Career
Born in Karatsu as Tsukamoto Itarō (塚本伊太郎), he established himself in the Asakusa district of Edo, where he led of a band of machi-yakko and founded an employment agency for ronin. Trained as a warrior, he was renowned for his swordsmanship. In Asakusa, Chōbei organized a kumi (group or gang) which opposed the hatamoto-yakko in seeking to control the area"s markets.
He was eventually killed by hatamoto Mizuno Jūrozaemon.
Following his death, Chōbei became a popular figure in literature and drama. A 1974 prime-time television jidaigeki series, Banzuiin Chōbei Omachi Nasei (幡随院長兵衛 お待ちなせぇ), starred Mikijirō Hira as Chōbei.
