Kajiwara Kagetoki
Encyclopedia
was a spy for Minamoto no Yoritomo
in the Genpei War
, and a warrior against the Taira. He came to be known for his greed and treachery.
Originally from Suruga province
, Kajiwara entered the Genpei War fighting under Oba Kagechika
, against the Minamoto. After the Taira victory at Ishibashiyama
in 1181, he was sent to pursue the fleeing Minamoto no Yoritomo. Having discovered him, Kajiwara switched sides, leading his forces in another direction, and turning to Yoritomo's cause.
Three years later, Kajiwara would lead the forces of Minamoto no Yoshitsune
and Yoritomo into battle against their cousin Yoshinaka
, and against the Taira. Attached to Yoshitsune's force, Kajiwara reported back to Yoritomo on Yoshitsune's actions, in order to satisfy Yoritomo's suspicion and distrust of his brother. In one particular episode related in The Tale of the Heike
, Kajiwara suggests, during the Battle of Yashima
, that Yoshitsune equip the Minamoto ships with "reverse oars" should they need to retreat quickly. Yoshitsune responds with distaste to Kajiwara's advice, humiliating him by saying such an act would be cowardice. From that point until Yoritomo's death, the resentful Kajiwara did as much as he could to raise tensions between the brothers. His slander led Yoritomo, already suspicious of his younger brother, to eventually accuse Yoshitsune of plotting against the bakufu
, which then led to his exile and eventual death. Even after this, when the shogunate
was successfully and firmly established, Kajiwara still caused tensions at court. He accused Yuki Tomomitsu of plotting against the Shogun Minamoto no Yoriie
; a number of members of the court tried to get rid of him, who eventually left for Suruga. The following year (1200), he was defeated and killed in battle along with his son Kagesue.
Kajiwara Heima
, a senior retainer of the Aizu
domain in the 19th century, claimed descent from Kagetoki. His formal name, Kagetake (景武) shares a character with Kagetoki's name.
Minamoto no Yoritomo
was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan. He ruled from 1192 until 1199.-Early life and exile :Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, heir of the Minamoto clan, and his official wife, a daughter of Fujiwara no Suenori, who was a member of the...
in the Genpei War
Genpei War
The was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the fall of the Taira clan and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192....
, and a warrior against the Taira. He came to be known for his greed and treachery.
Originally from Suruga province
Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka prefecture. It was sometimes called . Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay.-History:...
, Kajiwara entered the Genpei War fighting under Oba Kagechika
Oba Kagechika
' , also known as Ōba Saburō Kagechika, was a samurai of Japan's Heian period. The third son of Oba Kageyoshi, he fought alongside his father, against the Minamoto clan, in the Hōgen Rebellion of 1156....
, against the Minamoto. After the Taira victory at Ishibashiyama
Battle of Ishibashiyama
The ' was the first in which Minamoto Yoritomo, who was to become shogun less than a decade later, was commander of the Minamoto forces. In this, his first attempt to challenge the Taira, he was assisted by warriors from the Miura clan....
in 1181, he was sent to pursue the fleeing Minamoto no Yoritomo. Having discovered him, Kajiwara switched sides, leading his forces in another direction, and turning to Yoritomo's cause.
Three years later, Kajiwara would lead the forces of Minamoto no Yoshitsune
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura...
and Yoritomo into battle against their cousin Yoshinaka
Minamoto no Yoshinaka
was a general of the late Heian Period of Japanese history. A member of the Minamoto samurai clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo was his cousin and rival during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and the Taira clans....
, and against the Taira. Attached to Yoshitsune's force, Kajiwara reported back to Yoritomo on Yoshitsune's actions, in order to satisfy Yoritomo's suspicion and distrust of his brother. In one particular episode related in The Tale of the Heike
The Tale of the Heike
is an epic account of the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century in the Genpei War...
, Kajiwara suggests, during the Battle of Yashima
Battle of Yashima
The naval Battle of Yashima took place on 22 March 1185. Following a long string of defeats, the Taira clan retreated to Yashima, today's Takamatsu, just off the coast of Shikoku...
, that Yoshitsune equip the Minamoto ships with "reverse oars" should they need to retreat quickly. Yoshitsune responds with distaste to Kajiwara's advice, humiliating him by saying such an act would be cowardice. From that point until Yoritomo's death, the resentful Kajiwara did as much as he could to raise tensions between the brothers. His slander led Yoritomo, already suspicious of his younger brother, to eventually accuse Yoshitsune of plotting against the bakufu
Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
, which then led to his exile and eventual death. Even after this, when the shogunate
Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
was successfully and firmly established, Kajiwara still caused tensions at court. He accused Yuki Tomomitsu of plotting against the Shogun Minamoto no Yoriie
Minamoto no Yoriie
was the second shogun of Japan's Kamakura shogunate, and the first son of first shogun Yoritomo.- Life :Born from Tokimasa's daughter Hōjō Masako at Hiki Yoshikazu's residence in Kamakura, Yoriie had as wet nurses the wives of powerful men like Hiki himself and Kajiwara Kagetoki, and Hiki's...
; a number of members of the court tried to get rid of him, who eventually left for Suruga. The following year (1200), he was defeated and killed in battle along with his son Kagesue.
Kajiwara Heima
Kajiwara Heima
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period who was a retainer of the Aizu domain. He served as a karō in the Aizu administration, and supervised political affairs during the Boshin War, also attending to matters of arms procurement. After the war, he went to Nemuro, and died there...
, a senior retainer of the Aizu
Aizu
is an area comprising the westernmost third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The principal city of the area is Aizuwakamatsu.During the Edo period, Aizu was a feudal domain known as and part of Mutsu Province.-History:...
domain in the 19th century, claimed descent from Kagetoki. His formal name, Kagetake (景武) shares a character with Kagetoki's name.