Kayō Watanabe

Kayō Watanabe is a vassal of Mōri Motonari. His hard work and ultimate self-sacrifice eventually earned enough respect from Motonari that his lord ensured the Watanabe clan would endure long after his death.

Roles in Games
In Chikai no Sanshi, He only takes part in First Battle of Gassantoda because Ōuchi army fell into the trap of the Amago army. This trap proved the source of the Ōuchi's defeat. Not even Motonari, a partner of Ōuchi, could rescue the situation. He finds himself in trouble because his retreat is cut off. Kayō and Masahira Kobayakawa volunteer to open up a path to retreat for Motonari. Motonari fears for Kayō and Masahira's safety, but they insist upon fighting against Amago army to serve as a diversion. They both die fighting against the Amago. When Motonari reaches safety, he orders Sadatoshi Fukuhara to search for Kayō and Masahira. Sadatoshi quickly learns and reports the death of both officers. When Motonari hears the report, he begins crying. He tells his followers that "If not, Kayō and Masahira sacrifice life for us, we are all dead"

Historical Information
Watanabe Kayō was descended from Watanabe no Tsuna and was the son of Watanabe Suguru. His clan orginally served the Mōri, but lost their place when Kayō was a small child. His father joined Aiō Mototsuna, Mōri Motonari's younger brother, in rebellion and had to flee with his family when they failed. The young Watanabe Kayō stayed under the protection of Yamauchi Naomichi.

When Motonari wanted to court the favor of the Yamauchi clan in 1534, Naomichi required Motonari to accept back Watanabe Kayō. Motonari reluctantly accepted him back alongside his clan.

During the siege of Koriyama, Watanabe Kayō defended against the forces under the command of Amago Masahisa. Despite being greatly outnumbered, Kayō managed to hold out, maintaining his barricade. He succeeded by using a surprise attack, routing his foes.

In 1542, the Mōri joined the Ōuchi in attacking Gassantoda, and Kayō joined the fray. However, the battle went poorly for their combined forces. Unable to secure the castle, Mōri Motonari was forced to retreat once the Ōuchi fled. The Mōri forces held the rearguard, getting cornered at Yamabuki Castle. To keep Mōri Motonari and Takamoto from killing themselves to avoid capture, Kayō led six other samurai in Motonari's armor, drawing the Amago forces onto themselves to let the rest escape. Motonari elevated the Watanabe clan when he returned to Aki, ensuring their prosperity out of gradititude for Kayō's sacrifice.

Etymology

 * The name Kayō means "through, connoisseur, counter for letters" (通).
 * Kayō's surname Watanabe means "transit, ford, ferry, cross, import, deliver, diameter, migrate" (渡) (wataru) and "environs, boundary, border, vicinity" (辺) (be).
 * Watanabe is is a common surname in Japan.