Battle of Uji (1180)

The First Battle of Uji is famous & important for having opened the Gempei Wars. In early 1180, Prince Mochihito, the Minamoto Clan's favored claimant to the Imperial Throne, was chased by Taira forces to the Miidera temple, just outside Kyoto. Due to the interference of a Miidera monk with Taira sympathies, the Minamoto army arrived too late to help defend the temple. Minamoto no Yorimasa led Prince Mochihito, along with the Minamoto army and a number of warrior monks from Miidera, south towards Nara.
They crossed the Uji River, just outside the Byodoin temple, and tore up the planks of the bridge behind them, to prevent the Taira following them. Three warrior monks in particular are named in the Heike Monogatari: Gochin no Tajima, Tsutsui Jomyo Meishu, and Ichirai Hoshi. These three, along with the other monks of Miidera fought with bow and arrow, a variety of swords and daggers, and naginata.
However, the Taira forces began to ford the river, and caught up with the Minamoto band. Yorimasa tried to help the Prince get away, but was struck with an arrow. He committed hara-kiri, setting a ritual precedent of committing suicide rather than surrendering, which would be honored up into World War II. This is the first known historical incident of this form of hara-kiri. The Prince was killed shortly afterwards, by the Taira warriors.

References