Test of the Emerald Champion

The Test of the Emerald Champion is a tournament, generally formatted as a series of iaijutsu duels, that determines who will hold the title of Emerald Champion. The Test was originally created to determine the Emperor's personal bodyguard, and its first winner was Kakita, the founder of the Crane family. Because of its reliance on the style of duels that Kakita created and mastered, the Test has often gone to Crane Clan samurai. Recent winners of the Test include Daidoji Hachi (later Yasuki Hachi), who won thanks to some fairly obvious meddling from Hantei Naseru, his immediate predecessor Seppun Toshiken (later Kakita Toshiken), and Kakita Toshimoko (later The Grey Crane.