Kikuta Hajime

Kikuta Hajime was a member of the Tribe, a cousin of Akio and a sumo wrestler. During Grass for His Pillow, he frequently partners with Takeo in training at Matsue, and establishes a tentative friendship with him, helping him avoid the worst of the abuse Akio put him through. However, this friendship comes to an abrupt end when Takeo is sent on his "final mission" to Hagi, which results in his defection from the Tribe. Hajime, along with the Kikuta family as a whole, declares a blood feud against Takeo for this.

In Brilliance of the Moon, Hajime carries out the last of several attempts by the Kikuta family to assassinate Takeo. He ultimately fails, killing one of Takeo's young warriors, Jiro, instead. Hajime kills himself to avoid interrogation after being captured, though he does tell Takeo that Muto Yuki is dead, and her son by Takeo is in the hands of the Kikuta.

Grass for His Pillow
Hajime serves as one of Takeo's frequent sparring partners in his hand-to-hand combat training at Matsue. Although not openly protecting Takeo from Akio's ill temper and frequent blows, Hajime does subtly deflect the worst of Akio's anger away from him; his easygoing, encouraging attitude helps Takeo progress quickly in training. While he does not trust Hajime or any other member of the Tribe, Takeo considers Hajime the closest thing to a friend he can have.

Hajime accompanies Akio and Takeo part of the way on their journey to Hagi, where Takeo is being sent to retrieve Shigeru's Tribe records. At an inn one evening, when he and Akio are drunk, they discuss the journey, forgetting that Takeo can hear everything thanks to his enhanced hearing. Hajime is shocked to learn that Muto Yuki, who Akio has an unrequited love for, is pregnant with Takeo's child. Akio explains that the Tribe Masters ordered Yuki to seduce Takeo to bind him to the Tribe, as well as preserve his abilities in his offspring. He then reveals that he intends to kill Takeo whether he succeeds in retrieving the records or not. Hajime wonders who carried out the death sentence against Takeo's father Isamu (who deserted the Tribe). The next morning, he bids Takeo farewell with a regretful expression; Takeo believes he did so because he does not expect to see Takeo alive again.

Brilliance of the Moon and Death
Not long after Takeo returns from his diplomatic meeting with the Terada clan, Hajime is sent to assassinate him as he is traveling back to Maruyama. Using a huge longbow, Hajime fires at him from a wooded hillside, but Takeo's enhanced hearing warns him and he ducks just as Hajime releases the arrow; it instead strikes one of Takeo's young warriors, Jiro, through the eye with such force that it pierces the back of his skull. Enraged and grieved by Jiro's death, Takeo decides to find the bowman himself, giving Kubo Makoto his armor in order to confuse the assassin.

Invisible, Takeo lies in wait among the woods as the Otori warriors ride by below. He eventually sees Hajime sneaking past him, and follows him until he is preparing to shoot. Takeo hurls shuriken at Hajime from behind, inflicting minor injuries and causing him to lose his balance and fall over the bluff. After an intense struggle, the Otori warriors manage to subdue and hog-tie him.

As Takeo debates whether to kill Hajime immediately or torture him later for information, Hajime calls out to him insolently, referring to him by Akio's nickname for him, "Dog". When Takeo approaches, Hajime informs him that Yuki is dead; she was force-fed poison after her son was born, and the baby will now be raised by Akio to hate Takeo. Declaring that Takeo will never escape the Kikuta, Hajime then commits suicide by biting off his own tongue, causing himself to choke to death on his own blood. Takeo refuses to bury his body, instead leaving it to be devoured by scavenger animals. He is slightly shocked that Hajime was so willing to carry out the assassination (having once considered him a friend) and though he reminds himself that, for the Tribe, unconditional obedience comes first, he is still sickened that Hajime could be driven to this.

Personality and Abilities:
Hajime is described by Takeo as easygoing and relatively friendly, in contrast to the stoic, brooding and often angry Akio; he helps redirect the worst of Akio's hatred toward Takeo during their time in Matsue. After having learned of Akio's plans to murder Takeo whether he succeeds in his mission or not, Hajime looks slightly sorrowful when he bids Takeo farewell, indicating that he pities him. However, Hajime's unconditional obedience to the Kikuta clearly outdoes any friendship; he attempts and nearly succeeds in killing Takeo after his desertion, and coldly insults and mocks him after being captured.

Although lacking any of the unusual inherited Tribal powers, Hajime is a sumo wrestler, and as such has built himself up to considerable size and enormous strength and stamina. Despite his bulk, he can move quite stealthily and silently; only someone with Kikuta hearing would be able to hear him coming.

Hajime is formidable in close combat due to his regular training in Tribal villages and in various Sumo stables; Even winded, unarmed and slightly injured, it takes six Otori warriors to subdue and bind him when he is discovered. He is a lethally skilled archer, using a long-range Kyudo bow with deadly accuracy; again, Takeo was only able to avoid his shot because his Kikuta hearing warned him of Hajime drawing the arrow to the bow.