Shimizu no Kanja Yoshitaka 清水冠者義高

Shimizu no Kanja Yoshitaka (清水冠者義高), the “Rat Prince,” is a tragic historical figure who has been reimagined in Japanese sorcery tales as a master of rodent magic and a vengeful spirit seeking justice for his fallen clan.

Meaning and Origin

The name Shimizu (清水) refers to “Pure Water,” while Kanja (冠者) is a title for a young man who has recently undergone his coming-of-age ceremony.

In history, Yoshitaka was the young son of the rebel general Minamoto no Yoshinaka. He was held as a political hostage and eventually executed at a very young age to prevent him from taking revenge for his father’s death. However, in the 19th-century fantasy novel Raigō Ajari Kaisoden, he was reimagined as a survivor who escaped his execution. He represents the Tragedy of War—an innocent child whose life was sacrificed to political ambition.

Characteristics

In legends, Yoshitaka is depicted as a handsome, pale-skinned youth who is rarely seen alone. He is almost always accompanied by a small army of Spectral Rats.

Because his father was famously associated with the temple of Raigō-Ajari (the priest who turned into a rat-demon), Yoshitaka is said to have inherited the ability to command rats. He can send them to infiltrate fortresses, chew through armor, and even carry him across water. He is often shown wearing a simple traveling cloak, concealing his noble status, with a rat perched on each of his shoulders like loyal familiars.

Legends

The most prominent legend of Yoshitaka involves his Assault on Kamakura. To avenge his father and his own stolen life, he used his magic to summon thousands of rats into the city of the Shōgun. The rats swarmed the granaries, causing a sudden famine, and chewed the bowstrings of the Shōgun’s army, leaving them defenseless.

However, the legend takes a turn when the rats are countered by a magical cat summoned by his enemies. The resulting “Battle of Cats and Rats” is a favorite theme in ukiyo-e art. Ultimately, Yoshitaka is a figure of pity and awe—a boy who used the “smallest of creatures” to challenge the greatest power in the land. His story suggests that no one, no matter how small, is truly powerless when driven by the weight of their ancestors’ blood.