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.
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