Minamoto no Yorimitsu, also known as Raiko, was a warrior of the mid-Heian period. He served Fujiwara no Michinaga and was governor of several provinces.
Many legends tell of him as a hero who defeated yokai with his “Four Heavenly Kings,” including Watanabe no Tsuna and Sakata no Kintoki (Kintaro). The tale of how he made Shuten-doji, chief of the oni of Mount Oe, drunk on poisoned sake and cut off his head, and the tale of how he slashed the earth spider that appeared at his sickbed with a famous sword, are favorite subjects of picture scrolls, Noh and kabuki.
