Chinzei Hachirō Tametomo (1139-1177; also, Minamoto no Tametomo) can be seen here preparing for a futile strike against approaching ships using his infamous archery skills, while two native islanders to the warriors' left look on. This event takes place after Tametomo's banishment to Oshima Island at the end of the Genpei Wars, when he decided to contest his exile. Later, facing defeat and shame again by a rival faction, Tametomo determined to commit seppuku, ritual suicide, becoming the first samurai to do so. These episodes from Tametomo's dramatic life and his honorable death are the subject of numerous kabuki plays, novels and prints, most numerous during the Meiji era.

The spirit of the Japanese warrior has its roots in Japans classical myths from as early as the 4th century. These tales featured characters of profound physical strength with a quick mind and fierce sense of dedication to the emperor or ruling clan. These prototypical warriors had impressive pedigrees, often linking them to Chinese royalty or even gods, and their ambitions and feats often exceeded the expectations of their forebears. While many of these characters can be seen as examples of extraordinary achievement and talent at an individual level, they are also celebrated for their selfless devotion to their families, clans, and masters. A number of warrior legends from this period involve an aggressive expulsion of rebels and barbarians from what was considered imperial land in an attempt to maintain the integrity of the ruling clan against external threats. During this era, Japanese notions of a tragic hero, or “loser-hero,” were created, an archetype defined as a warrior who suffers an inglorious death or defeat after a life spent winning and completing noble deeds.