Taiheiki Modern Translation 31-5 The Battle of Yawata
To Taiheiki Modern Translation Index 16
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This modern translation is not faithful to the original text. Various embellishments and the like have been applied.
It is unclear whether the events described in the Taiheiki are historical facts. It would likely be a dangerous act to consider what is written in the Taiheiki as historical fact without undergoing careful verification.
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On the 20th day of the intercalary second month of the 7th year of Shohei (1352) in the Yoshino era, after being defeated in the battle in Kyoto, Ashikaga Yoshiakira fled to Omi (Shiga Prefecture), and the members of the Kyoto Imperial Court—namely, Retired Emperor Kogon, Retired Emperor Komyo, Emperor Suko, and the Crown Prince, Prince Naohito—were all taken into custody and moved to Anou (Gojo City, Nara Prefecture).
However, Emperor Go-Murakami of the Yoshino Court still felt it was dangerous to enter Kyoto and remained in Yawata (Yawata City, Kyoto Prefecture).
All the court nobles of the Kyoto Imperial Court fled to the depths of Nishiyama (Note 1), Higashiyama, Yoshimine, and Kurama, and the palace ended up becoming a den for foxes, with no brave soldiers to guard it and no imperial ceremonies or grand rites being performed.
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(Translator's Note 1) A hilly area extending from Nishikyo Ward in Kyoto City to Muko City and Nagaokakyo City.
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Voice of the Public A: Oh my, the capital has really ended up in a terrible state, hasn't it.
Voice of the Public B: Indeed, it has. It's in a dreadful state of ruin.
Voice of the Public C: Why on earth did Emperor Kanmu decide to make this place the capital? It's because this was a landscape of the Four Gods (Shishin-so-o).
Voice of the Public D: Hey mister, mister, what on earth is this "Four Gods" thing?
Voice of the Public C: When you say "Four Gods," you're talking about the four sacred animals: the blue dragon, the vermilion peacock, the white tiger, and the black tortoise. "So-o" means that the terrain of this Kyoto is perfectly protected by those four sacred animals.
Voice of the Public D: I don't really get what you're saying. No matter where I look in Kyoto, there aren't any dragons.
Voice of the Public C: No, no, that's not what it means...
Voice of the Public E: Hey, you, your way of teaching is terrible. You can't explain such difficult things to a small child like this, can you?!
Voice of the Public C: Well then, you try explaining it!
Voice of the Public E: Fine, I'll teach him. Hey kid, what is that long thing that stretches from north to south on the east side of the Kyoto Imperial Palace?
Voice of the Public D: A long thing... oh... could it be a river? The Kamo River?
Voice of the Public E: That's it! It's a river, a river! Rivers and dragons are both long, aren't they? Besides, water flows in the river. Water and dragons have an inseparable bond. After all, dragons are the ones who make it rain from the heavens.
Voice of the Public D: Hmm... well then, what about the white tiger?
Voice of the Public E: It's the wide road that runs to the west of the palace. Roads are white, aren't they?
Voice of the Public D: I see. Well then, what about the peacock?
Voice of the Public E: To the south of Kyoto, there are no mountains, right? It's a basin, isn't it? Peacocks like places like that.
Voice of the Public B: Hmm... alright, I've managed to understand up to the third one. Now, what kind of person is this last one, 'Genbu'? He seems like someone who is like a rock.
Voice of the Public F: Oh, in that case, I've seen a portrait of him. Let me see, wasn't it painted inside the Fujinoki Kofun in Nara? From the head to the torso, it looks like a turtle, and the tail looks like a snake.
Voice of the Public E: That sacred animal, Genbu, lives on high mountains. To the north of Kyoto, there's a chain of high mountains, right? Look from Sanjo Ohashi Bridge; on days when it snows, the mountains are very beautiful.
Voice of the Public C: Emperor Kanmu built something called the Shogunzuka on the Higashiyama mountains to further strengthen the defense of the capital.
Voice of the Public G: And in the direction of the demon gate (kimon), the northeast (ushitora), there is Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture).
Voice of the Public C: Kyoto is truly a land worthy of inheriting the imperial line for a hundred generations and ten thousand ages.
Voice of the Public A: Indeed, even in this degenerate age, I never imagined that this capital of Kyoto would ever fall into ruin... and yet.
Voice of the Public (All): It really has become a pathetic world, hasn't it.
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Ashikaga Yoshiakira was forced to stay for a long time at Shijukuin Nenbutsu-ji Temple in Omi (Toyosato Town, Inukami District, Shiga Prefecture). Aside from the Toki and Sasaki clans, there was no one left to follow him.
However, as soon as the news arrived that 'The Shogun has won the battle in the Kanto region!', the situation changed drastically, and warriors came rushing to him one after another like clouds and mist.
Ashikaga Yoshiakira: Alright, let's go, let's retake Kyoto!
On March 11, the 7th year of the Shohei era of the Yoshino Court (1352), Ashikaga Yoshiakira left Shijukuin with an army of over 30,000 horsemen and moved to Onjo-ji Temple (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture), where he decided on the deployment of his camp.
Some came rushing across the vast Lake Biwa, poling their boats at the Yamada (Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture) and Yabase (Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture) ferries, while others whipped their horses across the wide sandy beaches, passing through Katata (Otsu City) and Takashima (Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture).
Military banners fluttered in the water mist, and dragons and snakes suddenly ascended to the heavens. Armor shone in the setting sun, and the constellations suddenly lined up on the earth.
Nakano-in Tomotada of the Yoshino Court side had deployed his troops near Otsu with over 1,000 horsemen to intercept the Ashikaga army, but seeing this massive force from the Ashikaga side, he must have thought, 'It's impossible to fight this,' and retreated to Yawata before the Ashikaga army could approach.
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On March 15, Ashikaga Yoshiakira entered Kyoto and set up camp in Higashiyama.
The Yoshino Court's general, Akiyoshi Kitabatake, withdrew from Kyoto and set up camp at Yodo (Fushimi Ward) and Akai (Fushimi Ward).
On March 17, Yoshiakira moved to the southern part of Kyoto and set up camp at To-ji Temple (Minami Ward).
Akiyoshi retreated further back from the vicinity of the Yodo River and set up camp at the foot of Mount Yawata.
In the end, even before fighting, the Yoshino Court's general had repeatedly retreated three times in a row. With things like this, it is truly disheartening to wonder what will happen from here on out.
That said, Mount Yawata is an ultimate stronghold and impregnable; they had pulled down the bridge at Akai, and over 7,000 cavalry from the Yoshino Court forces in the Kinki region were holed up there.
Ashikaga Yoshiakira: Well now, what on earth should I do from here? Should I launch a full-scale attack on Yawata or not...
Ashikaga Army Leader H: The three sides of Mount Yawata are surrounded by the Yodo River, you see... there are no bridges, and no boats either.
Ashikaga Army Leader I: Besides, if they go from Yawata via the Uji Highway, they can get behind our army. If the enemy uses that tactic, we will be caught in a pincer attack. We will be stuck in a dilemma and unable to move at all.
Ashikaga Yoshiakira: Hmm... what on earth should I do... hmm...
Ashikaga Army Leader J: Well, anyway, why don't we wait here for a little while longer? Reinforcements will surely keep coming, after all.
Just as expected, Akiuji Hosokawa arrived leading over 3,000 samurai from Shikoku. (Note 2)
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(Translator's Note 2) Regarding Akiuji Hosokawa's withdrawal from Kyoto, see 30-6.
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Furthermore, Norisuke Akamatsu defected back to the Ashikaga side. He had been active as a member of the anti-Takauji faction, having received one Imperial Prince from the Yoshino Court as his general (Note 3), but now, for reasons unknown, he betrayed the Yoshino Court and came to Kyoto.
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(Translator's Note 3) Regarding this movement of Norisuke Akamatsu, see 30-1.
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Yoshiakira, like a dragon finding water or a tiger roaming the mountains, began to exert his power over Kyoto and the entire Kinki region.
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On March 24, Yoshiakira led over 30,000 cavalry, crossed the Kizu River via the Uji Highway, and attempted to set up camp at Hora Pass (Note 4). His strategy was to cut off the supply route between Tojo (Tondabayashi City, Osaka Prefecture) in Kawachi and Yawata, and starve out the Yoshino Court forces.
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(Translator's Note 4) Located to the south of Otokoyama, where the Yawata Shrine is situated.
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The military affairs of the Yoshino Court in the area north of Yawata were handled by Goro Wada and Masanori Kusunoki.
Masanori was 23 years old that year, and Goro was 16. Because they were both young warriors, the lords of the Yoshino Court were constantly worried that their lack of experience would lead to reckless fighting.
Goro Wada went to the Yawata Palace and said,
Goro Wada: My relatives and brothers have all sacrificed their lives and died in battle after battle. I consider this battle today to be a matter of great importance, both public and private. Just watch me; I will fight with my life on the line and I will definitely kill one of the enemy's commanders! Otherwise, I will not return alive to stand before His Majesty again!
As Goro Wada turned to leave after speaking firmly, all the nobles and warriors from various provinces who were present cast admiring glances at his retreating figure.
Yoshino Court Member K: Wow, he is truly impressive.
Yoshino Court Member L: As expected... he comes from a family that has produced brave warriors for generations.
Yoshino Court Member M: He is something else!
Wada, Kusunoki, and over 3,000 cavalrymen from Kii Province (Wakayama Prefecture) headed toward Mt. Arasaka (Yawata City), where they waited to prevent the Ashikaga side from advancing, using it as a defensive base.
Before long, Kiyouji Hosokawa, Akiuji Hosokawa, Yoriyasu Toki, and his younger brother Yorisato Toki led over 6,000 cavalrymen and swarmed toward Mt. Arasaka.
Because the mountain path was steep and the peaks towered high, all the Ashikaga troops dismounted at the foot of the mountain, held their shields over their heads, and proceeded up the mountain path in a line.
The defenders there were born in Yamato (Nara Prefecture) and Kawachi, so they were accustomed to fighting using such terrain.
They ran behind rocks and onto cliffs, raining down arrows. Those at the forefront of the Toki and Hosokawa armies were showered with arrows and could not advance a single step further.
Yorisato Toki was a man of great strength and quick skill, known throughout Japan at the time.
He was peerless in wielding a sword, wearing armor with 'unohana' (deutzia) lacing, a helmet with 'kuwagata' (horn-shaped) crests, and a light blue 'kasajirushi' (helmet crest) fluttering in the wind. He drew his 5-foot-6-inch sword, held it close to his side, raised his left sleeve, and with a smile, began to climb the slope like a charging wild boar, intending to dash up the distant mountain path in one go.
Seeing this, Goro Wada said,
Goro Wada: Oh! A worthy opponent has come!
Goro threw away the shield he was holding, gripped his 3-foot-5-inch short sword tightly, and slashed at Yorisato Toki.
Goro Wada: Hyaaa!
Seeing this, Seki Sakon Shogen, a retainer of Kiyouji Hosokawa, immediately dashed past Toki's side and struck at Goro Wada.
Seki Sakon Shogen: Wait, wait! I am your opponent!
Then, one of Wada's foot soldiers ran out from behind a small pine tree, closed in on him, drew his 12-bundle 3-layer arrow to the limit, and released it with a snap.
Bow: Swish!
Arrow: Whoosh, thwack!
Sakon Shogen Seki: Argh!
The arrow pierced Sakon Shogen Seki's armor, causing him to fall to his knees.
Seeing this, Yorisato Toki said,
Yorisato Toki: Hey, pull yourself together!
Yorisato ran to the side of the fallen Sakon Shogen and tried to pull him up. Without missing a beat, the Wada foot soldier nocked a second arrow and fired. The arrow struck the plate on the right side of Yorisato's breastplate, and the arrowhead sank completely into the armor.
Seeing this, Sakon Shogen Seki thought,
Sakon Shogen Seki: (To himself) It's over. There's no one left to save me. Fine, I'll commit seppuku!
Sakon Shogen drew the sword from his waist and pressed it against his abdomen.
Yorisato Toki: Wait, wait! Don't be hasty and kill yourself! I'll save you right now.
Yorisato cut through the arrow stuck in the tsubo-ita plate along with the right side of his breastplate and threw it aside. Then, he suddenly cut down five or six of the attackers, tucked Sakon Shogen under his left arm, and retreated about 300 meters while swinging his sword with his right hand to mow down those approaching him.
Goro Wada: Hey, wait! Don't run, you coward, I won't let you get away!
Goro chased after Yorisato Toki relentlessly, but in the end, he let him escape.
Goro Wada: Ah, damn it...
However, perhaps Yorisato's luck had finally run out; just as he tried to jump over a ditch that had been deepened by a sudden evening rain, the ground beneath his feet crumbled away.
Yorisato Toki: (To himself) Oh no!
Once he had fallen to the bottom of the deep ditch, even the mighty Yorisato was helpless, and Goro, who had run up to the spot, extended the handle of his naginata and killed both Yorisato and Sakon Shogen.
Goro Wada: I did it, I actually did it!
However, they were in the middle of a chaotic battle, and there was no time to leisurely take their heads.
Wada Goro: Well, nothing to be done. I suppose I'll just take this back with me. This will serve as proof that I struck down my opponent.
After picking up only the right side of the armor that Yorizato had cut off and discarded, Goro turned back. He then snapped off the arrows stuck in his own armor, went before Emperor Go-Murakami, and reported on the battle.
Wada Goro: Your Majesty! I have returned after striking down one of the enemy commanders! Unfortunately, I did not have the time to take his head, but this is the proof! (He places the aforementioned right side of the armor in front of him.)
Emperor Go-Murakami: Well done! You have brilliantly fulfilled the promise you made this morning! To have intercepted such a large army and, on top of that, to have struck down an enemy commander—truly magnificent!
Wada Goro: (Bows low)
Emperor Go-Murakami: Furthermore, to have returned safely despite receiving several wounds to your body... this is an unprecedented feat of valor!
Emperor Go-Murakami was also overjoyed.
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Although the Yoshino Court side was able to claim an initial victory by striking down Toki Yorizato, the disparity in troop strength between the two sides was far too great.
Judging that they would not be able to hold out if they remained encamped there, Kusunoki Masanori retreated to Yawata (Yawata City, Kyoto Prefecture) after nightfall. The following morning, the Ashikaga army immediately occupied Arasakayama, which the Wada and Kusunoki forces had abandoned.
For the next four or five days, the front lines entered a stalemate. The Yoshino Court side did not launch an attack, and the Ashikaga side did not attempt to advance.
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Under such circumstances, Yamana Moroyoshi arrived in Kyoto, leading troops from the three provinces of Izumo (eastern Shimane Prefecture), Inaba (eastern Tottori Prefecture), and Hoki (western Tottori Prefecture).
Yamana Moroyoshi: I see... so there was such a fierce battle at Arasakayama... Ah, what a pity, I wish I had been there too. Having traveled such a long way, I arrived late to the battlefield. It is truly regrettable!
Yamana Moroyoshi: Alright, I will march on Yawata immediately and engage them in battle!
He led his entire army toward Yodo (Fushimi Ward).
There, Hosshoji Yasunaga of the Yoshino Court side had set up camp to defend the position. He had pulled up about three ken of the Yodo bridge, lined up shields at the western end of the bridge, and was waiting for the Ashikaga side to attack.
Yamana Moroyoshi: It is impossible to cross the bridge... Build rafts and cross the river!
They immediately assembled rafts using timber obtained by destroying nearby houses, but due to the long rains of the rainy season, the river level had risen, and all the rafts were washed away.
A few days later,
Yamana Moriyoshi: What! There is a shallow crossing in front of the Yodo Great Shrine?! Damn it, why didn't you tell me that sooner! Go, go!
Over 2,000 horsemen formed a single group and crossed the shallows in one go.
On the opposite bank, Hosshoji Yasunaga stood all alone. He cut down the three men from the Yamana side who had climbed up from the river in an instant, straightened his bent sword, and then quietly retreated.
The Yamana army of over 3,000 horsemen chased after Yasunaga.
Yamana Army Member N: I see that man there as the commander of an army!
Yamana Army Member O: To show your back to the enemy is the height of cowardice!
All Yamana Army Members: Don't run! Face us fair and square!
Hosshoji Yasunaga: Hmph, you small fry, what are you saying! Interesting, I'll be your opponent!
Yasunaga turned back and scattered the Yamana army. Every time they clashed, he cut them down; from the bridge approach at Yodo to Mt. Yawata, they clashed 17 times. Yet, he did not wound a single horse, nor did he suffer any serious wounds himself. After breaking two or three arrows that had pierced the X-shaped plate on his armor sleeve, he returned leisurely to Mt. Yawata.
Yamana Moriyoshi subsequently set up camp at Zaion-in (Yawata City), and Hosshoji Yasunaga continued to strengthen his defensive position at Morido-guchi (Yawata City) to prevent the Yamana army from advancing.
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On April 25th, the Ashikaga army from all directions coordinated and launched a general attack simultaneously.
On the Yoshino Court side, Kitabatake Akiyoshi defended Sonodono-guchi (Yawata City) with over 3,000 warriors from Iga (western Mie Prefecture) and Ise (central Mie Prefecture).
Wada, Kusunoki, Yuasa, Yamamoto, and other forces from Izumi (southwestern Osaka Prefecture) and Kawachi (eastern Osaka Prefecture) defended the Sarashina (Yawata City) area.
As the battle progressed, houses around Takahashi (Yawata City) began to burn.
The fire was fanned by strong winds and spread in all directions. The Yoshino Court side was choked by smoke, and since it was no longer possible to continue the battle, everyone retreated to the top of Mt. Yawata.
The Ashikaga army of over 20,000 horsemen immediately swarmed in from all sides, climbed up to Hora Pass, and secured a foothold there. Toki, Sasaki, Yamana, Akamatsu, Matsuda, Akuwa, Miya, and others set up camps in dozens of locations, built fences, and surrounded Mt. Yawata five or six times over.
Meanwhile, Hosokawa Akiuji and Hosokawa Kiyouji advanced from the Maki (Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture) and Kuzuha (Hirakata City) areas, set up camp near the Nyohokyozuka (Yawata City) on the ridge west of Mt. Yawata, and attacked the Yoshino Court side across a single trench.
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On May 4th, the Yoshino Court side selected 800 veterans of night raids from their total force of over 7,000 horsemen and organized a commando unit. The unit was led by Hosshoji Yasunaga.
From early afternoon, Yasunaga gathered them at his camp and had everyone wear a common helmet insignia.
Hosshoji Yasunaga: Are you prepared? It is finally tonight!
Yoshino Court Commando Unit Members: We understand!
Hosshoji Yasunaga: What is the most important thing to be careful about during a night raid? You, tell me!
Yoshino Court Commando Unit Member P: Yes, it is friendly fire.
Hosshoji Yasunaga: Exactly. Therefore, to avoid friendly fire, I will now set a password. Listen carefully.
Yoshino Court Commando Unit Members: ... (Listening intently)
Hosshoji Yasunaga: The password is, when asked 'Who are you?', you answer 'Advance'. If someone asks 'Who are you?', you must answer 'Advance', understood!
Yoshino Court Commando Unit Members: Understood!
As the night deepened, at 11:00 PM, the Yoshino Court Commando Unit began to move. They went around the back of Shukuin (Yawata City) to the Nyohokyozuka mound.
Hosshoji Yasunaga: Alright, let's go! War cry!
Yoshino Court Commando Unit Member P: Hey! Hey!
Yoshino Court Commando Unit Members: Ohhhhh!
Hosokawa Army Members: What is that?
Hosshoji Yasunaga: Go, go!
Yoshino Court Commando Unit Members: Waaaaah! (Thud, thud, thud...)
Hosokawa Army Members: Ah, ah, ah, night raid, night raid!
Hosokawa Army Member Q: The horses, where are the horses?!
Hosokawa Army Member R: Armor, my armor, hurry!
The more than 3,000 members of the Hosokawa army fell into a state of panic in the pitch-black darkness.
I have no idea where I am in the middle of the camp. Horses are running around on their own, people are just making noise, and I cannot even draw my sword or pull my bow. The number of wounded and dead appearing one after another is not even certain.
Thrown down all at once into the valley far away, the number of abandoned horses and armor is in the tens of millions...
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Contrary to the expectations of the Yoshino Court side that "if the first line is broken, the entire army will collapse," even after the annihilation of the Hosokawa army, the Toki, Sasaki, Yamana, and Akamatsu camps did not move an inch, keeping their fences tightly knit and remaining vigilant. There was no opening for a night attack, and no way to break through.
Following the decision that "at this rate, we cannot hold out forever; send Wada and Kusunoki back to Kawachi to gather troops there and provide reinforcements for Mount Yawata," the two secretly slipped out of Mount Yawata and headed for Kawachi.
After that, the Yoshino Court side holed up on Mount Yawata waited for the two to bring reinforcements, feeling as if every day were a thousand autumns.
However, Wada Goro, who had returned to Kawachi with the deep conviction that "this reinforcement mission is my one great task!", suddenly fell ill and died shortly thereafter.
On the other hand, Kusunoki Masanori was a somewhat laid-back person who resembled neither his father (Masashige) nor his older brother (Masatsura). He just kept saying things like, "I'll go to Yawata today" or "I'll go to Yawata tomorrow," and it seems he had no intention of "somehow saving the Emperor, who is surrounded by the Ashikaga's large army." It is truly regrettable.
Public Voice S: Well, even in ancient China, there were similar things. Emperor Yao's son, Danzhu, was a person who didn't resemble his father at all. And Emperor Shun's younger brother, Xiang, was also such a nasty person that you wouldn't think he was Emperor Shun's brother.
Public Voice T: But you know, this person called Kusunoki Masanori is none other than the son of that Kusunoki Masashige, the younger brother of that Masatsura. Why on earth was a person so different from his parent and so inferior to his brother born into that Kusunoki family?
Public Voices Together: Yeah, we completely agree. (Note 5)
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(Translator's Note 5) The original text of this section of the Taiheiki is provided below.
"While it is said that Yao's child was not like Yao, and Shun's brother was not like Shun, this Kusunoki is Masashige's child. He is Masatsura's younger brother. There was no one who did not criticize him, wondering when he had changed so much from his parent and become so inferior to his brother."
The notes in [Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 36 Taiheiki 3, edited by Tanji Goto and Masao Okami, Iwanami Shoten] state the following:
"As a historical fact, Kusunoki Masanori was leading Wada Sukeuji and Tanwa Sukeshige at this time, fighting in Muramatsu, Izumi Province, around May 6th and 16th (Wada Documents, Tanwa Documents), and it seems there was no room for him to help Yawata."
It is doubtful whether such a "reputation of Kusunoki Masanori" actually existed in society at the time. I think it is better not to easily believe what the author of the Taiheiki wrote.
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