[1] Becoming a murderer out of jealousy for a childhood friend, Kawai Matagoro fled to the Edo city where hatamoto Ando Masayoshi sheltered him.

When Tadao died in 1632, he asked: "For my memorial service, above everything else offer on my behalf the head of Kawai Matagorō."

By now, Watanabe Kazuma had been joined in his revenge by his sister's husband, famous swordsman Araki Mataemon.

[3] "On the seventh day of the eleventh month of 1634", Watanabe Kazuma, Araki Mataemon, and two other men waited for Kawai Matagoro at the Kagiya crossroads in Iga-Ueno.

[3] Historian Stephen Turnbull wrote, that: The story was eventually to grow to put the number slain by Mataemon at 36, but this is certainly exaggerated.

If Matagoro behaved properly, he might receive a pardon and regain the daimye authority following a victory.

[3]Vendetta needed to be reported to a government to be regarded a lawful action, or all the participants were cast as criminals.