Kusunoki Yukiyasu (楠木行康)
Yukiyasu KUSUNOKI was a busho (Japanese military commander) in Muromachi period. He was a son of Masamichi KUSUNOKI.. He is said to be a direct descendant of Masashige KUSUNOKI and Masatsura KUSUNOKI.
In the Choroku Conspiracy, his father Masamichi was killed by surviving retainers of Akamatsu clan who aimed for recapture of the Sacred Treasures of the Imperial Family. Wounded in his knee, Yukiyasu fled to Kumano, too (some say that he committed suicide at that time).
It is said that among his children was Masatoshi KUSUNOKI, and later his descendants as the Kusunoki clan used 楠 (Kusunoki) for their family name, omitting the second letter "木" from the original "楠木".