When Hideyoshi Toyotomi's army besieged the Miki Castle, Matabei's father, Motokuni, joined the army of Bessho, the lord of the castle, and Motokuni died in the battle as a brave general.

Motokuni suspected the defeat of the Bessho's army from the very beginning. However he did not refuse the request of Bessho for help because of his keeping faith with Bessho.

At that time Matabei, then called Jintaro, an only son of Motokuni, was 6 years old. His father left him in the care of Kanbei Kuroda,lord of the Himeji Castle, and then joined the army of Bessho.

When the enemy's general Hideyoshi was on the way to besiege the Miki Castle, he heard of Motokuni's son, Jintaro, being left at Kanbei's castle.
Hideyoshi let Jintaro come to in his camp, and asked that boy,

"Your father is a brave man of the Bessho army, and you know well about the inside of the Miki Castle. If you will let us know about it, I will give you a wonderful reward."

They felt the boy would reply affirmatively as he was only a little boy, but he said,

"My father is in the castle that is besieged by the enemy. If I tell you about the inside of the castle, it will cause my father go to hell. How can you ask me such a thing!"

On hearing the boy's brave answer, all that were present at the scene, including Hideyoshi, voiced out unconsiously for admiration.

A grown-up Matabei Mototsugu became a commander under Nagamasa Kuroda, son of Kanbei, and was famous for his bravery in the Expedition to Korea, the Battle of Sekigahara, etc.

Later, having been indignant at lords' forgetting kindness of Toyotomi and their inclination to Tokugawa's side, Matabei Mototsugu became a lordless samurai and went out to visit various countries. He stayed long at Minami-Yamada, Yamada Village, where his grandfather was living.

Many lords wished to take him into the service for his valor, but he did not reconsider it. It was not long before the Battle of Osaka in Winter and the Battles of Osaka in Summer occured due to the struggle of the Toyotomis and the Tokugawas.

Not forgetting Toyotomis' kindness, Matabei Mototsugu first came to the Osaka Castle in response to Katsumoto Katagiri's call, and as a war lord he attacked strongly the enemy horde of Kanto forces (Eastern Forces) of Tokugawas.

At the Battle of Osaka in Summer, Ieyasu Tokugawa secretly sent a letter to Matabei Mototsugu giving a cordial invitation, saying

"If you would join with the Kanto forces, I would appoint you as a lord of the Banshu clan. Isn't it wise of you that you go out of the Castle which will fall very soon and see prosperity of you and your descendant."

Of course he did not respond to this invitation.
Matabei Mototsugu Goto, who valued his good name and held to his principles, died beautifully in 1615 at the outskirts of the Osaka Castle.