Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Afinhwa uye achishanda zvokuwandisa, Horikoshi akarwara nechirwere chepleuritis musi wa25 December uye akaramba akarara pamubhedha kusvikira kutanga kwaApril. Munguva iyi, akanyora zvakadzama kutyisa kwehondo dzendege dzakawedzera muTokyo neNagoya, kusanganisira
ku"Operation Meetinghouse" kuparadza kuTokyo kunopisa kunopisa kwe9 <unk> 10 March. Kurwisa kukuru kwendege paNagoya usiku hwakatevera, neB-29 dzichikandira "makumi ezviuru emabhomba anopisa", dzakaparadza zvikurukuru guta guru rematanda. Musi wa 12 Kurume, Horikoshi akatumira vazhinji vemhuri yake, kusanganisira amai vake vakwegura, vana uye hama-mukoma, kumusha kwake pedyo neTakasaki kuti vave vakachengeteka kubva pakuputika kwebhomba, kunyange zvazvo mudzimai wake akaramba ainaye muNagoya.