Sakigake (pioneer) - pioneer

Japanese: 先懸(先駆) - さきがけ

It is also written as "sento". It means that a medieval warrior would advance into the enemy camp before anyone else. It was an honor on the battlefield and was also the subject of merit. The best way for a warrior to make a name for himself on the battlefield at that time was to perform senkake (sento). The words of Shimokawabe Yukihira, quoted in the Azuma Kagami, "The true purpose of a soldier is to advance before the enemy. When he advances before the enemy, the enemy will know his kindness by his honorable appearance," clearly show the general thoughts of warriors about senkake. The Azuma Kagami also contains a letter of confirmation of Kumagai Naozane's position as land steward of Kumagai-go for his achievements in the conquest of the Satake clan. The letter reads, "Naozane, superior to all others, advances before the enemy, destroys a single force, and demonstrates his great fame as a man equal to a thousand men," showing that this was worthy of being rewarded by warriors in battle.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

先登とも書く。中世武士が他にさきがけて敵陣へ攻め入ることをいう。戦場にあって名誉とされ，勲功の対象ともされた。当時の武士が戦場で自己の武名をはせる最良の方法はこの先懸(先登)を果たすことであった。〈兵の本意は先登なり，先登に進むの時，敵は名謁（なのり）をもってその仁を知る〉との《吾妻鏡》に引用する下河辺行平の詞は武士一般の先懸への思惑を端的に示すものであろう。また同じく《吾妻鏡》には熊谷直実が佐竹征伐の功績によって熊谷郷の地頭職を安堵された下文（くだしぶみ）が見えるが，そこには〈直実，万人に勝れて前懸（さきがけ）し，一陣を懸け壊り，一人当千の高名を顕す〉との文言が付され，これが合戦における武士の勧賞（げんしよう）に値するものであったことを示している。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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