Zenitsubo ("treasure jar") is a mountain in Yamaguchi-ken, about 17 km south of Iwakuni. It is one of the most highly regarded places to watch the sunrise in Japan, on a clear day viewers can see islands in the Seto inland sea, mountains in Shikoju, and the Kunisaki peninsula in Kyushu. It gets its name from the notion that the survivors of the Taira samurai clan, composed originally of grandsons of Kanmu-tenno when they lost their imperial status (ca. 825) and later expanded to include descendants of other emperors, deposited their treasures there after their defeat.
In 1167 Taira no Kiyomori became the 1st samurai to be appointed daijo-daijin (chief minister) and in 1180 he forced his father-in law Takakura-tenno to abdicate in favor of his own 2-year-old grandson Tokihito as Antoku-tenno. He had risen to power after suppressing the Hōgen no ran (Hōgen rebellion) in collaboration with Minamoto no Yoshitomo, whom he forced to flee from Kyoto. (The Minamoto were descendants of Kanmu's son Saga-tenno.) When Yoshitomo was assassinated by a retainer his son Yoritomo became head of the clan in exile. He revolted against the Taira seizure of power (the Genpei kassen, Genpei war. Kiyomori died in 1181 and was succeeded by his son Munemori. In 1185 Yoritomo defeated Munemori and executed him, and after the Taira lost the naval battle in the Shimonoseki straits Antoku was drowned by his grandmother to prevent his capture. The Minamoto established the bakufu (shogunate) at Kamakura, established the military dictatorship that survived until 1868.
Zenitsubo ("treasure jar") is a mountain in Yamaguchi-ken, about 17 km south of Iwakuni. It is one of the most highly regarded places to watch the sunrise in Japan, on a clear day viewers can see islands in the Seto inland sea, mountains in Shikoju, and the Kunisaki peninsula in Kyushu. It gets its name from the notion that the survivors of the Taira samurai clan, composed originally of grandsons of Kanmu-tenno when they lost their imperial status (ca. 825) and later expanded to include descendants of other emperors, deposited their treasures there after their defeat.
ReplyDeleteIn 1167 Taira no Kiyomori became the 1st samurai to be appointed daijo-daijin (chief minister) and in 1180 he forced his father-in law Takakura-tenno to abdicate in favor of his own 2-year-old grandson Tokihito as Antoku-tenno. He had risen to power after suppressing the Hōgen no ran (Hōgen rebellion) in collaboration with Minamoto no Yoshitomo, whom he forced to flee from Kyoto. (The Minamoto were descendants of Kanmu's son Saga-tenno.) When Yoshitomo was assassinated by a retainer his son Yoritomo became head of the clan in exile. He revolted against the Taira seizure of power (the Genpei kassen, Genpei war. Kiyomori died in 1181 and was succeeded by his son Munemori. In 1185 Yoritomo defeated Munemori and executed him, and after the Taira lost the naval battle in the Shimonoseki straits Antoku was drowned by his grandmother to prevent his capture. The Minamoto established the bakufu (shogunate) at Kamakura, established the military dictatorship that survived until 1868.