Kudō Yoshitaka ［工藤吉隆］ (d. 1264): A follower of Nichiren and the lord of Amatsu in Awa Province, Japan. His name and title were Kudō Sakon-no-jō Yoshitaka. Nichiren sent him a letter, known as The Four Debts of Gratitude, which he wrote while in exile in Izu. On the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1264, Nichiren was en route with some of his followers to Kudō Yoshitaka’s residence at Yoshitaka’s invitation. When the party reached a place called Komatsubara in Tōjō Village, Tōjō Kagenobu, the steward of the village and a believer of the Pure Land teachings, attacked them with a band of his men. Intent on protecting Nichiren, Kudō Yoshitaka hastened to the scene and fought the attackers, but was seriously wounded and died. See also Komatsubara Persecution.