Yoshitsune

Minamoto no Yoshitsune, also known by his childhood name Ushiwakamaru, (1159–1189) was a general of the Minamoto clan in late Heian Japan. He was a younger son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo and a half-brother of Minamoto no Yoritomo, who would found the Kamakura shogunate. Raised in exile after his father’s fall, Yoshitsune rose to prominence as a military commander during the Genpei War (1180–1185) against the Taira clan.

Tradition recounts that Yoshitsune, renowned for his swordsmanship, befriended the associate warrior monk Benkei after crossing paths with him as a youth, most famously at the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto. This companionship is the subject of enduring legends. Rise to power came through Yoritomo, and Yoshitsune played a key role in campaigns such as the land battles at Ichi-no-Tani and the naval engagements that culminated in the decisive victory at Dan-no-ura in 1185, which led to the fall of the Taira and the establishment of Minamoto dominance.

Despite his military achievements, Yoshitsune’s fortunes declined after the war as political tensions with Yoritomo and the Hōjō regency grew. In 1189 he was cornered by forces loyal to Yoritomo at the fortress of Koromogawa no Tate in what is now Ōshū, Iwate Prefecture; he is believed to have died there, though the exact circumstances are the subject of debate and legend.

Yoshitsune’s legacy endured in Japanese culture as a symbol of military genius and tragedy. He appears in countless literary works, Noh plays, and modern media, where his tactical skill and loyal yet tragic fate continue to attract interest.