was a

Taira The Taira was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. The clan is divided ...

defensive position at Suma, to the west of present-day

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. It sat on a very narrow strip of shore, between mountains on the north, and the sea to the south. This made it quite defensible, but also made it difficult to maneuver troops inside the fortress. The Taira suffered a crucial defeat to the forces of Yoshitsune and Noriyori.

Battle

Yoshitsune split his force in two. Noriyori's force attacked the Taira at

Ikuta Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the Chūō Ward of Kobe, Japan, and is possibly among the oldest shrines in the country. History According to '' Nihon Shoki'', it was founded by the Empress Jingū at the beginning of the 3rd century AD to enshrine the ''ka ...

, in the woods a short distance to the east. A second detachment, no more than a hundred horsemen under Yoshitsune, attacked the Taira at Ichinotani from the mountain ridge to the north. At the chosen hour, the Minamoto forces attacked causing confusion among the Taira who neither deployed nor retreated. Only about 3000 Taira escaped to Yashima, while Tadanori was killed and Shigehira captured. Also killed from the Taira clan were Lord Michimori, Tsunemasa, Atsumori, Moromori, Tomoakira, Tsunetoshi, and Moritoshi. Ichi-no-Tani is one of the most famous battles of the

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, in large part due to the individual combats that occurred here.

Benkei , popularly known as simply Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk ('' sōhei'') who lived in the latter years of the Heian Period (794–1185) .html" ;"title="/sup>">/sup>. Benkei led a varied life, first becoming a monk, then a mountain ascetic ...

, probably the most famous of all warrior monks, fought alongside the Minamoto Yoshitsune here, and many of the Taira's most important and powerful warriors were present as well. Ichi-no-Tani is the last recorded instance in which crossbows were used in a Japanese siege.

Legacy

The death of Taira no Atsumori at the hand of Kumagai no Naozane during the battle is a particularly famous passage in the '' Heike Monogatari''. It has been dramatized in noh and

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, and in popular fiction,

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is often portrayed as performing the noh at his own death (''ningen goju nen geten no uchi wo kurabureba, yumemaboroshi no gotoku nari''). The death of Atsumori is arguably among the most celebrated acts of single combat in all of

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Gallery

Ichi-no-Tani.jpg, Scene from the battle Kumagai_Naozane_and_Taira_no_Atsumori.jpg, Two samurai Kumagai Naozane and Taira no Atsumori, woodblock prints, circa 1820. Genpei Kassen Ezu.4 Ichinotani.jpg, Attack down the slope on the Tairi camp Taira no Atsumori&Kumagai Naozane.jpg, Duel between Atsumorim (left) and Naozane (painting on the screen, author unknown) Sumaura from Mt. Tekkai 02.JPG, Today's view of the narrow coastal strip where the battle took place Sumaura park05 2000.JPG, Monument at the site of the battle

References

{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 1180s in Japan 1184 in Asia Ichi-no-tani 1184 Ichi-no-Tani

Battle

Legacy

Gallery

See also

References