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On the day of the gladiatorial-style match, people from all over packed the neighborhood. When the moment came to face the ferocious beast, Matsumura entered the arena and calmly advanced towards the bull clutching only a short wooden club in his hand. Irritated by the crowd, the bull bucked violently, snorted, and scratched the ground as it prepared to engage its adversary. When the bull charged out into the center of the arena and faced Matsumura, much to everyone’s astonishment, it let out a fervent cry and ran off.

Dumbfounded, everyone including the king stood holding their breath in disbelief, until finally the king shouted: “Well done, Matsumura. You are indeed the most remarkable bushi in all of the world!” What the king, and the townspeople did not know was the reason why, on seeing Matsumura, the bull ran away. During the time that Matsumura was supposed to be preparing for the bout, he was actually conditioning the bull.

Under the cover of darkness, Matsumura secretly went to the animal’s pen where, every night for a week, with a konbo (small wooden club) and dressed in the same outfit, he screamed and vigorously beat the head of the bull until even the sight or sound of Matsumura caused the beast to shudder in fear. Naturally, in the arena, when the beast got close enough to smell, hear, and see that it was Matsumura with the konbo, it ran off.