This piece was molded after the famous Samurai Kusunoki Masashige (1294 –1336)

It was given as an award as stated on the base of the bronze. Translation as follows:
"Remembrance of a Triumphant return, daihocho, 4th district, (to) a group leader (not known), (from the) chief and all the consultants staff.  It is not apparent who this man was or what area of the military he was from. Overall the bronze measures 15” long, 5” wide and 15” tall. It was probably caste around 1945? On his chest bears the symbol of the Kusunoki clan, also later used by the Minatogawa Shrine, a school of well known sword smiths, erected in1872. This shrine was dedicated to Masashige and constructed on the spot where he died.

 

 

 

History of Masashige (condensed version)

The man who was to become a legendary hero in Meiji era textbooks and a powerful symbol of loyalty to the emperor was a relative unknown in the days before he stepped into history's spotlight. In fact, little is known even now about the Kusunoki or their roots. The Taiheiki records that Kusunoki was descended from Tachibana Moroye, an influential nobleman and scholar, but this, along with the Kusunoki's presumed Minamoto ties, has never been either proved nor disproved. What is certain is that in 1331 Kusunoki Masashige was a landowner of some modest standing in Kwatchi province who responded to the Emperor Go-Daigo's plea for military support against the Hojo. There were few other men of standing willing to cast in their lots with the imperial cause, making Kusunoki's pledge of support all the more noble.

According to the Taiheki (a work which one must always remember to take with a grain of salt) Kusunoki won a number of minor victories during
 the course of the year. In one of these actions, a 2,000-man force under Kusunoki moved in the general direction of Kyoto, prompting the Bakufu headquarters in the city to dispatch a contingent of 5,000 to face him. The two enemy commanders leading the expedition, Suda and Takahashi, were a bit over-zealous in their task and pressed straight on Kusunoki, who was waiting for them beyond the Yodo River. By employing deceptive maneuvers, Kusunoki convinced the Bakufu warriors that they had plunged headlong into a trap and the attackers fled back across the Watanabe Bridge in some disorder. Kusunoki's actions no doubt gave some substance to the appeals to arms issued by Prince Morinaga. In a later battle; After almost six hours of fighting Masashige and his brother Masasue committed suicide, joined by 150 Kusunoki retainers who had not already been killed. The loyalist cause was doomed, and Nitta Yoshisada, who escaped Minatogawa, was later killed. After the Meji Restoration, when a new government was searching for a way to reconcile Japan's samurai past with her Imperial present, Kusunoki Masashige came to the fore. A samurai loyal to the emperor, even to his certain death, was a valuable symbol, and much exploited during the era of Japanese Imperialism. This ended up with ugly connotations, with young men hurling themselves futilely into American ships in World War II by aircraft or fast boat, inspired by the exploits of Masashige.

Pre-war propaganda aside, Kusunoki Masashige stands as a soldier of the first order, brave and unselfish, with honorable intentions and a steadfast determination. His defense of Chihaya stands as a masterpiece of Japanese defense work that was rarely repeated in the centuries to come.

Compiled by: F. W. Seal