Benkei was a son of a monk of the Kumano temple in Kii.

In his infancy he was called Oniwaka-maru; upon becoming a monk, he took the name of Musashi-bo. Contrary to his calling, he always evinced greater taste for fencing and other military exercises than for the cenobite life.

One day, on the Gojo bridge in Kyoto, Benkei attacked Minamoto Yoshitsune, then quite young. Having been overpowered by the young lord, he became his faithful follower.

Benkei accompanied Yoshitsune in his expedition against the Taira, and afterwards in his flight into Oshu to the residence of Fujiwara Hidehira, and finally died with him at the battle of Koromogawa after wonderful deeds of valor in 1189.

Legendary accounts have embellished Benkei's adventures and popularized his strength, stratagems, and devotedness to Yoshitsune. It went so far as to suppose him to have escaped the disaster at Koromogawa, and to have fled into Ezo with his master.

Papinot

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