Battle of Uji (1184)

Minamoto no Yoshinaka tried to wrest power from his cousins Yoritomo and Yoshitsune, seeking to take command of the Minamoto clan. To that end, he burned the Hōjūji Palace, and kidnapped Emperor Go-Shirakawa. However, his cousins Noriyori and Yoshitsune caught up with him soon afterwards, following him across the Bridge over the Uji, New Year's Day, 1184, which Yoshinaka had torn up to impair their crossing.^[1]

Second Battle of Uji
Part of Genpei War
Top: Kajiwara Kagesue, Sasaki Takatsuna, and Hatakeyama Shigetada racing to cross the Uji River before the second battle of Uji, New Year's Day, A.D. 1184, as depicted in a print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. Bottom: A triptych showing the second battle of Uji River on February 19th, 1184, by Isshinsai Yoshikata. Published by Iseya Tokichi, 1863
Date February 19, 1184 Location Uji, just outside Kyoto 34°53′24.9″N 135°48′31.4″E Result Minamoto no Yoshitsune et al. victory
Belligerents
Yoritomo faction	clan Yoshinaka faction
Commanders and leaders
Minamoto no Yoshitsune	Minamoto no Yoshinaka
Location within Japan

This was an ironic reversal of the first Battle of the Uji, only four years earlier. Much as the Taira did in that first battle, Minamoto no Yoshitsune led his horsemen across the river, and defeated Yoshinaka.^[2][3]

See also

• Kajiwara Kagesue
• Sasaki Takatsuna
• The Tale of the Heike