Toi Invasion

In Kinin 3 (1019), a sudden fleet of over fifty vessels descended upon Tsushima. These invaders, called the "Toi" in Japanese sources, were a pirate group belonging to the Jurchen people (ancestors of the later Manchus), and after ravaging Tsushima and Iki, they went ashore on the northern Kyushu coast in Chikuzen and Hizen, repeatedly looting, killing, and abducting. This incident, known as the "Toi Invasion," was an unprecedented foreign invasion that Japan experienced in the mid-Heian period, and it was a major historical event that occurred approximately 250 years before the Mongol invasions.

Who Were the Toi?—Jurchen Pirate Groups

The "Toi" was the name for the Jurchen people (女直) on the Korean Peninsula, and they were recorded as such in Japanese historical sources. The Jurchen were the ancestors of the later Jin dynasty (12th century) and the Later Jin and Qing dynasties (17th century), but at this time the Jurchen had not yet unified into a single state and remained at the stage of tribal confederations.

They were based in the Maritime Province (present-day Russian Far East) and made their living through piracy and trade. It has been suggested that crossing the Tsushima Strait and raiding the Kyushu coast was an established route for the Jurchen of this era.

In Kinin 3 (1019), a Toi fleet of over fifty vessels, reportedly numbering over 3,000 people, landed on Tsushima. The local warriors and magnates of Tsushima attempted to defend the island, but faced with an unexpected large-scale invasion, many were killed, wounded, or abducted. Subsequently, the Toi moved to Iki, where they conducted fierce plundering. Fujiwara no Masatada, the Iki Provincial Protector, fought valiantly but fell in battle, and the residents of Iki suffered massive casualties.

The Defense at Dazaifu—The Exploits of Fujiwara no Takaie

It was Fujiwara no Takaie, serving as Vice-Minister of Dazaifu, who halted the Toi invasion. Takaie was the fourth son of Fujiwara no Michitaka and was known for incidents such as firing an arrow at Emperor Kazan and as the younger brother of Fujiwara no Korechika, a favorite of Emperor Ichijo. Though appointed to Dazaifu in a form of demotion, he demonstrated outstanding leadership in this crisis.

Takaie mobilized local warrior bands from across Kyushu and engaged the Toi landing forces in fierce battles. In combat in Chikuzen and Hizen, local warriors clashed with Toi plundering parties at multiple locations. Although the Toi were a battle-hardened group, they were gradually pushed back by the Japanese forces' knowledge of the terrain and the fierce resistance of the provincial warriors.

Ultimately, the Toi withdrew in early May (lunar calendar), but the damage was catastrophic. Hundreds of people were killed in Tsushima and Iki, and it is said that over 1,000 Japanese were abducted. Some of the abducted were rescued when Goryeo forces from the Korean Peninsula pursued the Toi, and with Goryeo's assistance they were able to return home.

The Impotence of the Court and the Rise of the Samurai—The Historical Significance of the Toi Invasion

The impact of the Toi Invasion on Heian politics and society was profound. When the court of the time (the era of Emperor Go-Ichijo) received reports of the Toi attack, it could not implement effective countermeasures, and the practical defense was left to Dazaifu and local warriors. This fact starkly demonstrates the erosion of the central court's military power as a centralized, law-based state.

This event became a turning point for the samurai to establish their position as "bearers of national defense," transcending their role as "peace-keeping apparatus of the court." The fact that provincial warriors saved the nation more than a century before the samurai's participation in central politics through the Hōgen Rebellion (1156) and the Heiji Rebellion (1159) also influenced the formation of samurai class consciousness.

The "Tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu is thought to have been written around the year 1000, and Sei Shonagon's "Pillow Book" dates from the same period. The Toi Invasion occurred in the "age of Hikaru Genji," when courtly culture was in full bloom. At the same time that court nobles were indulging in elegant poetry and court music, samurai warriors on Kyushu were fighting foreign enemies with swords in hand—this contrast sharply illuminates the dual nature of the Heian period.

The Toi Invasion and Swords—The Age of Ko-Bizen and Ancient Swords

The year 1019, when the Toi Invasion occurred, corresponds to the golden age of Ko-Bizen in the history of the Japanese sword. It was an era when Ko-Bizen smiths such as Tomonari and Masatsune were active, and long, gracefully curved tachi were the mainstream.

The swords carried by Dazaifu samurai are thought to have been Ko-Bizen and Ko-Hoki style tachi. The image of mounted samurai with long, curved tachi at their sides fighting against Toi infantry groups embodied the combat style of samurai at that time.

What is interesting is the contrast with the weapons used by the Toi (Jurchen). The Jurchen are said to have primarily used bows, spears, and straight swords, and the technical differences from Japan's curved tachi highlight the distinctiveness of the Japanese sword.

Regarding the swords that Fujiwara no Takaie is said to have used at Dazaifu, there are no direct historical records, but it is highly likely that Takaie, as a member of the Sekkan family, possessed famous swords as the highest power holder of the time. Later military chronicles preserve various traditions concerning the swords of samurai of this era.

Although the Toi Invasion is little known in later times, it holds an important position in Japanese history both as a precedent for "foreign invasion of Japan" alongside the Mongol invasions (1274 and 1281) and as an early example of samurai stepping onto the historical stage as bearers of national defense.