Kusunoki Masashige (楠木 正成, 1294 – 1336) was a Japanese samurai of the Kamakura period remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty.  Kusunoki fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in the Genkō War to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate and restore power in Japan to the Imperial Court.   He was a leading figure of the Kenmu Restoration in 1333, remained loyal to unpopular Emperor Go-Daigo after Ashikaga Takauji began to reverse the restoration in the Nanboku-chō wars three years later, attacked Takauji at the command of the Emperor — an act of obedience sure to result in defeat — and died at the Battle of Minatogawa.  Kusunoki became a popular legend in Japan representing loyalty and virtue, and is associated with the phrase “Would that I had seven lives to give for my country!”  Kusunoki was posthumously awarded the highest court rank in Japan, Senior First Rank, by the Meiji government in 1880.  And of course his legend lives on within his imposing statue, as you see on this unused old card.  Grade: 1