About Horibe Yasubei
Lived 1670 – 1703 (aged 32–33). Horibe Yasubei was a Japanese samurai.
was a warrior in Japan. Yasubee was born to , a samurai of the Shibata Domain (a han in present-day Niigata Prefecture) . When Yasubee was 13, his father lost his position and became a rōnin. Soon afterwards, Yajiemon died, and as Yasubee's mother had died shortly after giving birth to him, Yasubee was thus orphaned. Eventually, Yasubee ended up in Edo and became successful as a master swordsman at the dōjō.
In 1694, Yasubee came to the aid of his dōjō mate and pledged uncle in a duel at Takadanobaba in Edo, killing three opponents. He received acclaim for his role, and Horibe Yahei of the Akō Domain asked Yasubee to marry his daughter and become the heir to Yahei's family. Yahei was so impressed with Yasubee that he pleaded to his liege, Asano Naganori, to allow Yasubee to keep his Nakayama surname while marrying into the Horibe family. Yasubee eventually took on the Horibe surname and became a successful retainer of the Akō Domain.
In 1701, Asano Naganori was sentenced to commit seppuku as a result of an attack on Kira Yoshinaka. The Akō Domain was disbanded, and Yasubee once again became a rōnin. In 1702, Yasubee and Yahei were among the Forty-seven Rōnin who attacked and killed Kira, avenging their late lord's death. Yasubee surrendered to the authorities and was placed in the custody of Matsudaira Oki no Kami Sadanao. On March 20, 1703 (according to the Gregorian calendar), he was sentenced to commit seppuku.
Horibe Yasubee has a prominent role in plays, films, and television depictions of Chūshingura, the fictionalized account of the Forty-seven Rōnin.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Horibe Yasubei's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Horibe Yasubei's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Horibe Yasubei?
Samurai; one of 47 ronin
When was Horibe Yasubei born?
Horibe Yasubei was born in 1670 in Shibata.
When did Horibe Yasubei die?
Horibe Yasubei died on 20 March 1703 in Edo.
What was Horibe Yasubei's occupation?
Horibe Yasubei was a samurai.
What nationality was Horibe Yasubei?
Horibe Yasubei was Japanese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Horibe Yasubei. https://biography.guide/horibe-yasubei/
MLA: "Horibe Yasubei." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/horibe-yasubei/.
Chicago: "Horibe Yasubei." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/horibe-yasubei/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-27 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:16 UTC