Wars between Warriors

1. Wars between Warriors • The Gempei War (1180-1185) • War between the Minamoto Clan (Gem) and the Taira clan (Hei,Pei) • Cause: Prince Mochihito raised a rebellion against the Taira clan • Before this, the two clans had a brief fight in 1156, called the Hogen Rebellion, the Minamoto clan was defeated and its leaders were executed • 1160, two clans fought again—called Heiji Rebellion. The Minamoto was defeated again, and all clan members and supporters were executed. Only a handful of children were spared • Fighting: 1183, Kofukuji and Miidera’s warrior monks, and the Minamoto samurai joined forces were defeated at the Battle of Uji • Result: Taira’s warriors, to avenge the deaths of sixty samurai, who were killed by the Kofuji warrior monks and whose heads were displayed around the pool of Sarusawa, burned the city of Nara and slaughtered all monk warriors of Kofukuji, nearly 20,000 monks were killed.

2. New Warrior Government • Kamakura Bakufu (Shogunate),1192-1333 • While the Minamoto clan was defeated several times in the Gempei War, it was the final victor. • The family established its base in Kamakura and became known by the famous title of “Shogun” • Now the real rulers of Japan who reduced the emperor of Japan to a mere figurehead • Shogun and its samurai began to favor Zen Buddhism and Zen monks • They saw Mt. Hiei as “nothing more than a sanctuary for absconding criminals (warrior monks)” • The Bakufu wanted all temples extradite such villains.

3. Enryakuji monks vs. Zen monks • The Ashikaga family, who were new rulers of Japan after the Nanbokucho Wars, also favored Zen Buddhism and Zen monks • Based in Kyoto, the Ashikaga converted an imperial palace in western Kyoto into a Zen monastery, named Tenryuji, completed in 1344. • Enryakuji protested, but was forced to back down. • 1367, Enryakuji joined Kofukuji and Miidera to force Nanzenji to demolish its newly built gate. Fight between Enryakuji warrior monks and Nanzenji warrior monks broke out • Further fight occurred in 1368 after the abbot of Nanzenji wrote a polemic calling the Tendai monks “monkeys and toads” • Bloody battle took place between monk warriors and the shogun’s samurai • The two side reached an agreement: Nanzenji was asked to tear down its gate and the shogun agreed to pay for the repair of the Enryakuji’s shrines that were damaged during the street fighting

4. Warrior Monks in the Sengoku Period • 1467-1602, the Age of Warring States • Two groups of “holy warriors” rose • Ikko-ikki, warrior monks of Shinshu (or Jodo Shinshu, True Pure Land Buddhism) • The Lotus warriors, warrior monks of the Hokke-shu, or Nichren-shu • Both were religious fanatics or fundamentalists who would die for their beliefs • Both were very well trained militarily and were ready to fight with samurai

5. The Ikko-Ikki • Referred to communities formed by warrior monks of a new school of Buddhism called Jodo Shinshu, which appeared during the Kamakura period (1192-1333) • Ikko-Ikki: single-mindedly devoted to a league, or a movement, riot • Leader: Rennyo led his people revolt against samurai rule • They began to rule many provinces in Japan • Built their temples, Honganji, in these places, with the headquarters in Nagashima and Ishiyama • They viewed all samurai as enemies and attempted to sweep them from their provinces

6. Ikko-Ikki and the Samurai • Rennyo built his headquarters in Kaga Province and his followers soon became involved in war among various samurai clans struggling for supremacy • 1488, Rennyo’s Ikko-ikki revolved against samurai rule and took control of Kaga after a series of fierce skimishes • Shinshu monks became the first non-samurai group to rule a province • They expanded their rule to other provinces and established key temples there, including most famous Nagashima and Ishiyama Honganji

7. Ikko-ikki and Oda Nobunaga • Ikko-ikki saw all samurai as enemies and intended to sweep them away • In his reunification of Japan, Oda Nobunaga, the first of the “Three Unifiers” in Japanese history, had to deal with Ikko-Ikki and other warrior monks concurrently • such as Enryakuji monks and Nichiren monks • Two major campaigns: Nagashima and Ishiyama • Nagashima:1571-1574 • Ishiyama: 1570-1580

8. Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582)

9. Ikko-Ikki and the War in Nagashima • Nobunaga’s army attacked Nagashima Ikko-ikki (1571-1574) • First phase: 1571 • Nobunaga’s army, led by Shibata Katsuie, was defeated • Second phase: 1573 • Nobunaga took personal charge, but was forced to withdraw • Third phase: 1574 • Nobunaga thoroughly destroyed Nagashima Ikko-ikki and burned 20,000 inhabitants of the Ikko-ikki fortress

10. Ikko-ikki and the War in Ishiyama • Nobunaga attacked Ishiyama Honganji (1570-1581) in Osaka • First phase: 1570-1576 • Nobunaga built a series of forts near Ishiyama Honganji • Ikko-ikki lunched a surprise attack on two of Nobunaga’s fortresses, resulting Nobunaga’s immediate setback • Second phase: 1576-1578 • Nobunaga’s 3000- men army attacked Ikko-ikki with a force of 15,000 men; Nobunaga’s army was forced to withdraw • Nobunaga succeeded in removing the enemy’s outpost and allies, isolating Ishiyama Honganji; Nobunaga was defeated in the first battle of Kizugawaguchi, where Ikko-ikki’s ally, the Mori clan, defeated Nobunaga’s fleet with their experience and knowledge of naval tactics. • Third phase: 1678-1580 • Ikko-ikki lost their important allies and became completely isolated • The emperor intervened, suggesting that Ikko-ikki honorably surrender • The surrender term was surprisingly bloodless; Shimotsuma Nakayuki, Ikko-ikki’s commander was spared his life