July, 1183, Kyoto.
Taira no Sukemori was meeting in secret with a woman he had known for a long time.
His companion was the Lady of the Right Gate of Kenreimon-in.
She served Tokuko, the daughter of Taira no Kiyomori, and was a court lady who enjoyed poetry and music.
Sukemori was the second son of Taira no Shigemori. He was Kiyomori’s grandson and had been promoted to Junior Third Rank in July of that year.
However, as Minamoto no Yoshinaka’s forces approached Kyoto, the Taira clan was preparing to leave the capital.
The words Sukemori spoke to the Lady of the Right Gate during this time are recorded in the “Collection of the Lady of the Right Gate of Kenreimon-in.”
“In such turbulent times, it is certain that I will become one of the many dead.”
With the world in such chaos, he believed he would soon join the ranks of the deceased.
Sukemori reportedly said this.
He also asked her to pray for his soul’s repose if he were to die.
“Please ensure the path is illuminated.”
He asked her to pray for light to guide his way in the afterlife.
Furthermore, Sukemori spoke of his plans after heading to the western provinces.
“I will send no letters from any shore.”
He would not send letters from any shore.
Recalling his past life and dear friends would only increase his longing. To survive the turmoil, he had to live as if he had abandoned everything.
Even if no letters came, he asked her not to think it was because his heart had grown distant.
Sukemori reportedly added this.
The Lady of the Right Gate wrote that she could only shed tears, with no words to respond.
Eventually, the Taira clan left Kyoto.
Sukemori accompanied the clan, escorting Emperor Antoku to the western provinces.
However, the following year, when a letter arrived from the Lady of the Right Gate, Sukemori replied.
In it, he included a poem expressing the hardship of merely being alive.
This became the last poem she received from him.
March 24, 1185.
Sukemori lost his life at the Battle of Dan-no-ura.
Upon hearing the news, the Lady of the Right Gate gathered the letters she had received from Sukemori.
She wrote sutras on the paper and prayed for Sukemori’s soul.
The promise made before the fall of the capital was not forgotten by the Lady of the Right Gate.
Taira no Shigemori‘s Second Son—Born as Kiyomori’s Grandson
Taira no Sukemori was born as the second son of Taira no Shigemori.
His grandfather was Taira no Kiyomori.
His father, Shigemori, was Kiyomori’s eldest son and rose to the position of Naidaijin in the imperial court after participating in the Hogen Rebellion and the Heiji Rebellion.
There are differing accounts regarding Sukemori’s birth year.
Some sources suggest he was born around Hogen 3 (1158), while others, based on the age recorded in the ‘Kugyo Bunin’, propose he was born in Oho 1 (1161).
His mother was the daughter of Fujiwara no Chikamori, the governor of Shimousa Province, and is said to have served as a lady-in-waiting to Emperor Nijō.
He had a different mother than his elder brother, Koremori.
His younger brothers included Kiyotsune, Arimori, Morimori, and Tadabusa.
Shigemori was seen as Kiyomori’s successor and had his own retainers and estates.
His heir was Koremori, and his second son was Sukemori.
Koremori was known for performing the “Seigaiha” dance at court and was likened to the handsome Hikaru Genji.
Sukemori also entered court service from a young age.
On November 21, Nin’an 1 (1166), he was appointed to the lower fifth rank.
By December 30 of the same year, he was appointed governor of Echizen Province.
Echizen Province was a fief closely associated with Shigemori’s family.
The political influence of his father Shigemori and grandfather Kiyomori played a role in Sukemori’s early appointment as a provincial governor.
In Kaō 1 (1169), he was promoted to the upper fifth rank.
Within Kiyomori’s family, children and grandchildren were granted official ranks from an early age.
Sukemori was involved in an incident where he collided with the regent’s procession.
This was the “Denka no Noriai Incident” of Kaō 2 (1170).
July 3, 1170—An Encounter with the Regent’s Procession
July 3, 1170.
Sanemori’s ox-drawn carriage encountered the procession of Regent Fujiwara no Motofusa on the streets of Kyoto.
Motofusa, also known as Matsudono Motofusa, was a prominent figure of the regent family, holding a particularly high position in the imperial court at the time.
The diary of Kujo Kanezane, Gyokuyo, records the events of this day.
When encountering the regent’s procession, those of lower status were required to dismount and yield the road.
However, it is said that Sanemori’s party did not fully adhere to this etiquette.
Motofusa’s attendants reprimanded the discourtesy and destroyed the carriage Sanemori was riding in.
Sanemori’s party suffered a great humiliation.
Even as the grandson of Taira no Kiyomori, failing to show proper respect to the regent’s procession invited reprimand.
The court maintained an order based on rank and status, with the regent near its pinnacle.
Meanwhile, Kiyomori had already risen to the position of Grand Minister of State, and the Taira clan wielded significant influence at court.
The humiliation suffered by Sanemori’s party escalated into a conflict between the Taira and the regent family.
This incident is also depicted in the first volume of The Tale of the Heike, “The Regent’s Procession.”
In the tale, Sanemori is returning from falconry when he encounters Motofusa’s procession and is humiliated by the attendants.
There are differences in the timing and circumstances of the incident compared to Gyokuyo.
Moreover, there is a significant difference in who ordered the retaliation.
The Regent’s Procession Incident—Who Ordered the Retaliation, Kiyomori or Shigemori?
According to The Tale of the Heike, Kiyomori was enraged upon learning of his grandson Sanemori’s humiliation.
He would not tolerate his grandson being humiliated, even by a regent.
Kiyomori is said to have ordered retaliation.
However, his son Shigemori is depicted as advising against it.
It was Sanemori who failed to show proper respect to the regent’s procession.
If he acted disrespectfully relying on the Taira’s power, then it was only natural for him to be reprimanded.
Shigemori argued this, urging Kiyomori to reconsider the retaliation.
Nevertheless, Kiyomori secretly gathered warriors and attacked Motofusa’s procession.
On the other hand, the account in Gyokuyo from the same period differs.
It was Sanemori’s father, Shigemori, who moved to retaliate.
After the incident, Motofusa attempted to resolve the situation by punishing his attendants.
He handed over those who destroyed the carriage and punished his followers.
However, Shigemori was not satisfied.
On July 15, there were moves to retaliate when Motofusa was expected to go out.
Motofusa canceled his outing, thus avoiding the danger.
After that, there were no major incidents for a while.
However, on October 21, Motofusa’s procession was attacked by warriors.
On this day, Motofusa was on his way to a council concerning Emperor Takakura’s coming-of-age ceremony.
The warriors reportedly pulled Motofusa’s attendants from their horses and humiliated them by cutting their topknots.
Motofusa decided not to proceed to the court.
As a result, the planned council at the court was postponed.
The “Gyokuyou” attributes the retaliation to Shigemori.
In the “Tale of the Heike,” Shigemori is depicted as a righteous figure, and the responsibility for the retaliation is shifted to Kiyomori.
The roles of father and grandfather are reversed in these two historical sources.
There is no definitive record that Sukemori himself ordered the retaliation.
The clash with the regent’s procession, initiated by the young Sukemori, prompted the Taira warriors to retaliate, disrupting even the court’s affairs.
The “Incident of the Regent’s Procession” was recorded as a confrontation between the Taira clan’s power and the court’s order.
From Chamberlain to Minor Captain of the Right—Advancement at Court
Even after the incident, Sukemori continued to accumulate court ranks.
On December 4, 1174, he was appointed as a Chamberlain.
The Chamberlain served close to the Emperor and was involved in court ceremonies and events.
The following year, in 1175, he advanced to the lower fifth rank.
During this time, Kiyomori’s daughter Tokuko became the Empress Consort of Emperor Takakura, and members of the Taira clan were steadily gaining court positions.
Sukemori was among them.
In 1178, there is a record of him performing the koto.
On January 4, he played the koto during Emperor Takakura’s New Year court visit.
Later that year, in November, he also performed at the celebration following Tokuko’s birth of Prince Tokihito.
Prince Tokihito would later become Emperor Antoku.
This event is also noted in the “Gyokuyou.”
Originally, other court nobles were supposed to play instruments, but it was prearranged for Sukemori to play the koto.
Kujou Kanezane left critical remarks about this arrangement.
Nevertheless, it is clear that Sukemori was involved in court music and was entrusted with performances.
On December 24 of the same year, he became the Provisional Minor Captain of the Right.
The following year, in 1179, he advanced to the lower fourth rank, and in 1180, to the upper fourth rank.
Sukemori served at court as Shigemori’s son, playing the koto and composing waka poetry.
However, around this time, an event occurred that shook the clan.
His father, Shigemori, passed away.
The Year 1179—The Death of Father Shigemori and Changes in the Taira Clan
On July 29, 1179.
Taira no Shigemori has passed away.
He was 42 years old.
Shigemori was the eldest son of Taira no Kiyomori and had risen to the position of Minister of the Interior.
He had a close relationship with Emperor Go-Shirakawa and held a position second only to Kiyomori within the family.
With his death, the circumstances surrounding the Shigemori family changed.
His eldest son, Koremori, took over the family, while Sukemori continued to advance in court ranks.
However, it was Shigemori’s younger brother, Taira no Munemori, who became the political center of the Taira clan.
Munemori was the son of Kiyomori’s principal wife, Taira no Tokiko, and the brother of Emperor Takakura’s consort, Tokuko.
His court rank was higher than that of Koremori or Sukemori.
In November of the same year, Kiyomori led his forces into Kyoto and imprisoned Emperor Go-Shirakawa in the Toba Palace.
This was known as the Political Change of the Third Year of Jisho.
Kiyomori reorganized court appointments, strengthening the Taira clan’s control.
However, in the following year, Jisho 4 (1180), uprisings against the Taira clan began across the country.
In May, Prince Mochihito and Minamoto no Yorimasa raised an army, and in August, Minamoto no Yoritomo rose in rebellion in Izu.
His brother, Koremori, became the commander of the punitive expedition to the eastern provinces, but his forces were routed at the Fuji River, forcing a retreat westward.
Furthermore, in the intercalary second month of Jisho 5 (1181), their grandfather Kiyomori passed away.
With the successive losses of Shigemori and Kiyomori, the Taira clan continued their struggle under Munemori’s leadership.
At that time, Sukemori had a woman with whom he was long acquainted at court.
She was the Lady of the Right of the Kenreimon-in.
The Lady of the Right of the Kenreimon-in—The Woman Close to Sukemori
The Lady of the Right of the Kenreimon-in was the daughter of Fujiwara no Koreyuki.
Igyo was known as a calligrapher of the Sesonji school, a person well-versed in calligraphy and classical literature.
His mother was Yugiri, a master of the koto.
Raised in a household that cherished both writing and music, the Ukyo no Daibu also excelled in waka poetry.
In the second year of Jōan (1172), Taira no Kiyomori’s daughter, Tokuko, became the consort of Emperor Takakura.
The Ukyo no Daibu also entered Tokuko’s service.
Many members of the Taira clan and court nobles frequented the empress’s court.
The Ukyo no Daibu came to know Tokuko’s brothers and nephews, exchanging poems with them.
Among them was Taira no Sukemori.
The exact time when the two became romantically involved is unknown.
However, the “Kenreimon-in Ukyo no Daibu Shu” records numerous interactions with Sukemori.
They would meet at court events and exchange private letters.
Nonetheless, the Ukyo no Daibu was not exclusively involved with Sukemori.
Her collection also mentions her relationship with Fujiwara no Takanobu, a poet and master of portraiture.
Additionally, genealogical records show that Sukemori married the daughter of Jimyoin Motouji.
The relationship between Ukyo no Daibu and Sukemori was influenced by court politics and public scrutiny.
Nevertheless, their relationship endured, eventually leading to the fall of the Taira clan.
A Branch of Cherry Blossoms and a Poetic Reply—Sukemori on Hanami Day
The “Kenreimon-in Ukyo no Daibu Shu” also recounts an event when the Taira nobles went cherry blossom viewing.
Konoe Motomichi, accompanied by Fujiwara no Takafusa, Taira no Shigehira, Taira no Koremori, and Taira no Sukemori, went out to view the blossoms.
Sukemori was part of this group.
The next day, a splendid branch of cherry blossoms was delivered to the empress’s residence.
Ukyo no Daibu, following Tokuko’s wishes, composed a poem.
“Forgetting the resentment of not being invited, we admire the blossoms delivered to the palace.”
Despite not being invited to the hanami, the court gazed at the flowers that had been sent.
In response, Fujiwara no Takafusa and Taira no Sukemori each composed a reply.
Sukemori’s poem read:
“Let us seek together, and see if our hearts truly turn to this single branch of blossoms.”
If you truly found yourself captivated by a single blossom, then next time, I hope you’ll visit the flowers together.
With these words, Sukemori extended his invitation.
The young nobles of the Taira clan gathered for the cherry blossom viewing.
A branch of cherry blossoms was delivered to the Empress’s quarters.
Poems exchanged over those flowers.
The poetry collection compiled by the Ukyo no Daibu in later years preserves the courtly life before the chaos of war intensified.
Sukemori was a young man who played the koto, composed waka poetry, and exchanged songs with the court ladies.
As time passed, the poems that the Ukyo no Daibu composed in memory of Sukemori transformed into laments for the lost days.
Misunderstandings Between Lovers: The Poems of Sukemori and Ukyo no Daibu
The relationship between Ukyo no Daibu and Sukemori was not always filled with tranquil moments.
The “Kenreimonin Ukyo no Daibu Shu” contains poems lamenting the hurtful words and the longing during times they could not meet.
Even when they tried to meet in secret, things did not always go as planned.
There were times when doubts arose, suspecting Sukemori of being too familiar with other women.
Ukyo no Daibu wrote about her struggles to forget him, only to find herself unable to do so.
Sukemori, too, felt dissatisfaction with Ukyo no Daibu’s behavior, leading to misunderstandings.
Their relationship was also influenced by their respective court duties and the people around them.
Sukemori, as the second son of Shigemori, continued to advance in his career, with high expectations for his future.
Meanwhile, even after leaving Tokuko’s court, Ukyo no Daibu continued to exchange waka with acquaintances.
Even after becoming close as lovers, they were not always free to meet.
In later years, Ukyo no Daibu compiled these days into poems and prose.
The joys and sorrows with Sukemori remained in her memory.
And as the fall of the Taira drew near, their chances to see each other dwindled even further.
Sukemori Becomes Head of the Kurando: Promotion Just Before the Fall
After 1180, uprisings against the Taira erupted across the country.
The Taira dispatched punitive forces to the eastern provinces and Hokuriku, while also dealing with the temple forces in the capital region.
During this time, Sukemori continued his rise within the court.
In 1181, he was promoted to Senior Fourth Rank, and on October 29, he became the Provisional Middle Captain of the Right Guards.
The Konoe Guards were responsible for the emperor’s protection and court ceremonies, with the Middle Captain being a high-ranking position.
On January 22, 1183, Sukemori was appointed Head of the Kurando.
The Head of the Kurando was a role that involved handling important documents and orders as a close aide to the emperor, supporting daily governance.
Sukemori became involved in the confidential affairs of the court.
However, in the spring of the same year, the Taira forces suffered a major defeat in the Hokuriku region.
Minamoto no Yoshinaka was advancing towards Kyoto, and the Taira’s control over the capital was beginning to waver.
Amidst this, on July 3, Sukemori was promoted to the rank of Junior Third Rank.
This promotion meant he left his position as Chief of the Kurando-dokoro and joined the ranks of the court nobles.
He continued to serve as Provisional Middle Captain of the Right Guards.
This is why he came to be known as “Komatsu Shin Sanmi Chujo.”
His father, Taira no Shigemori, had risen to the position of Minister of the Interior, and his brother, Taira no Koremori, had also become a Junior Third Rank Middle Captain.
Sukemori too reached the rank of Junior Third Rank.
However, just twenty-two days later, the Taira clan would be forced to leave Kyoto.
“I will become a fleeting number”—A premonition of death before the fall of the capital
July of the second year of Juei.
Minamoto no Yoshinaka’s forces were closing in on Kyoto.
The Taira’s punitive army suffered a crushing defeat at Kurikara Pass, followed by another defeat at Shinohara.
Rumors were spreading in the capital that the Taira clan was heading to the western provinces.
While Sukemori was serving as Chief of the Kurando-dokoro, it became difficult to meet with the Ukyo no Daibu.
It is said that there were those who advised people to stop associating with Sukemori.
The two avoided being seen together more than ever, and when they finally met, they exchanged words.
During such times, Sukemori began to speak repeatedly about his own death.
“In such a tumultuous world, becoming a fleeting number is inevitable.”
With the world in such chaos, it was certain that he too would eventually die.
Sukemori spoke these words.
He also asked the Ukyo no Daibu to pray for his soul in the afterlife if he were to die.
“Think of the light of the path.”
Even if you feel nothing, as a kindness for the long years of close conversation, pray for my soul after I am gone.
Sukemori further declared that even if his life continued for a while, he would live as if he were a different person from his former self.
Thinking of the dear people he would leave behind, the sense of longing was endless.
If it came to that, no matter how strong he tried to keep his heart, he might not be able to endure it.
Therefore, he decided to abandon everything.
Sukemori made this decision.
He then announced that he would no longer send letters.
“I will not send from any shore.”
After descending to the western provinces, he would not send letters from any shore.
Even if no letters came, he asked that it not be taken as a sign of disregard for the Ukyo no Daibu.
He added these words.
The Ukyo no Daibu had no words in response and simply shed tears, as recorded.
Soon after, the fall of the Taira clan from the capital began.
July 25, 1183 — The Taira Clan’s Departure from the Capital
On the night of July 24 to the early hours of July 25, 1183.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa escaped from Kyoto and moved to Mount Hiei.
Taira no Munemori abandoned the defense of the capital.
On July 25, accompanied by Emperor Antoku and the Imperial Regalia, the Taira clan headed west.
Taira no Tomomori also left Kyoto with his brothers, including Taira no Koremori and Taira no Arimori.
In the “Koremori’s Departure from the Capital” chapter of the “Tale of the Heike,” Tomomori and others appear in the scene where Koremori reluctantly parts with his wife and children.
Koremori’s son, Rokudai, and his young daughter clung to their father’s armor, unwilling to let go.
At that moment, Tomomori and his younger brothers arrived, urging a quick departure.
Emperor Antoku’s procession had already advanced far ahead.
Koremori left his wife and children in Kyoto.
Meanwhile, the words Tomomori spoke to the Lady of the Right Capital are preserved in her poetry collection.
The Lady of the Right Capital later described her feelings upon hearing of the Taira clan’s departure as “a dream within a dream.”
Even upon hearing the news, it did not seem real to her.
Those around her also mourned the fall of the Taira clan from the capital.
However, few understood the pain of parting from Tomomori.
The Lady of the Right Capital recorded that she pondered alone and continued to pray to Buddha.
Tomomori headed west.
As he had said he would not send any letters from any port, their correspondence ceased for a time.
However, it was not that there was no news of Tomomori at all.
The Taira Clan Retreats West — A Series of Tragic News for the Brothers
After leaving Kyoto, the Taira clan headed towards Kyushu via Fukuhara.
However, Ogata Koreie and others in Bungo Province resisted, making it difficult to establish a stable base around Dazaifu.
The clan returned to the Seto Inland Sea and regrouped their forces around Yashima in Sanuki Province.
In the intercalary October of 1183, the Taira clan defeated the forces of Minamoto no Yoshinaka at Mizushima in Bitchu Province.
In the following November, they also triumphed over the forces of Minamoto no Yukie at Mount Muro in Harima Province.
The Taira clan regrouped their forces in the western provinces and by the New Year of Juei 3 (1184), they had advanced as far as the Fukuhara area.
Although Taira no Sukemori was active alongside his family, the specific roles he played at Mizushima and Muroyama are not well-documented.
February 7th.
The forces of Minamoto no Noriyori and Minamoto no Yoshitsune launched an attack on the Taira forces around Fukuhara.
This was the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani.
The Taira suffered a devastating defeat.
Taira no Tadanori, Taira no Atsumori, and Taira no Tsunemori were killed in action, while Taira no Shigehira was captured.
Taira no Munemori and others retreated to Yashima, taking Emperor Antoku with them.
Sukemori continued to fight in the western provinces.
During this time, sad news reached the children of Taira no Shigemori.
According to the “Tale of the Heike,” his younger brother Taira no Kiyotsune, despairing over the fate of the Taira clan, drowned himself at Yanagigaura in Buzen Province.
His elder brother Taira no Koremori also left the family, taking vows as a monk at Mount Koya before heading to Kumano.
There are differing accounts about Koremori, including the theory that he drowned at Nachi, as well as another suggesting he died of illness.
One by one, Shigemori’s sons disappeared from the family.
The Ukyo no Daibu was also aware of the fates of Sukemori’s brothers.
Information about the western provinces was limited in Kyoto, but with each battle, new tragic news arrived.
Eventually, word reached the Ukyo no Daibu that a letter could indeed be delivered to Sukemori in the west.
News from the West—”I feel I have become a different person now”
After the fall of the capital, there were occasions when news of Sukemori reached Kyoto.
According to the “Kenreimonin Ukyo no Daibu Shu,” during the winter after leaving the capital, a few words from Sukemori were conveyed through a slender connection.
He expressed that he felt he had become a different person from before.
I hope everyone will feel the same and pray for the repose of souls in future generations.
That was the essence of the message.
Even before leaving the capital, Sukemori had asked Ukyo no Daibu to ensure prayers for his soul after his death.
The words that came from the western provinces carried the same wish.
However, Ukyo no Daibu could not forget Sukemori.
News of his brothers’ deaths had arrived, and the whereabouts of the Taira clan were unknown.
In the midst of this, knowing that Sukemori was still alive only intensified her feelings.
At such a time, a reliable way to send a message to the western provinces was found.
Ukyo no Daibu decided to write a letter.
Sukemori had decided not to send letters from any port.
Ukyo no Daibu remembered those words.
Yet, she couldn’t help but convey her current feelings.
She included a poem.
“To Think We Still Live in the Same World” — A Letter from Ukyo no Daibu
Genryaku 1 (1184).
A letter was sent from Ukyo no Daibu to Sukemori in the western provinces.
Within it was the following poem.
“To think we still live in the same world is sorrowful, in this world where being alive feels like not living at all.”
Even now, I live in the same world as you.
Thinking that only brings sadness.
Because the world has become so harsh that being alive doesn’t feel like living.
Ukyo no Daibu expressed her feelings for Sukemori, who was far away in the western provinces, through her poem.
The Taira clan had lost Kyoto, and battles continued in the western provinces.
News had arrived that Sukemori’s brothers had lost their lives.
Yet Sukemori was still alive.
Even though they lived in the same world, they could no longer meet as they once did.
Ukyo no Daibu wrote about that sadness.
And then a reply came from Sukemori.
During his flight from the capital, Sukemori had declared he would not send letters from any port.
Yet Sukemori was pleased to receive Ukyo no Daibu’s letter.
In the “Kenreimonin Ukyo no Daibu Shu,” it is recorded, “He expressed his joy.”
Sukemori conveyed that he was happy the letter had reached him.
He also included a poem in his reply.
“Living Feels Like Not Living” — The Final Reply
The poem Sukemori sent back is as follows.
“Living feels like not living, and it is sad to still witness such painful events.”
Being alive doesn’t feel like living.
In such a world, having to witness further hardships is truly sorrowful.
When the Ukyo no Daibu wrote, “What is, is not,” Sukemori replied, “What is, is not, to the extent it is.”
Their poems echoed the same words.
It is said that in his letter, Sukemori also touched upon those who had passed away.
In the western provinces, battles continued, and the future of his clan was uncertain.
Sukemori expressed his anguish through poetry.
This poem was later included in the “Gyokuyo Wakashu.”
The Ukyo no Daibu, upon reading the reply, noted that he was filled with indescribable emotions.
Before leaving the capital, Sukemori had vowed to abandon his former self and not send word from any shore.
However, when a letter arrived from the Ukyo no Daibu, he wrote back.
In it, he conveyed the ongoing suffering caused by the war.
This became the last poem Sukemori sent to the Ukyo no Daibu.
The Battle of Fujito――The Battlefield in Bizen Province Where Sukemori’s Name Endures
In the first year of Genryaku (1184), the Taira clan was also fighting the Minamoto forces in Kojima, Bizen Province.
This was the Battle of Fujito.
At that time, Kojima was not connected to the mainland, and the sea lay between the Taira and Minamoto forces.
The commander of the Minamoto side was Minamoto no Noriyori.
The Taira forces set up camp on the Kojima side and planned to confront the Minamoto army using ships.
In the “Heike Monogatari,” volume ten “Fujito,” Sukemori is mentioned as the Taira commander.
He is said to have led the troops alongside his younger brothers, Arimori and Tadachika.
Additionally, warriors such as Taira no Moritsugu, Ito no Tadami, and Ito no Kagekiyo were noted to have followed him.
On the other hand, the “Azuma Kagami” entry for December 7, Genryaku 1, states that the leader of the Kojima forces was Taira no Yukimori.
Yukimori was the son of Taira no Kiyomori’s second son, Taira no Koremori, and a cousin of Sukemori.
The two sources differ in both the name of the commander and the date of the battle.
The “Heike Monogatari” depicts it as an event in September, while the “Azuma Kagami” records it as a battle on December 7.
In this battle, it is known that Sasaki Moritsuna crossed the shallows on horseback and attacked the Taira camp.
The “Heike Monogatari” also tells of a fisherman who showed Moritsuna the shallows, whom Moritsuna then killed to silence him.
However, it is difficult to ascertain which specific unit Sukemori actually led at Fujito, as historical records vary.
At the very least, the “Heike Monogatari” portrays Sukemori at this time as one of the Taira commanders facing the Minamoto in Bizen Province.
During his departure from the capital, Sukemori had asked the Ukyo no Daibu to ensure prayers for his soul after his death, and he continued to be involved in battles in the western provinces thereafter.
And the following year, the Taira clan lost Yashima.
February, Genryaku 2: The Taira Clan Loses Yashima
February, Genryaku 2 (1185).
Minamoto no Yoshitsune led his forces across to Awa Province, advancing towards Yashima in Sanuki Province.
Yashima had been a major stronghold for the Taira clan since they retreated to the western provinces.
Yoshitsune’s army launched a surprise attack from land.
Caught off guard, the Taira retreated to the sea, moving their fleet.
The “Tale of the Heike” recounts the story of Nasu no Yoichi shooting down the fan target, and the tale of Yoshitsune retrieving a bow that had drifted into the sea.
However, there are few detailed records of how Taira no Sukemori fought at Yashima.
After losing Yashima, the Taira clan moved towards the area around Hikoshima in Nagato Province.
Minamoto no Noriyori’s forces also advanced into Kyushu, pressuring the Taira from the western side of the Seto Inland Sea.
Local warriors loyal to the Taira began to defect one after another.
The Taira, carrying Emperor Antoku, continued their final resistance while moving at sea.
It had been about a year and eight months since they left Kyoto.
During this time, Sukemori sent his final poem in reply to the Minister of the Right.
However, he was unable to return to Kyoto.
On March 24, the Taira faced the Minamoto at Dan-no-ura.
Dan-no-ura: With His Brother Arimori and Cousin Yukimori
March 24, Genryaku 2.
In the waters of Akama-seki in Nagato Province, the fleets of the Minamoto and Taira clashed.
This was the Battle of Dan-no-ura.
On the Minamoto side was Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
On the Taira side, Munemori and Tomomori fought at sea, carrying Emperor Antoku.
As the battle progressed, the Taira fleet was driven into a corner.
Soon, defeat became inevitable.
Emperor Antoku, held by his grandmother Taira no Tokiko, sank into the sea.
Taira no Tomomori and other clan warriors like Taira no Norimori also lost their lives one after another.
The “Tale of the Heike,” Volume Eleven, “The Last Moments of Lord Noto,” also records the final moments of Sukemori.
“Komatsu Shin Sanmi Chujo Sukemori, the same Shosho Arimori, and their cousin Sama no Kami Yukimori”
Sukemori was with his younger brother Arimori and their cousin Yukimori.
Arimori was the son of Shigemori and thus Sukemori’s younger brother.
Yukimori was the child of Kiyomori’s second son, Motomori.
The “Tale of the Heike” recounts that the three clasped hands and sank into the sea together.
It is said that these young nobles of the Taira clan shared the same fate on their final battlefield.
However, the exact details of which ship they were on and how they met their end remain unclear.
The scene of them joining hands and entering the water is a narrative passed down through the “Tale of the Heike.”
Sukemori is said to have perished at Dan-no-ura.
No records from those who directly witnessed his final moments exist today.
Nevertheless, news of Sukemori’s death eventually reached Kyoto.
There, the Ukyo no Daibu awaited his return.
“Simply Overwhelmed”—The News Reaches the Ukyo no Daibu
The news of the Taira clan’s fall at Dan-no-ura reached Kyoto as well.
Sukemori’s death soon reached the ears of the Ukyo no Daibu.
The “Kenreimon-in Ukyo no Daibu Shu” records the events of that time.
“In the spring of the following year, I truly heard that he was no longer of this world.”
In the spring of the next year, the news came that Sukemori was no longer among the living.
The Ukyo no Daibu begins her writing in this way.
She had known for some time that Sukemori had anticipated his own death.
Before the fall of the capital, he had said he would likely join the ranks of the dead.
Even in his last poem from the west, the pain of continuing to live was expressed.
Yet when the news of his death finally arrived, the Ukyo no Daibu found herself unable to think.
“Simply overwhelmed.”
She was left in a state of shock.
Even as tears flowed, she could not cry freely in front of others.
The Ukyo no Daibu claimed to feel unwell and lay under her bedding.
All the while, she continued to weep.
Even trying to forget, the image of Sukemori would surface.
Words they had once exchanged seemed to echo in her ears.
The Ukyo no Daibu composed a poem.
“In this fleeting world, people say death is sorrowful. Is it said by those who have never faced such a dream-like sorrow?”
She lamented Sukemori’s death in this way.
And she recalled the promise made before the fall of the capital.
If I die, please ensure prayers for my soul in the afterlife.
This was a wish left behind by Sukemori.
Sukemori’s Letters Recycled — The Memorial Service by the Ukyo no Daibu
The Ukyo no Daibu gathered old letters she had received from Sukemori.
The “Kenreimon-in Ukyo no Daibu Shu” records in detail the memorial service using those papers.
The Ukyo no Daibu carefully selected the remaining letters.
She then recycled the paper to create new sheets for transcribing sutras, on which scriptures were written.
The old letters were transformed into new paper, used for sacred texts offered to the Buddha.
At times, she used the paper with Sukemori’s handwriting intact.
Unable to discard the visible writing, she drew six Jizo figures on the reverse side with her own hand.
Seeing Sukemori’s handwriting brought back memories of their exchanged words.
Selecting each letter was a painful task for the Ukyo no Daibu.
Yet, she continued the memorial service.
Their relationship was not widely known.
The Ukyo no Daibu recorded that she conducted the service away from prying eyes, without informing those she was not close to.
Before his exile, Sukemori had made a request to the Ukyo no Daibu.
“Please remember to light the path.”
He wished for prayers to illuminate his path after death.
The Ukyo no Daibu never forgot those words.
She recycled Sukemori’s letters to create paper for scriptures.
On the paper bearing his handwriting, she drew six Jizo figures.
She continued the memorial service alone, for the late Sukemori.
The Overgrown Ruins — The Willows and Cherries They Once Saw
After Sukemori’s death, the Ukyo no Daibu visited the place where he once lived.
The “Kenreimon-in Ukyo no Daibu Shu” describes her visit to Sukemori’s former residence.
One such place was the villa in Kitayama.
It is said that Sukemori and the Ukyo no Daibu once admired the willows and cherry trees planted in the garden together.
“In the eastern garden, many willows and cherries of the same height were planted side by side.”
The garden was filled with numerous willows and cherries of uniform height.
One spring, the two of them admired those trees together.
But now, Sukemori is no longer there.
Only the treetops of the willows and cherries remained unchanged.
Gazing at those trees, the Ukyo no Daibu composed a poem.
“The one who planted them is gone, yet the treetops remain, bringing tears to my eyes.”
The person who planted and admired them with me is no longer here.
Seeing the treetops that remain after that person’s departure brings tears to my eyes.
On another occasion, she passed by the site of Sukemori’s former residence.
The previous buildings were gone, and the area was overgrown with grass.
The autumn flowers were in bloom, and the chorus of insects filled the air.
The Lord of Ukyo stopped his carriage and gazed at the place for a while.
It was a place he had visited many times when Sukemori was alive.
Now, the buildings were gone, and there was no sign of people.
The Lord of Ukyo noted that he could not pass by immediately.
Taira no Shigemori‘s household was once esteemed as the family that would produce Kiyomori’s successor.
However, Shigemori passed away in 1179.
His brother Koremori left the family and is said to have died in Kumano.
And Sukemori also lost his life at Dan-no-ura.
The Lord of Ukyo visited the remains of Sukemori’s residence after his departure.
In the garden, the willows and cherry blossoms they once saw together still stood.
Kenreimon-in at Ohara—Recalling the Former Court
After the Taira clan was defeated at Dan-no-ura, Kenreimon-in Tokuko was returned to Kyoto.
Tokuko lost Emperor Antoku at Dan-no-ura and threw herself into the sea, but was saved by the Genji forces.
She eventually took vows and began living in Ohara.
The Lord of Ukyo visited Tokuko there.
Once, the Lord of Ukyo served Tokuko and met many of the Taira clan’s young nobles.
Sukemori was among them.
However, Sukemori perished at Dan-no-ura, and Tokuko lost Emperor Antoku and her brothers.
When they reunited in Ohara, they reminisced about their days at court.
The Lord of Ukyo composed a poem about his feelings at that time.
“Is it now a dream, or was it then a dream? I cannot decide which it is.”
He could not determine whether the present or the past was the dream.
Once, Tokuko was the consort of Emperor Takakura, and the Taira nobles gathered at court.
Now, Tokuko lived in Ohara, and the Lord of Ukyo had lost Sukemori.
The place where they reunited no longer held the splendor of the former court.
Yet, the Lord of Ukyo continued to hold memorial services for Sukemori.
Sukemori in the ‘Kenreimon-in Ukyo no Daibu Shu’
The Lord of Ukyo lived long after the fall of the Taira clan.
It is believed that during the Kenkyu era, he returned to serve in the court of Emperor Go-Toba.
He continued to interact with poets.
In the first year of Ken’ei (1206), the name “Ukyo no Daibu of the Seven Courts” appears in Fujiwara no Teika’s diary, the ‘Meigetsuki.’
He was also involved in celebrating Fujiwara no Shunzei’s ninetieth birthday, mingling with the court poets.
Around the year 1232, Fujiwara no Teika requested the submission of a personal poetry collection, as noted at the end of a poetry anthology.
By that time, the Ukyo no Daibu had compiled her own poems and prefaces.
This work would later be known as the “Kenreimon-in Ukyo no Daibu Shu.”
It contains accounts of her court life serving Tokuko, interactions with Fujiwara no Takanobu and others, her romance with Taira no Sukemori, the fall of the capital, the news of the Battle of Dan-no-ura, and memorial services.
What kind of poems did Sukemori compose, and what did he convey to his beloved?
Some of these have been preserved to this day through the Ukyo no Daibu’s poetry collection.
The “Tale of the Heike” records that Sukemori, along with his brother Arimori and cousin Yukimori, sank into the sea at Dan-no-ura.
Meanwhile, in the Ukyo no Daibu’s poetry collection, a reply poem from Sukemori sent from the western provinces remains.
“Even in these fleeting days, it is sorrowful to witness such painful events.”
In days that hardly seemed like living, he still had to witness painful events.
Before the fall of the capital, Sukemori told Ukyo no Daibu that he would not send letters from any shore.
However, the following year, when a letter from her arrived, he wrote back expressing his joy.
That became the last correspondence.
On March 24, 1185, Sukemori perished at Dan-no-ura.
Ukyo no Daibu collected the letters she received from Sukemori and wrote sutras on the paper for his memorial.
The letters Sukemori once wrote with his own hand were repurposed as paper for transcribing sutras.
Some paper was used with the handwriting still visible.
Unable to discard those characters, Ukyo no Daibu recorded that she drew six Jizo figures on the reverse side.
Before the fall of the capital, Sukemori left her with a wish.
“Surely, remember the light of the path.”
Ukyo no Daibu never forgot those words and continued to draw Jizo on the paper with Sukemori’s writing, praying for his soul.
