Sano Genzaemon (佐野源左衛門)
It is believed that Genzaemon SANO (year of birth and death unknown) was a warrior from Sano manor in Kozuke Province during the middle of the Kamakura period. It is believed that his real name was Tsuneyo.
Genzaemon is one the characters in the Noh story "Hachinoki" (The Potted Tree). It is believed that the story was based on "Taiheiki" (The Record of the Great Peace) and "Masukagami" (The Clear Mirror) which stated that Tokiyori HOJO, the regent of the Kamakura bakufu (the Japanese feudal government headed by shogun), became a monk in 1256 after suffering from illness and traveled around Japan with his identity concealed. In the story of "Hachinoki," he was hospitable to a monk who stayed overnight at his house on a snowy day despite his poverty. He told the monk that his land in Toyomigo in Sano manor was seized by the Sano family. After the monk left his house, the Kamakura bakufu (the Japanese feudal government headed by shogun) announced a mobilization order, and Genzaemon immediately followed the order. When Genzaemon was summoned by the regent, he discovered that the monk who stayed overnight at his house on that snowy night was Tokiyori. The Toyomigo, Sano manor that was seized by the Sano family was returned to Genzaemon, thanks to Tokiyori. In addition, he was awarded the lands in Umeda (Plum tree) manor in Kaga Province, the Sakurai (Cherry tree) manor in Ecchu Province, and the Matsui (Pine tree) manor in Kozuke Province, according to the types of trees used as fire woods on the night when Tokiyori stayed at his house.
He is considered legendary due to the reasons that the Chinese character 'Tuna,' the common character used in the Sano family's real name, was not included in Genzaemon's real name, the Chinese character 'Gen' was included in his name despite his main family name of Fujiwara and his home town was Shimotsuke Province, not Kozuke Province.