Chapter 5 (Events of 1180)

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5-[1] The Transfer of the Capital---Kiyomori attempts to consolidate his power by relocating the capital. In earlier eras, it had not been unusual for the Capital to be relocated in order to disenfranchise an unfriendly bureaucracy and get a new start on governing. However, Kyoto had been the Capital since 794, almost 400 years.

Major characters

"Emperor" = Antoku

Section summary

The Capital is relocated to more friendly grounds for the Taira, Fukuhara. It is some distance from Kyoto, even south of Nara, near present day Kôbe.

Kiyomori brings Go-Shirakawa along, too, putting him under more strict house arrest.

Kiyomori's actions are described as villainous

The history of other relocations is given in some detail

Reading notes

An Account of My Ten-Foot Square Hut (Hôjôki) also describes this move, and the sudden rise of samurai in importance: "Again, around the Sixth Month in the fourth year of Jishô, the court moved suddenly to a new capital. Nobody had dreamed of such a thing. When we consider that more than 400 years had elapsed since the establishment of the present imperial seat during Emperor Saga's reign, surely a new one ought not to have been chosen without exceptional justification. It was more than reasonable that people should have felt disquiet and apprehension. But complaints were useless. The Emperor, the Ministers of State, the senior nobles, and all the others moved. Nobody remained in the old capital who held even a minor court position. Those who aspired to office and rank, or who relied on the favor of patrons, strove to move with all possible dispatch; those who had lost the opportunity to succeed in life, or who had been rejected by society, stayed behind, sunk in gloom. . . . In a complete reversal of values, everyone prized horses and saddles [symbols of warrior families] and stopped using oxen and carriages [symbols of aristocratic families]." (from Helen McCullough's Classical Japanese Prose)

5- [2] Moon-viewing---In a mode closer to The Tale of Genji than The Tale of Heike, the desolate mood of the abandoned capital is described with a generous use of poems.

Major characters

Senior Grand Empress, this is the woman of unfortunate fate we read about in Chapter 1, Section [7] "Twice an Imperial Consort"

Section summary

Life is flourishing at Fukuhara, the new Capital

A government official makes a nostalgic visit to the old capital, exchanging poems there with his sister, the Senior Grand Empress

5- [3] Strange Occurrences---Ghost stories portend bad things for the Taira.

Major characters

"Izu Exile Yoritomo" = Minamoto no Yoritomo, who will lead the Minamoto to victory

Section summary

Bad dreams worry the Taira

A huge face tries to face down Kiyomori unsuccessfully

Goblins laugh at the Taira

Skulls try to threaten an unfazed Kiyomori

A mouse makes a nest in the tail of one of Kiyomori's favorite horses

The Itsukushima deity (where Takakura had went after he became a retired emperor, see Chapter 4, Sections [1] & [2]) sides, apparently, with the Minamoto

Multimedia

Kiyomori stares down a ghost in the shape of a huge face, part of the many unnatural occurrences that happen during the difficult relocation of the capital to Fukuhara. (From The Tale of Heike Illustrated Scrolls / Heike monogatari emaki.)

5- [4] The Fast Courier---Yoritomo makes a call to arms. Kiyomori vows to defeat him.

Reading notes

<174> "court enemy"—This really means enemies of Kiyomori, who fully controls the Emperor Antoku.

5- [5] An Array of Court Enemies---A historical list of individuals who fought against a Japanese emperor at one time or another. Topping the list is an enormous spider [sic]. This, and the next section, are something of a suspenseful pause in events while Yoritomo is gathering his army.

5- [6] The Xianyang Palace---Unsuccessful traitors from Chinese history

5- [7] Mongaku's Austerities---Mongaku is introduced into the story. The next several sections will tell his tale. Again, in the background of the story, is the gathering power of Yoritomo.

Major characters

Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199), the primary Minamoto general, the one who was exiled rather than killed by the Taira after the Heiji Disturbance. He will become Japan's first shôgun.

Mongaku, an unusual monk

Section summary

The story tells us that Yoritomo survived the crisis of the Heiji Disturbance of 1159, when most of his kinsman were executed. He spent more than 20 years in exile at Izu.

Mongaku is said to be the one who convinced Yoritomo to rise up against the Taira. His early austerities are told, in particular, his 21 days standing in a cold waterfall.

5- [8] The Subscription List---Mongaku tries to raise money to restore an abandoned temple at Mt. Takao. It is this occasion that causes him to meet Go-Shirakawa. His letter soliciting funds is especially well written.

Major characters

Mongaku, a monk of intense feelings

Section summary

This section is primarily made up of Mongaku's moving letter.

5- [9] Mongaku's Exile---Continues from the setting of the section above. Mongaku is shown to be remarkable in many ways.

Major characters

Mongaku, a monk who is very insistent and seems to have supernatural powers

Section summary

Go-Shirakawa does not intend to contribute to Mongaku's cause. But Mongaku refuses to leave. He ferociously attacks imperial attendants who try to remove him but is finally subdued. Pardoned, he continues to solicit funds. When he is banished to Izu, rough seas threatened to sink the ship transporting him but the gods listen to his request for quiet skies.

5- [10] The Retired Emperor's Fukuhara Edict---Go-Shirakawa gives Yoritomo an official position at his court and official permission to move against the Taira. In Section [7] it was said that how Mongaku instigated the rebellion was would be explained. This, at last, is that explanation.

Major characters

Yoritomo, main Minamoto general

Mongaku, a very capable monk

"Retired Emperor" = Go-Shirakawa, still confined at the new capital of Fukuhara

Section summary

Mongaku, now at Izu, the same place where Yoritomo is living in exile, says he will get Go-Shirakawa to pardon Yoritomo if Yoritomo will lead the Minamoto against the Taira. Yoritomo is skeptical. Mongaku shows him a skull that he carries around his neck that he claims is that of Yoritomo's defeated father. Moved, Yoritomo agrees to Mongaku's conditions. Mongaku successfully gets the pardon from Go-Shirakawa and presents it to Yoritomo.

Reading notes

<184> "even during the battle of Ishibashiyama"—The first of his major battles. 8th month of 1180.

5- [11] The Fuji River---Large scale war stories begin here. There has, historically speaking, been an earlier battle in this war (Ishibashiyama) but it is small in scale and not included. In this second major battle, the Taira gather forces up to 70,000 to confront Yoritomo in the east, at the Fuji River. However, they hear that Yoritomo's forces may well go beyond that in numbers, that the local warriors recruited in that area are especially fierce, and that Yoritomo might attack from behind as well as make a frontal assault. During the night a flock of water birds suddenly take flight. The deathly fearful Taira, thinking Yoritomo is attacking from behind, take flight as well.

Major characters

Koremori, the late Shigemori's son

Multimedia

On the night before the Taira are to meet the Minamoto in battle at Fuji River, they hear rumors of great masses of Minamoto arriving. They fearfully prepare to fight. (That same night they will panic and flee at the sound of startled birds.)

5- [12] The Matter of the Gosechi Dances---Koremori has utterly failed as a commander of the Taira forces. But rather than be exiled, he is rewarded as the Taira feel the gods might have had a hand in the defeat (and they do not want to anger them by punishing Koremori, as if he was the one who held fate in his hands, not the gods). The origin of the Gosechi dances is also noted in this section.

5- [13] The Return to the Old Capital---Kiyomori's decision to move the capital to Fukuhara has not been going well. Under pressure from all sides, he returns everyone to Kyoto.

Section summary

Kiyomori relocates the capital back to Kyoto after only half a year in Fukuhara. The location had turned out not to be as friendly as he had anticipated, according to the story, including constant trouble from Enryakuji and Kôfukuji (Nara, the "southern") monks.

Taira forces defeat Minamoto forces in various locations.

5- [14] The Burning of Nara---The Kofukuji monks are successfully attacked by Taira forces and their temples burned, but the act is portrayed more as an error against the spirits than a military victory.

Section summary

Authorities in the capital wish to punish the Nara (Kôfukuji) monks for their role in fighting against the Taira.

Messengers from Nara to the capital are ill-treated and, in anger, the monks make and abuse an effigy of Kiyomori.

Kiyomori sends a force of 500 but the Nara monks behead many of them.

Kiyomori now sends a force of 40,000 and burns the temples.