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We can be classy folks together. Hello and welcome to the History of Japan podcast, episode 282, The Brothers Soga.

Today I want to talk to you about sweet, sweet revenge.

Specifically, I want to talk to you about one of the first and most famous instances in Japanese history of something called Katakiyuchi, or blood vengeance.

This is a concept with an old heritage in Japan.

The first instance in the Japanese historical record comes from the Nihon Shoki, the second written history of Japan ever, the first being the

Kojiki, compiled in the year 720 CE. The story itself comes from the 400s and has to do with

a hunting expedition undertaken by the imperial family. During that expedition, the semi-mythical

emperor Yuryaku is supposed to have accidentally shot another imperial prince.

That prince's two children then fled the clutches of the imperial family, swearing vengeance against Yuryaku.

They would unfortunately never get their chance, as Yuryaku would die of natural causes before they got a chance to avenge themselves.

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