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Killing of the Matsunaga Family by Kumatarō Kido and Yagorō Tani

SOLVED1893Kawachi region, Osaka Prefecture, Japan3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On May 25, 1893, Kumatarō Kido (born c.1857) and his pupil Yagorō Tani carried out a spree killing in Japan later known as Kawachi Jūningiri, killing 11 people including an infant. The two men died by suicide after the attacks, and their remains were not discovered until June 7, 1893.

The origins of the violence were both personal and financial. Kido had been in a common-law marriage, but his wife left him for another man, Torajirō Matsunaga. Torajirō's brother, Denjirō Matsunaga, subsequently assaulted Kido and defrauded him of money. In response, Kido decided to kill the entire Matsunaga family and recruited his pupil, Tani, to assist him in carrying out this revenge plan.

The two men prepared hunting guns and Japanese swords ahead of the attack. On the day of the killings, they first attacked the house of Denjirō Matsunaga, killing four people there. They then moved on to the house of Denjirō's son, where they killed five more people. Among the other victims were Kido's former common-law wife and her mother, bringing the total number of dead to 11. Despite the scale of the attack, Kido and Tani were reportedly unable to kill their intended primary target, Torajirō Matsunaga, who survived.

After completing the killings, Kido and Tani took their own lives. Their bodies went undiscovered for a period of time following the crime, and were ultimately found on June 7, 1893.

The case later became the basis for a novel titled Kokuhaku, written by Japanese punk rock singer Kō Machida.

Key facts

Victims
Denjirō Matsunaga, Torajirō Matsunaga
Date
1893
Location
Kawachi region, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1857

    Approximate birth year of Kumatarō Kido.

  2. 1893-05-25

    Kido and Tani attack the household of Denjirō Matsunaga, killing four people, then attack the house of Denjirō's son, killing five more; Kido's former common-law wife and her mother are also killed, for a total of 11 victims. Torajirō Matsunaga survives the attack.

  3. 1893-05-25

    Kido and Tani die by suicide after the killings.

  4. 1893-06-07

    The remains of Kido and Tani are discovered.

Best coverage

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People

  • Denjirō Matsunaga

    VICTIM

    Brother of Torajirō Matsunaga; had previously defrauded and assaulted Kido; killed along with three others at his house in the attack.

  • Kumatarō Kido

    CONVICTED

    Perpetrator of the May 25, 1893 spree killing; died by suicide after the attacks and was never formally tried, but is identified by Wikipedia as one of the two killers responsible for the deaths of 11 people.

  • Yagorō Tani

    CONVICTED

    Pupil of Kumatarō Kido, recruited as an accomplice in the spree killing; died by suicide after the attacks and was never formally tried, but is identified by Wikipedia as one of the two killers responsible for the deaths of 11 people.

  • Torajirō Matsunaga

    VICTIM

    Intended primary target of the revenge killings after entering a relationship with Kido's former common-law wife; survived the attack, unlike other members of his family.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Kawachi region, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

34.5667, 135.6167

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
In 1893, Kumatarō Kido and his pupil Yagorō Tani killed 11 people, including an infant, in a revenge attack on the Matsunaga family in Japan, before taking their own lives.
Where did the killing happen?
Kawachi region, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Who was convicted?
Kumatarō Kido (Perpetrator of the May 25, 1893 spree killing; died by suicide after the attacks and was never formally tried, but is identified by Wikipedia as one of the two killers responsible for the deaths of 11 people.) and Yagorō Tani (Pupil of Kumatarō Kido, recruited as an accomplice in the spree killing; died by suicide after the attacks and was never formally tried, but is identified by Wikipedia as one of the two killers responsible for the deaths of 11 people.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Japan

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICKumatarō Kido and Yagorō TaniWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — book.asahi.combook.asahi.com · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — sponichi.co.jpsponichi.co.jp · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026