Tametomo

Scion-tier eighth son of Tameyoshi; the canonical giant-archer of the Hōgen Monogatari (cognomen Chinzei Hachirō, "Eighth Son of the Western Pacification"). Of giant stature (over 7 shaku ~210cm) and superhuman archery-strength per the Hōgen Monogatari literary tradition. Banished to Kyushu as a youth; returned to fight on the losing Sutoku-Yorinaga side at the Hōgen Rebellion 1156. After capture, exiled to Ōshima in Izu Province with the tendons of his arms cut to prevent further archery. Died in 1170 by canonical seppuku on Ōshima — the canonical "first-recorded seppuku in Japanese literature" per traditional reading. The Edo-period legendary tradition added a coda where Tametomo escaped to the Ryukyu Islands and became the ancestor of the Ryukyuan royal house.

Parentage

• Tameyoshi

Powers

• Loose ship-sinking shots with superhuman draw

Epithets

• 鎮西八郎

Relations

• father: Tameyoshi
• sibling: Yoshitomo

Sources

• Hōgen Monogatari (Tale of Hōgen, late 12th c.) — the canonical-primary literary-source
• Sonpi Bunmyaku
• Azuma Kagami