Changes

*''Japanese'': 吉良義央 (Kira Yoshinaka or Kira Yoshihisa)

*''Japanese'': 吉良義央 (Kira Yoshinaka or Kira Yoshihisa)

Yoshinaka was a [[Tokugawa clan|Tokugawa]] ''[[hatamoto]]'' with a stipend of 4,200 ''[[koku]]'', a shogunal official of the [[Edo period]]. He is famous for his part in the tale of the [[47 Ronin]], as the killer of their lord [[Asano Naganori]] and the target of the ronin's vengeance.

Yoshinaka was a [[Tokugawa clan|Tokugawa]] ''[[hatamoto]]'' with a stipend of 4,200 ''[[koku]]'', a shogunal official of the [[Edo period]]. He is famous for his part in the tale of the [[47 Ronin]], as the killer of their lord [[Asano Naganori]] and the target of the ronin's vengeance. While Kira's personal name has traditionally been given as Yoshinaka, recent discoveries of letters and other contemporary documents show that it was actually pronounced 'Yoshihisa'.

Traditionally, Kira Kosuke Yoshinaka has been heavily vilified by novels, plays, and prints to lend justification to Asano Naganori’s assault and also to give the 47 Ronin a worthy villain against which to carry out their vendetta. But how much of this, if any, is based on historical fact? Kira’s contemporary, [[Sato Naotaka]], has pointed out that "while Asano’s conduct was justified (by some) on account of evil-doing that people attributed to Kira, it still left open the question of whether this view of Kira was indeed supported by fact".  

Traditionally, Kira Kosuke Yoshinaka has been heavily vilified by novels, plays, and prints to lend justification to Asano Naganori’s assault and also to give the 47 Ronin a worthy villain against which to carry out their vendetta. But how much of this, if any, is based on historical fact? Kira’s contemporary, [[Sato Naotaka]], has pointed out that "while Asano’s conduct was justified (by some) on account of evil-doing that people attributed to Kira, it still left open the question of whether this view of Kira was indeed supported by fact".  

*Kanai Madoka, editor ''Dokai Koshuki'' in ''Edo Shiryo Sosho'' Tokyo:Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1967

*Kanai Madoka, editor ''Dokai Koshuki'' in ''Edo Shiryo Sosho'' Tokyo:Jinbutsu Oraisha, 1967

*Tokutomi Ichiro ''Kinsei Nihon Kokuminshi'' vols 11-19, Tokyo:Minyusha, 1935-1936

*Tokutomi Ichiro ''Kinsei Nihon Kokuminshi'' vols 11-19, Tokyo:Minyusha, 1935-1936

*Sato Naokata ''Yonjuroku Nin No Hikki'' NST, Vol 27

*Sato Naokata ''Yonjuroku Nin No Hikki'' NST, Vol 27

*Bito Masahide ''The Ako Incident, 1701-1703'' in ''Monumenta Nipponica'' 58:2 (Summer 2003)  

*Bito Masahide ''The Ako Incident, 1701-1703'' in ''Monumenta Nipponica'' 58:2 (Summer 2003)