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Battles, incidents, and historical events related to Japanese swords
175 events
June 12, 1560 (Eiroku 3, 5th month, 19th day)
On June 12, 1560 (Eiroku 3/5/19), Oda Nobunaga, a minor daimyō of Owari, launched a surprise attack on the great army led by Imagawa Yoshimoto and killed Yoshimoto. The historic battle, which overturned the disparity in forces, became Nobunaga's first step toward dominion over the realm.
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1553–1564 (Tenbun 22 – Eiroku 7); Fourth Battle: October 1561 (9th month, Eiroku 4)
Five engagements fought between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin over control of Shinano Province (1553–1564). The Fourth Battle of 1561 — in which the two commanders reportedly clashed in personal combat — is remembered as the most dramatic rivalry of the Sengoku era.
1467–1477 (Ōnin 1 – Bunmei 9)
The Ōnin War (1467–1477) erupted over a shogunal succession dispute, pitting the eastern Hosokawa faction against the western Yamana faction across the ruins of Kyoto for eleven years. The conflict effectively ended the Muromachi order and opened Japan's century of civil war.
April 25, 1185 (24th day, 3rd month, Genryaku 2 / Juei 4)
On the 24th day of the 3rd month of Genryaku 2 (1185), in the sea off Dan-no-ura in Nagato Province (present-day Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture), the Minamoto forces led by Minamoto no Yoshitsune annihilated the Taira forces in a decisive naval battle. Emperor Antoku perished in the sea, the treasured sword sank into the sea, and the Taira clan was destroyed.
March 20, 1184 (7th day, 2nd month, Juei 3)
In the 2nd month of Juei 3 (1184), Genji forces led by Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Minamoto no Noriyori launched a surprise attack on the Taira army at Ichi-no-Tani in Settsu Province. Yoshitsune's “Hiyodorigoe sakaotoshi” descent is renowned as a daring stratagem that shines in the annals of war. The tragedy of Taira no Atsumori, a nephew of Taira no Kiyomori, produced episodes deeply engraved in sword culture and bushidō.
July 29, 1156 (11th day, 7th month, Hōgen 1)
In the 7th month of Hōgen 1 (1156), a conflict between Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Retired Emperor Sutoku drew in the Taira and Minamoto clans. Decided in a single night, the Hōgen Rebellion marked the decisive entry of warrior clans into central politics, featuring Taira no Kiyomori and Minamoto no Yoshitomo.
1051–1062 (Eishō 6 – Kōhei 5)
The Former Nine Years' War (1051–1062) was a protracted conflict in Mutsu Province between the Minamoto clan (Yoriyoshi and his son Yoshiie) and the Abe clan (Yoritoki and Sadato). The Minamoto victory, achieved with crucial Kiyohara clan reinforcements, established the Minamoto as the preeminent warrior house of the east and laid foundations for samurai political dominance.