The was a national civil war between the Taira and

Minamoto was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the ...

clans during the late

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japan ...

of Japan. It resulted in the downfall of the Taira and the establishment of the

Kamakura shogunate The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459. The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no ...

under Minamoto no Yoritomo, who appointed himself as ''

Shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamaku ...

'' in 1192, governing Japan as a

military dictator A military dictatorship is a dictatorship in which the military exerts complete or substantial control over political authority, and the dictator is often a high-ranked military officer. The reverse situation is to have civilian control of the ...

from the eastern city of Kamakura. It followed a ''

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

'' by the Taira in 1179 with the removal of rivals from all government posts, and subsequently banishing them, and a call to arms against the Taira, led by the Minamoto in 1180. The ensuing Battle of Uji took place just outside

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the c ...

, starting a five-year-long war, concluding with a decisive Minamoto victory in the naval

Battle of Dan-no-ura The was a major sea battle of the Genpei War, occurring at Dan-no-ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the southern tip of Honshū. On April 25, 1185 (or March 24, 1185 by the official page of Shimonoseki City), the fleet of the Minamoto clan ...

. However, it has been pointed out that the Battle of Ōshū in 1189 was the last battle during this period of civil war, as it completed Yoritomo's nationwide domination through the annexation of Northeast Japan. The name "Genpei" (sometimes

romanized Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and ...

as ''Gempei'') comes from alternate readings of the ''

kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used, along with the subsequ ...

'' "Minamoto" (源 ''Gen'') and "Taira" (平 ''Hei'', pronounced as the second element in some compounds as ''-pei''). The conflict is also known in Japanese as the , after the two Imperial eras between which it took place. The term ''Genpei Kassen'' is sometimes used in Japan, but it has been argued that it is not appropriate to use the term "Genpei" for this war.

Background

The Genpei War was the culmination of a decades-long conflict between the two aforementioned clans over dominance of the Imperial court and, by extension, control of Japan. In the Hōgen Rebellion and in the Heiji Rebellion of earlier decades, the Minamoto attempted to regain control from the Taira and failed. In 1180, Taira no Kiyomori put his grandson Antoku (then only 2 years of age) on the throne after the abdication of Emperor Takakura. Emperor Go-Shirakawa's son Mochihito felt that he was being denied his rightful place on the throne and, with the help of

Minamoto no Yorimasa (1106 – 20 June 1180) was a prominent Japanese poet whose works appeared in various anthologies. He served eight different emperors in his long career, holding posts such as ''hyōgo no kami'' (head of the arsenal). He was also a warrior, le ...

, sent out a call to arms to the Minamoto clan and

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

monasteries in May. However, this plot ended with the deaths of Yorimasa and Mochihito. In June 1180, Kiyomori moved the seat of imperial power to Fukuhara-kyō, "his immediate objective seems to have been to get the royal family under his close charge."

Beginnings of the war

The actions of Taira no Kiyomori having deepened Minamoto hatred for the Taira clan, a call for arms was sent up by Minamoto no Yorimasa and Prince Mochihito. Not knowing who was behind this rally, Kiyomori called for the arrest of Mochihito, who sought protection at the temple of Mii-dera. The Mii-dera monks were unable to ensure him sufficient protection, so he was forced to move along. He was then chased by Taira forces to the Byōdō-in, just outside Kyoto. The war began thus, with a dramatic encounter on and around the bridge over the River Uji. This battle ended in Yorimasa's

ritual suicide A suicide method is any means by which a person chooses to end their life. Suicide attempts do not always result in death, and a nonfatal suicide attempt can leave the person with serious physical injuries, long-term health problems, and brai ...

inside the Byōdō-in and Mochihito's capture and execution shortly afterwards. It was at this point that Minamoto no Yoritomo took over leadership of the Minamoto clan and began traveling the country seeking to rendezvous with allies. Leaving Izu Province and heading for the Hakone Pass, he was defeated by the Taira in the

battle of Ishibashiyama The was the first in which Minamoto no Yoritomo, who became ''shōgun'' less than a decade later, was commander of the Minamoto forces. The battle was fought on September 14, 1180, in the southwest of present-day Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, ...

. However he successfully made it to the provinces of Kai and Kōzuke, where the Takeda and other friendly families helped repel the Taira army. Meanwhile, Kiyomori, seeking vengeance against the Mii-dera monks and others, besieged Nara and burnt much of the city to the ground. Fighting continued the following year, 1181. Minamoto no Yukiie was defeated by a force led by Taira no Shigehira at the

Battle of Sunomatagawa A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

. However, the "Taira could not follow up their victory." Taira no Kiyomori died from illness in the spring of 1181, and around the same time Japan began to suffer from a famine which was to last through the following year. The Taira moved to attack Minamoto no Yoshinaka, a cousin of Yoritomo who had raised forces in the north, but were unsuccessful. For nearly two years, the war ceased, only to resume in the spring of 1183.

Turning of the tide

In 1183, the Taira loss at the

Battle of Kurikara The , also known as the battle of Tonamiyama (砺波山), was a crucial engagement in Japan's Genpei War; in this battle the tide of the war turned in the favour of the Minamoto clan. "Yoshinaka won by a clever strategy; under cover of nightfal ...

was so severe that they found themselves, several months later, under siege in Kyoto, with Yoshinaka approaching the city from the north and Yukiie from the east. Both Minamoto leaders had seen little or no opposition in marching to the capital and now forced the Taira to flee the city. Taira no Munemori, head of the clan since his father Kiyomori's death, led his army, along with the young Emperor Antoku and the

Imperial regalia The Imperial Regalia, also called Imperial Insignia (in German ''Reichskleinodien'', ''Reichsinsignien'' or ''Reichsschatz''), are regalia of the Holy Roman Emperor. The most important parts are the Crown, the Imperial orb, the Imperial s ...

, to the west. The cloistered emperor Go-Shirakawa defected to Yoshinaka. Go-Shirakawa then issued a mandate for Yoshinaka to "join with Yukiie in destroying Munemori and his army". In 1183, Yoshinaka once again sought to gain control of the Minamoto clan by planning an attack on Yoritomo, while simultaneously pursuing the Taira westward. The Taira set up a temporary Court at Dazaifu in

Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surround ...

, the southernmost of Japan's main islands. They were forced out soon afterwards by local revolts instigated by Go-Shirakawa, and moved their Court to Yashima. The Taira were successful in beating off an attack by Yoshinaka's pursuing forces at the

Battle of Mizushima The naval battle of Mizushima took place on 17 November 1183 during the Genpei War. One of the most important bases of the Taira was Yashima, a small island off the coast of Shikoku. In November 1183, Minamoto no Yoshinaka sent an army to cross ...

. Yoshinaka conspired with Yukiie to seize the capital and the Emperor, possibly even establishing a new Court in the north. However, Yukiie revealed these plans to the Emperor, who communicated them to Yoritomo. Betrayed by Yukiie, Yoshinaka took command of Kyoto and, at the beginning of 1184, set fire to the

Hōjūjidono The was a Buddhist temple in Kyoto which was, for a time, the home of the Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa. History The temple was originally built and founded, as "Hōjūji", by Fujiwara Tamemitsu in 988. However, it was destroyed in 1032. In ...

, taking the Emperor into custody. Minamoto no Yoshitsune arrived soon afterwards with his brother Noriyori and a considerable force, driving Yoshinaka from the city. After fighting his cousins at the bridge over the Uji, Yoshinaka made his final stand at Awazu, in Ōmi Province. He was defeated by Yoshitsune, and killed while attempting to flee.

Final stages

Battle-of-Akama-Strait-at-Dan-no-Ura-in-Choshu-1185

As the united Minamoto forces left Kyoto, the Taira began consolidating their position at a number of sites in and around the Inland Sea, which was their ancestral home territory. They received a number of missives from the Emperor offering that if they surrendered by the seventh day of the second month, the Minamoto could be persuaded to agree to a truce. This was a farce, as neither the Minamoto nor the Emperor had any intentions of waiting until the eighth day to attack. Nevertheless, this tactic offered the Emperor a chance to regain the Regalia and to distract the Taira leadership. The Minamoto army, led by Yoshitsune and Noriyori, made their first major assault at Ichi-no-Tani, one of the primary Taira camps on Honshū. The camp was attacked from two directions by Yoshitsune and Noriyori, and the Taira not killed or captured retreated to Yashima. However, the Minamoto were not prepared to assault Shikoku; a six-month pause thus ensued during which the Minamoto took the proper steps. Though on the retreat, the Taira enjoyed the distinct advantages of being in friendly, home territories, and of being far more adept at naval combat than their rivals. It was not until nearly a year after the

battle of Ichi-no-Tani was a Taira defensive position at Suma, to the west of present-day Kobe, Japan. It sat on a very narrow strip of shore, between mountains on the north, and the sea to the south. This made it quite defensible, but also made it difficult to m ...

that the main Taira force at Yashima came under assault. Seeing Yoshitsune's bonfires in their rear, the Taira had not expected a land-based attack and took to their ships. This was a deceptive ploy on the part of the Minamoto, however. The Taira improvised imperial palace fell, and many escaped along with the Imperial regalia and the Emperor Antoku. The Genpei War came to an end one month later, following the

battle of Dan-no-ura The was a major sea battle of the Genpei War, occurring at Dan-no-ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the southern tip of Honshū. On April 25, 1185 (or March 24, 1185 by the official page of Shimonoseki City), the fleet of the Minamoto clan ...

, one of the most famous and significant battles in Japanese history. The Minamoto engaged the Taira fleet in the Straits of Shimonoseki, a tiny body of water separating the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū. The tides played a powerful role in the development of the battle, granting the advantage first to the Taira, who were more experienced and abler sailors, and later to the Minamoto. The Minamoto advantage was considerably enhanced by the defection of Taguchi, a Shikoku warrior who went over to the Minamoto side in the middle of the action. Many of the Taira nobles perished, along with Emperor Antoku and the widow of Kiyomori.

Consequences of the Genpei War

The defeat of the Taira armies meant the end of Taira "dominance at the capital". In December 1185, Go-Shirakawa granted to Yoritomo the power to collect taxes, and "appoint stewards and constables in all provinces". Finally, in 1192, after Go-Shirakawa's death, Yoritomo was granted the imperial commission ''Sei-i Tai Shōgun''. This was the beginning of a feudal state in Japan, with real power now in Kamakura. However, Kyoto remained the "seat of national ceremony and ritual" and the

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legall ...

capital.

Aftermath

The end of the Genpei War and beginning of the Kamakura shogunate marked the rise to power of the warrior class (''samurai'') and the gradual suppression of the power of the emperor, who was compelled to govern without effective political or military power, being effectively reduced to a purely symbolical and ceremonial head of state, until the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

over 650 years later, though there was a short-lived attempt to restore imperial rule in the 1330s, the Kenmu Restoration. In addition, this war and its aftermath established red and white, the colors of the Taira and Minamoto standards, respectively, as Japan's national colors. Today, these colors can be seen on the

flag of Japan The national flag of Japan is a rectangular white banner bearing a crimson-red circle at its center. This flag is officially called the , but is more commonly known in Japan as the . It embodies the country's sobriquet: the Land of the Rising ...

, and also in banners and flags in

sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a '' rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring ('' dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by t ...

and other traditional activities.

Definition

Extent

It has been pointed out that the Battle of Ōshū fought between the Kamakura government and the

Northern Fujiwara The Northern Fujiwara (奥州藤原氏 ''Ōshū Fujiwara-shi'') were a Japanese kuge, noble Japanese clans, family that ruled the Tōhoku region (the northeast of Honshū) of Japan during the 12th century as their own realm.Dewa and

Mutsu Province was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture. Mutsu Province is also known as or . The term is often used to refer to the co ...

, and that its end marked the establishment of the first military government, the Kamakura shogunate.

Name

The terms ''Genpei Kassen'' (源平合戦), ''Genpei Sōran'' (源平争乱) and ''Genpei no Tatakai'' (源平の戦い) are sometimes used in Japan, but it has been argued that it is not appropriate to use the term "Genpei" for this war, as it does not accurately represent the belligerents of the war. In fact, the head of the Minamoto clan at the time was not a samurai but a court noble, and the first samurai to be the head of the clan was Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in the 14th century. In reality, it was not exclusively a war between the Minamoto clan and the Taira clan, and there were many members of the Taira clan fighting on Minamoto clan's side, as well as members of these two clans serving as court nobles at the Imperial Court that were not samurai and had nothing to do with the war. There is no record of any direct or indirect complicity or assistance by the non-samurai Minamoto and Taira clan members to the war, and no record of any motive for their involvement exists. Furthermore, the Battle of Ōshū was fought between Minamoto no Yoritomo and his last strong enemy, the Northern Fujiwara, years after the Taira clan had been destroyed. It is true that many members of the Minamoto clan, such as Takeda Nobuyoshi and Minamoto no Yoshinaka, rose to arms against the Taira clan. There were also many who belonged to the Minamoto clan, but who fought for the Taira clan because they had a kinship or a duty to the Taira clan. Although the various Minamoto clans rose up simultaneously, not all of them were under the command of Minamoto no Yoritomo from the beginning. In fact, the actual Kawachi Genji had no single legitimate lineage, and even if we were to limit ourselves to the succession of Minamoto no Yoshiie, who was the representative samurai of the Kawachi Genji, it was not only Yoritomo who could have claimed that position. Yoritomo was the heir of Yoshitomo, who had risen to that position by killing his father and younger brother during the

Battle of Ōkura A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and for ...

in 1155. However, Minamoto no Yoshinaka, the heir of

Minamoto no Yoshikata was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the ...

, and Yukiie, the younger brother of Yoshitomo and Yoshikata, could have claimed the position as well.

Battles

* 1180 First Battle of Uji – regarded as the first battle in the Genpei Wars, the monks of the Byōdōin fight alongside Minamoto no Yorimasa. * 1180 Siege of Nara – the Taira set fire to temples and monasteries, to cut supplies to their rivals. * 1180

Battle of Ishibashiyama The was the first in which Minamoto no Yoritomo, who became ''shōgun'' less than a decade later, was commander of the Minamoto forces. The battle was fought on September 14, 1180, in the southwest of present-day Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, ...

– Minamoto no Yoritomo's first battle against the Taira, who are victorious. * 1180

Battle of Fujikawa The was a battle of the Genpei War of the Heian period of Japanese history. It took place in 1180, in what is now Shizuoka Prefecture. Background Minamoto no Yoritomo, using Kamakura as his headquarters, sent his counselor Hōjō Tokima ...

– the Taira mistake a flock of waterfowl for a sneak attack by the Minamoto in the night, and retreat before any fighting occurs. * 1181

– the Taira thwart a sneak attack in the night but retreat. * 1181

Battle of Yahagigawa The took place in 1181. Retreating from the Battle of Sunomata-gawa, Minamoto no Yukiie attempted to make a stand by destroying the bridge over the Yahagi River (矢作川 ''Yahagi-gawa'') and putting up a defensive shieldwall. He was forced t ...

– the Minamoto, retreating from Sunomata, attempt to make a stand. * 1183 Siege of Hiuchi – the Taira attack a Minamoto fortress. * 1183

– the tide of the war turns, in the Minamoto's favor. * 1183

Battle of Shinohara The Battle of Shinohara occurred in 1183 during the Genpei War in Japan, in what is now Kaga city, Ishikawa prefecture. History Following the Battle of Kurikara, Minamoto no Yoshinaka caught up with the retreating Taira no Munemori. An arc ...

– Yoshinaka pursues the Taira force from Kurikara * 1183

– the Taira intercept a Minamoto force, heading for Yashima. * 1183 Siege of Fukuryūji – the Minamoto attack a Taira fortress. * 1183

Battle of Muroyama The battle of Muroyama was one of many battles of the 12th-century Japanese civil war known as the Genpei War. The Taira forces split into five divisions, each attacking in succession, and wearing down Yukiie's men. Eventually surrounded, the M ...

– Minamoto no Yukiie tries and fails to recoup the loss of the battle of Mizushima. * 1184

Siege of Hōjūjidono The siege of Hōjūjidono (法住寺合戦, ''Hōjūji kassen'') was a siege that took place in Kyoto, Japan in 1184. It was part of the Genpei War and a key element of the conflict between Minamoto no Yoshinaka and his cousins Yoritomo and ...

– Yoshinaka sets fire to the Hōjūji-dono and kidnaps Emperor Go-Shirakawa. * 1184 Second Battle of Uji – Yoshinaka is pursued out of the capital by Yoshitsune and Noriyori. * 1184 Battle of Awazu – Minamoto no Yoshinaka is defeated and killed by Yoshitsune and Noriyori. * 1184

Battle of Ichi-no-Tani was a Taira defensive position at Suma, to the west of present-day Kobe, Japan. It sat on a very narrow strip of shore, between mountains on the north, and the sea to the south. This made it quite defensible, but also made it difficult to m ...

– Minamoto no Yoshitsune attacks and drives the Taira from one of their primary fortresses. *1184

Battle of Kojima The Battle of Kojima (児島合戦), also called Battle of Fujito (藤戸の戦い), was a battle of the Genpei War of the Heian period of Japanese history, and took place in 1184. Battle In pursuit of the fleeing Taira from Ichi-no-Tani, on ...

– Taira fleeing Ichi-no-Tani are attacked by Minamoto no Noriyori. *1185 Battle of Yashima – the Minamoto assault their enemies' fortress, just off Shikoku. *1185

– Minamoto no Yoshitsune decisively defeats Taira forces in naval battle ending the war.

Major figures

Minamoto Clan (also known as "Genji")

The Minamoto were one of the four great clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period (794–1185). They were, however, decimated by the Taira in the Heiji Rebellion of 1160. Minamoto no Yoshitomo had been the head of the clan at this time; upon his defeat at the hands of Taira no Kiyomori, two of his sons were killed and the third, Minamoto no Yoritomo, was banished. Following the call to arms of Prince Mochihito and Minamoto no Yorimasa in 1180, the clan would gather together and rise to power again. The Genpei war would see the Minamoto clan defeat the Taira and take command of the entire country. * Minamoto no Noriyori (源範頼), general, younger brother of Yoritomo. *

(源頼政), head of the clan at the beginning of the war. * Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝), head of the clan upon Yorimasa's death. * Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源義経), younger brother of Yoritomo, chief general of the clan. * Minamoto no Yukiie (源行家), general, uncle to Yoritomo. *Allies and vassals: ** Emperor Go-Shirakawa (後白河), cloistered (retired) emperor. **

Prince Mochihito (died June 1180), also known as the Takakura Prince, and as Minamoto no Mochimitsu (源以光), was a son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan. He is noted for his role in starting the Genpei War. Believing that Taira no Kiyomori was causing suffe ...

(以仁王), Imperial Prince. ** Benkei (弁慶), '' sōhei'' (warrior monk), ally of Yoshitsune. **

Hōjō Tokimasa was a Japanese samurai lord who was the first ''shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate and head of the Hōjō clan. He was ''shikken'' from 1203 until his abdication in 1205, and Protector of Kyoto from 1185 to 1186. Background The H� ...

(北条時政), head of the

Hōjō clan The was a Japanese samurai family who controlled the hereditary title of ''shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate between 1203 and 1333. Despite the title, in practice the family wielded actual political power in Japan during this period ...

(北条), father-in-law of Yoritomo. ** Kajiwara Kagetoki (梶原景時), officially an ally of Yoshitsune, in fact a spy for Yoritomo. ** Kumagai Naozane (熊谷直実), vassal of Yoritomo. ** Sasaki Moritsuna (佐々木盛綱), vassal of Noriyori who commanded the assault at the battle of Kojima. ** Taguchi Shigeyoshi (田口重能), Taira general who turned to the Minamoto camp upon seeing the tide turn at the battle of Dan no Ura, thus ensuring Minamoto victory. ** Nasu no Yoichi (那須与一), celebrated archer and Minamoto ally. ** Yada Yoshiyasu (矢田義康), vassal of Yoshinaka and commander of Minamoto forces at the battle of Mizushima. ** The ''sōhei'' (warrior-monks) of Mii-dera and other temples. Three in particular are mentioned in the ''Heike Monogatari'' for their part in the first battle of Uji: ***

Tsutsui Jōmyō Meishū Tsutsui no Jōmyō Meishū (筒井浄妙明秀) was a warrior monk (''sōhei'') from Mii-dera who fought alongside Minamoto no Yorimasa and his fellow monks at the Battle of Uji in 1180, defending the Byōdō-in and Prince Mochihito from the Taira ...

(筒井浄妙明秀), who fought a last stand on the bridge over the Uji, taking over sixty arrows and still fighting. ***

Gochi-in no Tajima , called ''Tajima the arrow-cutter'', was a sōhei (warrior monk) from Mii-dera who fought alongside the Minamoto clan forces, and many of his fellow Mii-dera monks at the Battle of Uji in 1180. The bridge over the Yodo River was torn up by Taj ...

(五智院但馬), called ''Tajima the arrow-cutter'', and famous for deflecting the Taira arrows with his naginata, upon the bridge over the Uji. ***

Ichirai Hoshi Ichirai (一来, died 1180) was a Japanese warrior monk who supported the Minamoto clan of samurai against their rivals, the Taira clan. Ichirai-hōshi is best known for his part in the battle of Uji. He was fighting behind Tsutsui Jōmyō Me ...

(一来法師), who is famous for having jumped ahead of Jōmyō Meishū and led the Mii-dera monks to battle. * Partisans of Minamoto no Yoshinaka (源義仲), cousin of Yoritomo, who supported his rebellion: ** Tomoe Gozen (巴御前), a female ''samurai'' warrior, wife of Yoshinaka. ** Imai Kanehira (今井兼平), who joined Yoshinaka in his escape to Seta.

Taira Clan (also known as "Heike")

The Taira clan was one of the four great clans which dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period (794–1185). As a result of the near-total destruction of their rival clan, the Minamoto, in the Heiji Rebellion of 1160, Taira no Kiyomori, head of the clan, initiated the Genpei War at the height of his power. The end of the war, however, brought destruction to the Taira clan. * Taira no Atsumori (平敦盛), young ''samurai'' killed by Kumagai Naozane who, because of his youth and innocence, became quite famous in death. * Taira no Kiyomori (平清盛), head of the clan at the beginning of the war. * Taira no Koremori (平維盛), grandson of Kiyomori. * Taira no Munemori (平宗盛), son and heir of Kiyomori; head of the clan for much of the war. * Taira no Noritsune (平教経), a Taira ''samurai''. * Taira no Shigehira (平重衡), general, son of Kiyomori. * Taira no Tadanori (平忠度), general, brother of Kiyomori. * Taira no Tokiko (平時子), wife of Kiyomori who committed suicide at the battle of Dan-no-ura. * Taira no Tomomori (平知盛), general, son of Kiyomori. * Taira no Yukimori (平行盛), general, commander of the Taira forces at the battle of Kojima. *

Taira no Kagekiyo Taira no Kagekiyo (平景清) (died 1196), also known as Kazusa no Shichirō (上総七郎), was a samurai of the Taira clan who took part in the Genpei War of Japan, against the Minamoto clan. The son by birth of Fujiwara no Tadakiyo. His ...

(平景清), a Taira ''samurai'', adopted from the

Fujiwara clan was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

. *Allies and vassals: ** Emperor Antoku (安徳), Emperor of Japan and grandson of Taira no Kiyomori. **

Ōba Kagechika (died 1180), also known as Ōba Saburō Kagechika, was a samurai of Japan's Heian period. The third son of Oba Kageyoshi, he fought alongside his father, against the Minamoto Clan, in the Hōgen Rebellion of 1156. Facing off against Minamoto ...

(大庭景親), vassal of the Taira. **

Saitō Sanemori Saitō, Saito, Saitou or Saitoh (written: or ) are the 20th and 21st most common Japanese surnames respectively. Less common variants are , , and . Notable people with the surname include: *, Japanese sailor *, Japanese women's footballer *, Jap ...

(斎藤実盛), former vassal of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, switched sides and became a vassal of Taira no Munenori. ** Senoo Kaneyasu (妹尾兼康), vassal of the Taira who commanded at the Fukuryūji fortress. ** Taguchi Shigeyoshi (田口重能), Taira general who turned to the Minamoto camp upon seeing the tide turn at the battle of Dan no Ura, thus ensuring Minamoto victory. **The ''sōhei'' (warrior-monks) of Enryaku-ji (延暦寺), at least in theory, on account of their rivalry with the Mii-dera ''sōhei'', who were allied with the Minamoto.

In literature

Many stories and works of art depict this conflict. is the most famous, although many

kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance- drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought ...

and bunraku plays reproduce events of the war as well. '' Ichinotani Futaba Gunki'' ('Chronicle of the battle of Ichi-no-Tani') by

Namiki Sōsuke Namiki Sōsuke ( ja, 並木宗輔; 1695 – c. 1751), also known as Namiki Senryū, was a prominent Japanese playwright who wrote for both ''kabuki'' and ''bunraku'' (puppet theater). He produced around 47 bunraku plays, nearly 40 of them co ...

may be one of the more famous of these. The novel '' Shike''by Robert Shea features a somewhat fictionalized account of the wars, as seen from the perspectives of his two main characters, the Zinja Monk Jebu, and the Noblewoman Lady Shima Taniko. The names of the two rival clans have been changed, "Minamoto" to "Muratomo" and "Taira" to "Takashi". Another fictionalized account of the conflict forms the central plot of "Civil War" (also known as "Turbulent Times"), the ninth volume of

Osamu Tezuka Osamu Tezuka (, born , ''Tezuka Osamu''; – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist, and animator. Born in Osaka Prefecture, his prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such ...

's celebrated ''Phoenix'' series of comics. The Genpei War is the backdrop for much of

Katherine Patterson Katherine Womelsdorf Paterson (born October 31, 1932) is an American writer best known for children's novels, including '' Bridge to Terabithia''. For four different books published 1975-1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book A ...

's young adult novel, ''

Of Nightingales That Weep ''Of Nightingales That Weep'' is a historical novel for children by Katherine Paterson, published by Crowell in 1974. Set in medieval Japan, the novel tells the story of Takiko, the 11-year-old daughter of a slain samurai warrior. Takiko's moth ...

''.

In popular culture

Literary fiction

The entire story of Yoshitsune has been told in a novel form by Pamela S. Turner in the book ''Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune'' (2016).

Film and television

* The science-communicating book '' Cosmos'' (1980) and subsequent television series '' Cosmos: A Personal Voyage'' (1980), presented by

Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is research on ex ...

, features the Genpei War in the second episode, "One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue", broadcast on 5 October 1980, as an introduction to discuss the phenomenon of the Heike Crabs. * The conflict between the Genji and Heike gangs in the 2007 Japanese Western film '' Sukiyaki Western Django'' mirrors that of the actual Genpei war, albeit "a few hundred years after." * The 61st Taiga Drama, ''

The 13 Lords of the Shogun is a Japanese historical drama television series starring Shun Oguri as Hōjō Yoshitoki. The series is the 61st NHK taiga drama. Cast Starring role *Shun Oguri as Hōjō Yoshitoki. Kōki Mitani pointed out some similarities between him and ...

'', features the Genpei War in the first 17 episodes.

Games

* Cinemaware's 1989

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore International, Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and sign ...

title '' Lords of the Rising Sun'' features the Genpei War. * On 21 September 2011, The Creative Assembly released a DLC pack for '' Total War: Shogun 2'' entitled "Rise of the Samurai", which allows players to play as members of the Taira, the Minamoto, or the Fujiwara families. Through a complex system of province building, diplomacy, research, and combat, players can decide the outcome of the Genpei War for themselves. *"The Forgotten", an expansion developed for Ensemble Studios's 1999 ''

Age of Empires II ''Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings'' is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft. Released in 1999 for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh, it is the second game in the '' Age of Empires'' series. ...

'' which was released for free with 2013's '' Age of Empires II: HD Edition'' included a scenario based loosely on the

. The player attacks five Taira princes before taking Kyoto. *

Namco was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Namco Taiwan in Kaohsiun ...

's 1986 arcade horror/fantasy '' Genpei Tōmaden'' imagines the outcome of the Genpei War bringing an age of darkness to Japan, with a resurrected

tasked to defeat a demonic rendition of Minamoto no Yoritomo.

References

External links

Genpei War
at Ancient History Encyclopedia

at Samurai Archives
The Genpei War
by The Shogunate {{DEFAULTSORT:Genpei War Wars involving Japan 1180s conflicts 1180s in Japan 1180 in Asia 1185 in Asia Wars of succession involving the states and peoples of Asia