Did Tsushima in the 13th Century really look like this? Like Ishikawa, most samurai back then actually favored the ranged combat that came with a bow and arrows rather than getting up close and personal with their enemies. Armor was also much lighter and less elaborate at this time. These were the days before the curved “katana” sword became the samurai weapon of choice. In truth, the character of Sensei Ishikawa is far closer to what a samurai in 1274 looked like than Jin Sakai. While these characters themselves never existed, many of their traits and those of their comrades are highly indicative of people who did live at this time.Ī game that captures the spirit of what it meant to be a samurai.įor example, early in his adventure, Jin seeks the counsel of Sensei Ishikawa, a master of the bow and arrow. While was a Sakai clan of samurai throughout Japan’s history, they did not exist until the end of the 14th century, at least 100 years after the game’s events. Much like his Mongol counterpart, Jin Sakai, the titular Ghost of Tsushima, and his uncle, Shimura, Samurai Lord of Tsushima, are entirely fictional characters, created just for the game. Were Jin Sakai and Lord Shimura real people? Counting their blessings, some Japanese at the time called this storm a “divine wind,” or kamikaze in Japanese. The Mongols eventually made it as far as Hakata Bay in modern-day Kyushu, before a severe storm was said to have decimated their fleet.
Today, a monument stands on Komoda Beach, in tribute to those who gave their lives defending the island.Īs portrayed in-game, the Mongols quickly overwhelmed the samurai of Tsushima, gaining complete control of the island in just a few days. Nevertheless, So and his men charged on horseback directly at the invaders. It was here that Sukekuni So, leader of the So Clan, and around 80 samurai warriors made a heroic last stand against more than 8,000 invading Mongols. Though the names differ from history, the game’s opening cinematic, depicting a heroic last stand for the Tsushima samurai at Komoda Beach, is accurate. The Mongols quickly overwhelmed the samurai of Tsushima. Kublai Khan was a grandson of Genghis Khan but is perhaps better known for his conquests in China, where he earned the title of Shizu, First Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. It was Kublai Khan, who led the Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century. There was no Mongol leader known as Khotun Khan.Īlthough Genghis Khan fathered a vast number of children and grandchildren-estimates suggest 0.5% of the world’s current population is descended from him-there is no record of him having a grandson named Khotun. The Mongols did indeed invade Japan in 1274 (and again in 1281), but they did so under different leadership.
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