All Battles

Battle of Yashima

1185 Shikoku Überfall

The Battle of Yashima [left of a pair of Scenes from the Tale of the Heike], mid 17th century. Ink, color, gold, and silver on paper. These screens illustrate two battles of the epochal Genpei War (1180–85) as narrated in the Tales of the Heike, an epic semihistorical account of two rival clans’ fight for control of Japan, written in the early 1200s. Each screen narrates a single battle through a number of small episodes divided and framed by gold clouds, landscape elements, and architectural spaces. The right screen shows scenes related to the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani (March 20, 1184), during which the Minamoto clan, identified by the white banners they carry, made a daring attack on the rival Taira clan at a Taira stronghold. The left screen shows the Battle of Yashima (March 22, 1185), another defeat for the Taira. The devastating war came to an end only a month later with the victory of the Minamoto, who took the title shogun, thus becoming Japan’s first military rulers.

The Battle of Yashima [left of a pair of Scenes from the Tale of the Heike], mid 17th century. Ink, color, gold, and silver on paper. These screens illustrate two battles of the epochal Genpei War (1180–85) as narrated in the Tales of the Heike, an epic semihistorical account of two rival clans’ fight for control of Japan, written in the early 1200s. Each screen narrates a single battle through a number of small episodes divided and framed by gold clouds, landscape elements, and architectural spaces. The right screen shows scenes related to the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani (March 20, 1184), during which the Minamoto clan, identified by the white banners they carry, made a daring attack on the rival Taira clan at a Taira stronghold. The left screen shows the Battle of Yashima (March 22, 1185), another defeat for the Taira. The devastating war came to an end only a month later with the victory of the Minamoto, who took the title shogun, thus becoming Japan’s first military rulers.

Author: Kano SchoolLicense:PD
Source
屋島古戦場 遠望 (屋島山上より望む)

屋島古戦場 遠望 (屋島山上より望む)

Author: Saigen JiroLicense:CC0
Source
Military expedition of Minamoto no noriyori

Military expedition of Minamoto no noriyori

Author: 味っ子 at Japanese WikipediaLicense:CC-BY-SA-4.0
Source
This photograph shows the site of the battle of Yashima in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. I took the photo and contribute my rights in the file to the public domain.

This photograph shows the site of the battle of Yashima in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. I took the photo and contribute my rights in the file to the public domain.

Author: No machine-readable author provided. Fg2 assumed (based on copyright claims).License:PD
Source
مسیر یوشی‌تسونه در نبرد یاشیما

مسیر یوشی‌تسونه در نبرد یاشیما

Author: RoozitaaLicense:CC-BY-SA-4.0
Source
香川県高松市牟礼町げんぺい史跡射落畠1

香川県高松市牟礼町げんぺい史跡射落畠1

Author: osamiLicense:PD
Source
香川県高松市牟礼町げんぺい史跡射落畠2

香川県高松市牟礼町げんぺい史跡射落畠2

Author: osamiLicense:PD
Source
Battle of Yashima.

Battle of Yashima.

Author: 味っ子 at Japanese WikipediaLicense:CC-BY-SA-4.0
Source

Historical Overview

Yoshitsune feigned a large army by lighting signal fires, forcing the Taira to flee to their ships.

Quick Facts

Outcome:Minamoto victory.

Minamoto Clan

  • Commander: Minamoto no Yoshitsune
  • Strength: ca. 150 Reiter (Elite)
  • Casualties: Gering

Taira Clan

  • Commander: Taira no Munemori
  • Strength: ca. 1.000 - 3.000
  • Casualties: Moderat

Strategic Context

Continued offensive to destroy the Taira fleet in the Seto Inland Sea.

Conflict / War

Genpei War

Taira victory; ritual suicide of Yorimasa.

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Historical Locations

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