A 1180 archery duel at a bridge sparked Japan's legendary Genpei War
A desperate stand at a bridge near Kyoto ignited a decade of samurai warfare that would ultimately give birth to Japan's first Shogunate and change the nation's history forever.
In 1180, the First Battle of Uji marked the dramatic opening of the Genpei War. Prince Mochihito and the legendary warrior Minamoto no Yorimasa fled Kyoto with a small force, pursued by the powerful Taira clan. They took a stand at the Uji Bridge, tearing up its planks to create a defensive gap.
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