Letter from Koshigoe

The letter from Koshigoe is a 12th century document written by Minamoto no Yoshitsune to Minamoto no Yoritomo from the city of Koshigoe. Background Minamoto no Yoshitsune was one of the most important samurai warriors living at the end of the Heian era in 12th century Japan. He led his warriors to victory over the Taira for his half brother Minamoto no Yoritomo in the Genpei wars, and helped to bring about the creation of Japan's first bakufu, or tent government in Kamakura, just south of the little-known fishing village of Edo on the seaside. While fighting the Taira clan, he had a few disagreements with the shogun's favourite advisor, Kajiwara Kagetoki, which proved to be bad for his position when he would later want to meet with the brother he never had time to know as a child growing up. Kajiwara was able to convince Yoritomo that Yoshitsune would be a threat and had to be eliminated, so when Yoshitsune travelled from the capital now known as Kyoto with two high-ranking Taira prisoners, Munemori and his son Kiyomune, he was not allowed to enter the city gates and was forced to wait in Koshigoe nearby. After nine days, Yoshitsune wrote a final plea and pledge of allegiance to Yoritomo, and this letter was translated from the Gikeiki in 1966 by Helen Craig McCullough for her book Yoshitsune: A 15th Century Japanese Chronicle. The letter To His Excellency the Governor of Inaba: (Oe no Hiromoto) I, Minamoto Yoshitsune, venture to address you.