Watanabe no Tsuna - Watanabe no Tsuna

A military commander in the mid-Heian period. Son of Minamoto Atsuru, who belonged to the Saga Genji clan. Adopted by Atsushi, son-in-law of Minamoto Mitsunaka. His foster mother lived in Watanabe, Settsu Province (Osaka City), so he was called the Watanabe family. He became active as a retainer of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, perhaps because Yorimitsu also established his main residence in Settsu Province. He was counted as one of the Four Heavenly Kings along with Sakata no Kintoki, Taira no Sadamichi, and Taira no Suetake, and was known for his bravery, with stories of him following his lord Yorimitsu to defeat Shuten-doji and Kidomaru, and of him cutting off the arm of an onibaba at Ichijo Modoribashi Bridge. However, these stories are largely mythical and not very credible. He became the founder of the Watanabe clan.

[Oboroya Hisashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安中期の武将。嵯峨(さが)源氏に属す源宛(あつる)の子。源満仲(みつなか)の女婿(じょせい)敦の養子となる。養母が摂津国渡辺（大阪市）に居住したので渡辺家をとなえた。源頼光(よりみつ)の郎等として活躍する契機は、頼光も摂津国に本居を構えたことによるか。坂田金時(さかたのきんとき)、平貞道(さだみち)、平季武(すえたけ)らとともに四天王の1人に数えられ、主君頼光に従って酒呑童子(しゅてんどうじ)や鬼同丸(きどうまる)を退治した話や、一条戻橋(もどりばし)で鬼婆の腕を切った話をもって驍勇(ぎょうゆう)で通った。しかし、これらの話は説話的要素が強く真実性は薄い。渡辺党の祖となった。

［朧谷　寿］

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