| Everybody loves samurais because of their | | | | samurai were Honda Tadakatsu in the east and |
| mystique, fierce fighting skills and legends steeped | | | | Tachibana Muneshige in the west. Honda was also |
| in mystery. One of the famous samurai was | | | | respected because even though he fought in over |
| Honda Tadakatsu who was also known as Honda | | | | sixty battles, he never suffered a significant |
| Heihachiro. He was a Japanese general of the late | | | | wound. He was referred as The Warrior who |
| Sengoko and early Edo period. He lived from 1548 | | | | surpassed Death itself for this reason. |
| to 1610 and was one of the Tokugawa Four | | | | Honda is regarded as one of Tokugawa leyasu's |
| Heavenly Kings. | | | | finest generals. He earned distinction at the Battle |
| Tadakatsu was born in the Mikawa province in | | | | of Anegawa and also served at the Battle of |
| Japan and was promoted many times for his | | | | Mikatagahara which was the scene of Tokugawa's |
| service. His son Honda Tadatomo became daimyo | | | | greatest defeat. At that battle he commanded |
| of Otaki and his other son Tadamasa took over | | | | the left wing of the army facing troops under |
| Kuwana after Tadakatsu retired. Even though | | | | Naito Masatoyo one of the Takeda clan's notable |
| Honda served years of loyal service, he became | | | | generals. Honda went on to exact vengeance at |
| estranged from the Tokugawa shogunate as it | | | | the Battle of Nagashino where he commanded |
| moved from military to civilian political institution. | | | | musketeers as the combined Oda-Tokugawa |
| Many other warriors had the same problem | | | | forces annihilated Takeda Katsuyori's army. This |
| transitioning from the chaotic warfare life to a | | | | was in part to the skilled use of ranked muskets |
| stable peaceful life of the Tokugawa shogunate. | | | | as one soldier would fire while another was |
| Honda Tadakatsu was well respected in his time | | | | reloading and yet another cleaning the barrel of |
| and was called the Samurai of Samurai by Oda | | | | the musket. This enabled the muskets to fire |
| Nobunaga, who was known not to praise his | | | | without stopping. It was the first time this |
| followers which made this high praise indeed. | | | | effective battle tactic had been seen. |
| Toyotomi Hedeyoshi also stated that the best | | | | |