka. “I am as mortal as anyone else!”

Benkei looked in wonder at this young boy, little more than ten years old, who had so effortlessly defeated him. And Benkei bowed his head before him and humbly asked to serve him for the rest of his life. Ushiwaka accepted Benkei as his follower.

When Ushiwaka grew up he was known as Yoshitsune. Benkei never left Yoshitsune’s side, and died in battle minutes after Yoshitsune. The spirits of Benkei and Yoshitsune left their bodies at the same time, and some say are still together.

The deeds of Yoshitsune the great warrior and his faithful follower Benkei are still remembered in Japan.

A more popular version of the story maintains that Benkei would hide by night under the Goyo  bridge, and challenge all who passed to a sword fight. He would keep the swords of those he defeated. In this way Benkei had collected 999 swords and was in search of the one-thousandth sword when he encountered Yoshitsune. 

Whichever version of the story is accepted, the end result was that Benkei was defeated easily by Yoshitsune, who was little more than a child at the time. Benkei accepted his defeat gracefully and offered his lifelong loyalty to Yoshitsune. According to legend, Yoshitsune learnt the art of swordplay from the Tengu, who are mythical creatures, half-human and half-bird.