Honnoji

Honnōji is a temple located in Kyoto, Japan. It is most famous for being the site of the Honnōji Incident, a pivotal event in Japanese history. On June 21, 1582, Oda Nobunaga, a powerful warlord during the Sengoku period, was betrayed by his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide's forces surrounded Honnōji, where Nobunaga was staying with a small contingent of soldiers. Despite a fierce resistance, Nobunaga was eventually defeated and is believed to have committed seppuku. The incident significantly altered the course of Japanese unification, as Nobunaga's planned conquest of the country was interrupted. Akechi Mitsuhide's subsequent reign was short-lived, as he was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, another of Nobunaga's generals, shortly thereafter. The Honnōji Incident is a recurring theme in Japanese historical narratives, literature, and popular culture, symbolizing betrayal and the fragility of power. The current Honnōji temple is a reconstruction and serves as a memorial to the events of 1582.