Battle of Shijōnawate

The 1348 Battle of Shijōnawate (四條畷の戰い) was a battle of the Nanboku-chō period of Japanese history, and took place in Yoshino, Nara. It was fought between the armies of the Northern and Southern Emperors of Japan. The Southern army, led by Kusunoki Masatsura was attacked at Yoshino, the temporary palace of the Imperial residence. Feeling too weak to defend the residence, Masatsura marched out with his whole force to meet his assailants. Kitabatake Chikafusa, meanwhile, led his force towards Izumi, diverting some of the attackers away from the palace.

Battle of Shijōnawate
Part of the Nanboku-chō period
The last stand of the Kusunoki at Shijonawate by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Date 4 Feb. 1348[1] Location Yoshino, Japan Result Northern Court victory
Belligerents
Northern Court	Southern Court
Commanders and leaders
Kō no Moroyasu Kō no Moronao	Kusunoki Masatsura Kitabatake Chikafusa
Strength
60,000-80,000	3,000

Kusunoki engaged the enemy commander Kō no Moroyasu in single combat, and, it is said, was about to take Kō's head when he was struck by an arrow; Kusunoki then committed seppuku.[2][3]

The battle ended in a Northern Court victory, but the Southern Court fled Yoshino, leaving little for their enemies to capture.

References

1. Turnbull, Stephen (1977). The Samurai, A Military History. MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 103. ISBN 0026205408.
2. Sansom, George (1961). A History of Japan, 1334-1615. Stanford University Press. p. 76. ISBN 0804705259.
3. Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 208. ISBN 1-85409-523-4.

Further reading

• George Bruce. Harbottle's Dictionary of Battles. (Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1981) (ISBN 0442223366).