Minamoto no Yoshitsune

Lore & Background

Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older half-brother Minamoto no Yoritomo (the third son of Yoshitomo) would go on to establish the Kamakura shogunate. Yoshitsune's name in childhood was Ushiwakamaru (牛若丸; Japanese pronunciation: [ɯ.ɕi.wa.kaꜜ.ma.ɾɯ]) or young bull (牛若丸). He was born just before the Heiji Rebellion in 1160 in which his father and two oldest brothers were killed. He survived this incident by fleeing the capital with his mother, while his half-brother Yoritomo was banished to Izu Province. When he was 10, Yoshitsune was placed in the care of the monks of Kurama temple (鞍馬寺), nestled in the Hiei Mountains near the capital of Kyoto. There, he was taught swordsmanship and strategy, according to some legends by Sōjōbō, to others by Kiichi Hōgen (whose book, Six Secret Teachings, Ushiwakamaru stole). His clerical name while in the temple was Shanao (遮那王) or Shana king. Not wanting to become a monk, Yoshitsune eventually left and followed a gold merchant who knew his father well, and in 1174 relocated to Hiraizumi, Mutsu Province, where he was put under the protection of Fujiwara no Hidehira, head of the powerful regional Northern Fujiwara clan. A skillful swordsman, Yoshitsune defeated the legendary warrior monk Benkei in a duel. From then on, Benkei became Yoshitsune's retainer, eventually dying with him at the Battle of Koromo River. In 1180, Yoshitsune heard that Yoritomo, now head of the Minamoto clan, had raised an army at the request of Prince Mochihito to fight against the Taira clan (also known as the Heike), which had usurped the power of the emperor. In the ensuing war between the rival Minamoto and Taira samurai clans, which is known as the Genpei War, Yoshitsune joined Yoritomo, along with Minamoto no Noriyori, all brothers who had not previously met. Yoshitsune, together with his brother Noriyori, defeated the Taira in several key battles. He also attacked and killed his cousin Minamoto no Yoshinaka, a rival for control of the Minamoto clan, at the Battle of Awazu in Ōmi Province in early 1184 on the orders of Yoritomo. Yoshitsune, who had by then been given the rank of general, went on to defeat the Taira at the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani in what is now Kobe in March 1184, and again at the Battle of Yashima in Shikoku in M

Reader's Guide

Yoshitsune's life is a classic tale of loyalty, betrayal, and tragic heroism. Key sites include Kurama-dera temple in Kyoto, where he spent his childhood; Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture, where he sought refuge and met his end; and the Shirahata Jinja shrine in Fujisawa, where he is enshrined. The battles of Ichi-no-Tani, Yashima, and Dan-no-ura are pivotal in his military career. The Koshigoe Letter, written in 1185, is a famous document expressing his loyalty to Yoritomo. Legends of his survival and escape to Hokkaido or even becoming Genghis Khan persist, though these are not historically confirmed.

Did You Know?

• Yoshitsune's common name Kurō means 'ninth son,' though he was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo.
• The term hōganbiiki (sympathy for the underdog) derives from Yoshitsune's title Hōgan.
• According to legend, Yoshitsune's retainer Benkei died standing upright at the Battle of Koromo River.
• The Koshigoe Letter, written by Yoshitsune in 1185, is a famous plea of loyalty to his brother Yoritomo.