Battle of Fujikawa

Battle of Fujigawa
Part of the Genpei War
Date 10 Nov. 1180 Location Fuji River, beneath Mount Fuji Result Minamoto victory
Belligerents
Minamoto clan, with aid from Takeda clan of Kai	Taira clan
Commanders and leaders
Minamoto no Yoritomo	Taira no Koremori
Strength
30,000

The Battle of Fujigawa (富士川の戦い Fujigawa no tatakai) was a battle of the Genpei War of the Heian period of Japanese history. It took place in 1180, in what is now Shizuoka Prefecture.

In Aug. 1180, using Kamakura as his headquarters, Minamoto no Yoritomo sent his counselor, Hōjō Tokimasa to convince the warlords Takeda of Kai and Nitta of Kotsuke to follow Yoritomo's command as he marched against the Taira. As Yoritomo continued through the region below Mount Fuji and into Suruga Province, he planned a rendezvous with the Takeda clan and other families of the provinces of Kai and Kozuke to the north. These allies arrived at the rear of the Taira army in time to ensure a Minamoto victory.^[1]

During the night, Yoritomo launched an attack against the large Taira army camp. The Taira became alarmed when a flock of waterfowl flew over their camp, and the "small surprise became a rout."^[2][3][4]

References

1. Sansom, George (1958). A history of Japan to 1334. Stanford University Press. p. 308-310. ISBN 0804705232.
2. Turnbull, Stephen (1987). Battles of the Samurai. Arms and Armour Press. p. 11. ISBN 0853688265.
3. Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 200. ISBN 1854095234.
4. Turnbull, Stephen (1977). The Samurai, A Military History. MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 53. ISBN 0026205408.

Additional Reading

• Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.