The First Battle of Uji triggered the Genpei War by exposing an anti-Taira plot, ending in the deaths of Prince Mochihito and Minamoto no Yorimasa.
Key Facts
- Date
- June 20, 1180
- Conflict
- Opening battle of the Genpei War
- Notable deaths
- Prince Mochihito and Minamoto no Yorimasa
- Outcome
- Taira victory; anti-Taira conspirators defeated
- Trigger effect
- Multiple anti-Taira forces raised their armies afterward
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Prince Mochihito and Minamoto no Yorimasa devised a plan to overthrow the Taira clan, issuing an edict calling upon the Minamoto clan, major temples, and shrines to revolt. Due to insufficient preparation, the Taira discovered the conspiracy before it could be properly organized.
On June 20, 1180, Taira forces engaged Prince Mochihito and Minamoto no Yorimasa at Uji. Lacking adequate support and caught unprepared, the two leaders were defeated and killed in the fighting near the Byōdō-in temple along the Uji River.
Although the immediate uprising was crushed, the battle had the unintended effect of galvanizing opposition across Japan. Multiple anti-Taira factions took up arms in response, directly precipitating the broader Genpei War between the Taira and Minamoto clans.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Prince Mochihito, Minamoto no Yorimasa.