The first battle of Uji is famous and important for having opened the Genpei War. In early 1180, Prince Mochihito, the Minamoto Clan's favored claimant to the Imperial Throne, was chased by Taira forces to the Mii-dera, a temple just outside Kyoto. Due to the interference of a Mii-dera monk with Taira sympathies, the Minamoto army arrived too late to help defend the temple. Minamoto no Yorimasa led Prince Mochihito, along with the Minamoto army and a number of warrior monks from Mii-dera, south towards Nara. They crossed the Uji River, just outside the Byodoin, and tore up the planks of the bridge behind them to prevent the Taira following them. Three warrior monks in particular are named in the Heike Monogatari: Gochin no Tajima, Tsutsui Jomyo Meishu, and Ichirai Hoshi. These three, along with the other monks of Mii-dera, fought with bow and arrow, a variety of swords and daggers, and naginata. However, the Taira forces began to ford the river, and caught up with the Minamoto band. Yorimasa tried to help the Prince get away, but was struck with an arrow. He committed seppuku, setting a ritual precedent of committing suicide rather than surrendering, which would be honored up into World War II. This is the first known historical incident of this form of seppuku. The Prince was killed shortly afterwards, by the Taira warriors. The Genpei or Gempei War (源平合戦、寿永・治承の乱) (1180-1185) was a war of ancient Japan, fought between the Taira and Minamoto clans. ... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... Events April 13 - Frederick Barbarossa issues the Gelnhausen Charter November 18 - France Emperor Antoku succeds Emperor Takakura as emperor of Japan Afonso I of Portugal is taken prisoner by Ferdinand II of Leon Artois is annexed by France Prince Mochihito amasses a large army and instigates the Genpei War between... Uji (Japanese: 宇治市; -shi) is a city on the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, on the Keihan line or the JR Nara Line towards Osaka. ... This page is about the city Kyoto. ... Taira (平) is a Japanese surname. ... Casus belli is a Latin expression from the international law theory of Jus ad bellum. ... Prince Mochihito as he appeared on the 2005 NHK Taiga, Yoshitsune Prince Mochihito (以仁王, Mochihito-ō) (d. ... Taira (平) is a Japanese surname. ... Built in 998 in the Heian period, Byōdōin (平等院) is a temple in the city of Uji in Kyoto prefecture in Japan. ... Minamoto (源) was an honorary surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period to their sons and grandsons after accepting them as royal subjects. ... Taira (平) is a Japanese surname. ... Minamoto no Yorimasa (源頼政)(1106-1180) was the leader of the Minamoto armies at the beginning of the Genpei War. ... A woodblock print of Taira no Tomomori, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi Taira no Tomomori )(1152-1185) was the son of Taira no Kiyomori, and one of the Taira Clans chief commanders in the Genpei War. ... Taira no Shigehira )(1158-1185) was one of the sons of Taira no Kiyomori, and one of the Taira Clans chief commanders. ... The Genpei or Gempei War (源平合戦、寿永・治承の乱) (1180-1185) was a war of ancient Japan, fought between the Taira and Minamoto clans. ... Following the 1180 Battle of the Uji, in which Minamoto no Yorimasa fought a small Taira army with the help of monks from the Miidera and other temples, the victorious Taira, angry at being opposed, decided to assault and burn the Miidera, before moving on to Nara. ... The battle of Ishibashiyama (石橋山, literally Stone Bridge Mountain) was the first in which Minamoto no Yoritomo, who was to become shogun less than a decade later, was commander of the Minamoto forces. ... Attempting to recover quickly from his exile, and to rebuild his army, Minamoto no Yoritomo sent out messengers to recruit other families onto his side. ... Minamoto no Yukiie attempted a sneak attack in the night, when he found Taira no Tomomori and his army directly opposite from his, along the Sunomata River. ... Retreating from the Battle of Sunomata, Minamoto no Yukiie attempted to make a stand by destroying the bridge over the river Yahagigawa(矢作川), and putting up a defensive shieldwall. ... Hiuchiyama(火打ち山) was one of Minamoto no Yoshinakas fortresses in Echizen Province. ... The battle of Kurikara, also known as the battle of Tonamiyama (砺波山), was the battle where the tide of the war turned in the Minamotos favor. ... Combatants Minamoto clan Taira clan Commanders Minamoto no Yoshinaka Taira no Munemori Strength Casualties {{{notes}}} Following the Battle of Kurikara, Minamoto no Yoshinaka caught up with the retreating Taira no Munemori. ... One of the most important bases of the Taira was Yashima, a small island off the coast of Shikoku. ... The Fukuryuji (福隆寺) was a fortress belonging to Seno Kaneyasu, a Taira partisan. ... Minamoto no Yukiie tried to recoup the loss of the Battle of Mizushima by attacking Taira forces at Muroyama. ... For some time, Minamoto no Yoshinaka had desired to seize control of the Minamoto clan from his cousins Yoritomo and Yoshitsune. ... Minamoto no Yoshinaka tried to wrest power from his cousins Yoritomo and Yoshitsune, seeking to take command of the Clan. ... Continuing to flee from his cousins armies after attacking Kyoto, burning the Hojujiden, and kidnapping the Emperor, Minamoto no Yoshinaka made his final stand at Awazu. ... Ichi-no-Tani (一の谷) was a Taira fortress, to the west of present-day Kobe. ... Following the fleeing Taira from Ichi_no_Tani, on their way to Yashima, Minamoto no Noriyori engaged and defeated his enemies in battle at Kojima. ... Following a long string of defeats, the Taira retreated to Yashima, todays Takamatsu, just off of Shikoku. ... The Battle of Dan-no-ura, more commonly known as Dan-no-ura no Tatakai (壇ノ浦の戦い), was a major sea battle of the Genpei War, occurring at Dan_no_ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the southern tip of Honshu. ... Uji (Japanese: 宇治市; -shi) is a city on the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, on the Keihan line or the JR Nara Line towards Osaka. ... The Genpei or Gempei War (源平合戦、寿永・治承の乱) (1180-1185) was a war of ancient Japan, fought between the Taira and Minamoto clans. ... Events April 13 - Frederick Barbarossa issues the Gelnhausen Charter November 18 - France Emperor Antoku succeds Emperor Takakura as emperor of Japan Afonso I of Portugal is taken prisoner by Ferdinand II of Leon Artois is annexed by France Prince Mochihito amasses a large army and instigates the Genpei War between... Prince Mochihito as he appeared on the 2005 NHK Taiga, Yoshitsune Prince Mochihito (以仁王, Mochihito-ō) (d. ... Minamoto (源) was an honorary surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period to their sons and grandsons after accepting them as royal subjects. ... The Breast Star of the Order of the Chrysanthemum The Chrysanthemum Throne is the common name given to the Imperial throne of Japan. ... Taira (平) is a Japanese surname. ... Mii-dera ), formally called Onjō-ji ), is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Mount Hiei, in the city of ÅŒtsu, in Shiga Prefecture. ... This page is about the city Kyoto. ... Taira (平) is a Japanese surname. ... Minamoto (源) was an honorary surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period to their sons and grandsons after accepting them as royal subjects. ... Minamoto no Yorimasa (源頼政)(1106-1180) was the leader of the Minamoto armies at the beginning of the Genpei War. ... Prince Mochihito as he appeared on the 2005 NHK Taiga, Yoshitsune Prince Mochihito (以仁王, Mochihito-ō) (d. ... The sōhei Benkei with Minamoto no Yoshitsune Sohei (僧兵), lit. ... Nara (Japanese: 奈良市, Nara-shi) is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan, near Kyoto. ... Built in 998 in the Heian period, Byōdōin (平等院) is a temple in the city of Uji in Kyoto prefecture in Japan. ... The Tale of the Heike (Japanese 平家物語, Heike monogatari) is an epic account of the struggle between the Minamoto and Taira clans for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century. ... Gochin no Tajima, called Tajima the arrow-cutter, was a warrior monk from Miidera who fought alongside the Minamoto Clan forces, and many of his fellow Miidera monks at the Battle of Uji in 1180. ... Tsutsui Jomyo Meishu was a warrior monk, or sohei, from Miidera, who fought alongside Minamoto no Yorimasa and his fellow monks at the Battle of Uji in 1180, defending the Byodoin and Prince Mochihito from the Taira clan. ... Naginata of the Edo era A samurai wielding a naginata Naginata (なぎなた, 長刀 or 薙刀) is a pole weapon traditionally used by Japanese samurai. ... Minamoto no Yorimasa (源頼政)(1106-1180) was the leader of the Minamoto armies at the beginning of the Genpei War. ... Seppuku with ritual attire and second (staged) General Akashi Gidayu preparing to commit Seppuku after losing a battle for his master in 1582. ... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War II, also known as the Second World War (sometimes WW2 or WWII or World War Two), was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the...

References

• Sansom, George (1958). 'A History of Japan to 1334'. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
• Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.
• Turnbull, Stephen (2003). 'Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949-1603'. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.