‘Fierce warrior-monks trained in martial arts,’ explained Kuma-san. ‘Nobunaga challenged their control of Kyoto. His forces stormed up the mountain and conquered the sohei.’

‘But if they were the guardians of Kyoto, why did Nobunaga destroy them?’ asked Jack.

‘Nobunaga was not the destroyer of this monastery,’ said Kuma-san vehemently. ‘The monks had become too rich, too powerful, too greedy. The destroyer of the monastery was the monastery itself!’

‘So who protects Kyoto from evil spirits now?’

‘There are many other monasteries, Jack,’ explained Akiko. ‘Kyoto is a city of temples. See there on that steep slope, peeking just above the trees, that is Kiyomizudera Temple, the Temple of Clear Water. It protects the source of the Kizu river, the Otowa-no-taki.’

‘What’s Otowa-no-taki?’

‘The “Sound of Feathers” waterfall. It is said that to drink from its waters will help cure any illness.’

Jack gazed at the towering pagoda temple until it disappeared from view.

Wending their way through the narrow streets and byways of Kyoto, Akiko pointed out the various shrines and temples. Every street appeared to have its own shrine. Finally, the road opened out on to a large paved thoroughfare dominated by a magnificent wooden gateway, with a large curving roof and decorated in gold leaf. Pale earthen walls, topped with jade-green tiles, stretched out either side for over half a mile, completely encircling the buildings hidden within.

‘Kyoto Gosho,’ breathed Akiko with utter reverence.

‘The Imperial Palace,’ explained Yamato, seeing Jack’s bafflement. ‘We are passing by the home of the Emperor of Japan, the Living God.’

Masamoto bowed briefly in its direction, then bore left along the palace’s walls. They followed him down the wide boulevard and back into the narrowing streets of the city. It was not long before they emerged in front of another fortified enclosure.

Thick white walls upon great stone foundations surrounded a three-tiered castle with a large curving roof. The fortifications sloped into a wide moat and at each corner large defensive turrets guarded the main gate and thoroughfares. The castle exuded an air of impregnability.

‘We are here,’ stated Kuma-san.

‘We are staying in the castle?’ said Jack in astonishment.

‘No! That is Nijo Castle. Home to daimyo Takatomi,’ said Kuma-san, and then with immense pride in his voice: ‘We are going to the Butokuden.’

They dismounted and Jack, unloading his saddlebag, turned to Akiko.

‘What is the Butokuden?’ he whispered, not wishing to offend Kuma-san.

‘It is the “Hall of the Virtues of War”. The Butokuden is Masamoto’s dojo, training hall,’ Akiko explained quietly and nodded in its direction. ‘It is the home of the Niten Ichi Ryū, the greatest sword school in Kyoto and the only one sponsored by the daimyo Takatomi himself. It is the place where we will be trained in Bushido, the Way of the Warrior.’