Poetic Deception : e Ujigawa Senjin Episode Between Court and Warrior Traditions

e story of Kajiwara Kagesue and Sasaki Takatsuna’s race across the River Uji is one of the most commonly depicted episodes from the Heike monogatari. During the Tokugawa period this tale of deception and wit was presented in a wide variety of formats, yet the context in which these art works were made diered greatly from the original twelfth-century setting of the story. is article examines how the meaning of the Ujigawa senjin episode changed over time and suggests that its immense popularity in Tokugawa imagery was based more on its ability to t with poetic associations than its content as a war story.


Introduction
Late in the rst month of 1184 the River Uji, known for its ferocious current, was teeming with warriors. 1e famous bridge crossing the river was stripped of its planks in an attempt to stop the charging force, but this only succeeded in slowing it, as hundreds of armoured men advanced towards the water, on horseback or foot.From this mass of activity two gures stood out, pushing their horses forward, determined to win the honour of being the rst on the battle eld.ey were Kajiwara Genda Kagesue (梶原源太景季, 1162-1200) and Sasaki Shirō Takatsuna (佐々 木四郎高綱, ?-1214).As they separated from the crowd it was clear that Kagesue was in the lead, but then Takatsuna called out to him: " is is the biggest river in the west.Your saddle-girth looks loose, tighten it up!" (McCullough 1988, 287). 2 Kagesue stopped his mount, quickly realising that he has been deceived-the girth was ne, but it was too late and he already lost his lead.Soon Takatsuna stood on the other bank, declaring in a mighty voice that he was the rst to cross the River Uji, and was written down in history as the rst on the battle eld. is seemingly simple story presents something of a riddle for the contemporary reader.How could Takatsuna win the honour of being the rst on the battle eld when he used dishonourable methods to gain it?e straightforward answer lies in the changing perspectives of what is considered "honourable", a topic that has already been discussed by several scholars. 3But this episode, usually known as Ujigawa senjin (宇治川先陣), presents another riddle. 4It is one of the most prevalent images coming out of the Genpei War (源平合戦, 1180-1185) and during the Tokugawa period (also called the Edo period, 江戸時代, 1603-1868) it was depicted in a remarkably wide variety of formats.ese include both elite ones such as folded screens (屏風) and illustrated handscrolls (絵巻), as well as popular formats 1 In the traditional Japanese dating system this battle occurred on the rst month of the third year of the Juei (寿永) era.O cial records do not state the exact day of the crossing of the River Uji, yet the Azuma kagami speci es the twentieth of the month as the day Noriyori (源範頼, ?-1193) and Yoshitsune (源義経, 1159-1189) entered the capital, as well as the day Kiso Yoshinaka (木曾義仲, 1154-1184) was killed, therefore it can be assumed that the Seta-Uji battle occurred on the same day.(Masamune 1926, 102) 2 e Japanese reads: 「此河は西国一の大河ぞや。腹帯ののびて見えさうは。しめ給へ」 (Ichiko 1973, 184).

3
e notion of honour in Japanese warrior culture and its change over time has been discussed by several scholars, including John W. Hall, Je rey Mass, Cameron Hurst, Karl Friday and Oleg Benesch.

4
Ujigawa senjin is the title of this episode in the Kakuichi-bon of the Heike monogatari variant, other variants use di erent titles.However, the Kakuichibon title became widespread already in Tokugawa times as it often appears on prints depicting this story.ere are several English translations of the Kakuichibon that o er slightly di erent variations of the title, but to avoid confusion I chose to use transliteration of the Japanese.
such as woodblock printed picture prints, commonly called ukiyo-e (浮世絵), and illustrated books (絵本).e immense popularity of Ujigawa senjin in Tokugawa material culture begs explanation.Genpei war tales were more than history by Tokugawa times, they were part of an intricate web of cultural meanings and imagery. is allowed Genpei stories like Ujigawa senjin to be used in various ways and by various groups in society. is paper is part of a wider research, and o ers only a few considerations with a focus on elite art.I suggest that for the warrior elites of Tokugawa times Ujigawa senjin o ered a unique mix of warrior and courtly associations that t well with their self-image of warriors in peaceful times. 5

Ujigawa senjin: Background and Sources
Genpei war tales come to us in numerous versions.To begin with, the Heike monogatari (平家物語) that famously chronicles the war has close to a hundred variants that di er in length, detail and approach (Oyler 2006, 1-2).e best known of the variants today is the Kakuichi-bon (覚一本), named after its assumed composer, Akashi Kakuichi (明石覚一, c.1300-1371), a blind reciter of the Heike monogatari that had his own-immensely successful-version of the tale written down before his death.e Kakuichi-bon was meant for oral recitation and is thus relatively short and more stylised than other variants.e longest variant, the Genpei jōsuiki (源平盛衰記), includes far more detail and often o ers additional insight to the characters' opinions and motivations (Oyler 2006, 14-16).Both the Kakuichi-bon and the Genpei jōsuiki were published in print in the early seventeenth century, making them available to readers of all social strata (Watson 1993, 17;Gunji 2017, 5-6).More importantly for this study, both variants have a ected the iconography of Genpei images, or Genpei-e (源平絵), making them particularly relevant for the research of Genpei art. 6e majority of the frequently painted Genpei stories also have famous adaptations to the stage.Ujigawa senjin stands out as a popular image that does not have a source in drama, accentuating the importance of Heike monogatari variants as its source. 75 is paper is part of my doctoral degree research and an earlier version of it was presented in the Bushidō in Transformation: Japanese Warrior Culture and Martiality conference organised by the Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, 25-26 August 2017.I would like to thank the organisers for the wonderful opportunity to share some of my ideas.

6
For example, many depictions of the race show Kagesue holding his bow in his mouth to free his hands while retying his girth.is detail is unique to the Genpei jōsuiki, making it an undoubtful source for Genpei iconography.
7 ere is only one nō play (謡曲) that relates to Ujigawa senjin in any way.Titled Sasaki (佐々 木), this play focuses on Takatsuna's interview with Yoritomo before setting out to battle and his confrontation with Kagesue.e concluding lines describe Takatsuna's victory but add nothing to the visual description of the race.e text of the play can be found in Chishin 1911, 178-81.

E
: P D Visualisations of the Ujigawa senjin episode focus on the river crossing, usually showing Takatsuna and Kagesue galloping toward the river or already in midstream, their horses immersed to their bellies (Fig. 1).As is often the case, textual descriptions of the story include much more detail.For one, the episode includes several more stories of warriors attempting to cross the river's current, yet depictions of those are rare, and the racing gures of Takatsuna and Kagesue are usually isolated from the greater battle scene that surrounded them.8More importantly to the understanding of Ujigawa senjin, however, is the background given in an earlier episode titled Ikezuki no sata (生ずきの沙汰). 9Ikezuki is the name of the horse ridden by Takatsuna in Ujigawa senjin, which belonged to Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝, 1147-1199) and was famed as the best horse in the land.Before setting out to battle, both Takatsuna and Kagesue stopped in Kamakura to pay their respects to their lord, Yoritomo.Kagesue took this opportunity to request Ikezuki for the battle, but was refused and o ered another celebrated steed, the black Surusumi (磨墨), instead.Kagesue's disappointment turned into rage when, upon arriving to the battle eld at Uji, he recognised the chestnut-coloured Ikezuki at the hands of Takatsuna.Humiliated and furious he confronted Takatsuna, planning to kill the man.But Kagesue's fury vanished as Takatsuna explained that Ikezuki was not a gift, that he stole the horse knowing full well that Yoritomo will refuse a request to lend it.Kagesue was pleased by this story, satis ed that their lord, Yoritomo, did not favour Takatsuna.However, the story of the theft was a lie, concocted by Takatsuna to avoid ghting Kagesue.e text makes clear that Yoritomo did bestow Takatsuna with Ikezuki, and even warned him that some hostility could occur because others wanted the horse (Ichiko 1973, 177-82;McCullough 1988, 282-6;Mizuhara 1989, 272-3).
Kagesue's visit to Yoritomo and his confrontation with Takatsuna are often added to the depiction of the Ujigawa senjin chapter in formats such as handscrolls and painting albums (画帖) that allow multiple images for each chapter.e choice to illustrate this information, and not the stories of other warriors crossing the river, was probably made because the visit and confrontation scenes are the background of the iconic race scene, thus creating a more complete visual setting for the episode.At the same time, this choice highlights the importance of Takatsuna's and Kagesue's story.e choice to focus on the Takatsuna-Kagesue storyline is especially clear in elite art formats, while woodblock prints often include other episodes instead.A good example is illustrated printed books, which were sometimes structured similarly to picture scrolls with several images for each episode.
Other illustrated books included only one image for each chapter, and condensed in it much more of the activity described in the text (Fig. 2).Ukiyo-e picture prints mostly follow the second option and show a combination of storylines.us, printed illustrations of Ujigawa senjin seem more interested in conveying the chaos and vigour of war than any speci c storyline, while elite depictions of the episode clearly focus on Takatsuna and Kagesue.
e Genpei jōsuiki's version of Takatsuna and Kagesue's story expands on the men's visits to Yoritomo, but does not o er much more explanation as to why Yoritomo gave Ikezuki to Takatsuna.Both men are deemed worthy of the horse in Yoritomo's eyes.Indeed, he considers Kagesue's request favourably and only refuses because many have already asked for Ikezuki and he worries that gifting  He even goes as far as saying that only death will stop him from being rst (Ichiko 1975, 179;McCullough 1988, 284;Mizuhara 1989, 273).It is this promise that makes his competition with Kagesue a matter of life and death, and perhaps even more important at the time, a matter of honour.

Deception in the Name of Honour
A warrior's honour and reputation were his most prised possessions in pre-modern Japan.Gaining repute was not only for oneself, it passed down the family line, granting one's descendants status and often monetary rewards.In the same way, a tarnished name could harm a family for generations.e main currency for a warrior's reputation was success on the battle eld, and while numerous stories tell how warriors willingly sacri ced themselves to gain fame, just as many tell of those ghting tooth and nail to live to tell the tale.After all, reputation cannot be made without witnesses (Friday 2009, 56-58).e Ujigawa senjin story does not include a battle to the death, but Takatsuna would have considered it a great shame to lose, especially given his promise to Yoritomo, and was thus willing to use any means to achieve victory.e use of deception in a battle of honour may seems contradictory, but the notion of honour is a rather ambiguous one and di ers over time and between cultures.
Medieval Japanese war tales show that deception was an acceptable means on the battle eld.From warriors donning women's clothing to escape death to hiding the small numbers of your force by creating a racket, there are ample examples of deception on the battle eld.e term damashi-uchi (だまし討ち), which translates as "striking down by deception" or "deception kill," is often used for one-on-one confrontations that demonstrate the use of wit to win.ere was no dishonour in distracting your foe in order to kill him, quite the contrary, the victim of the deception was criticized for not being on his guard while the victor was hailed for quick wit and resourcefulness (Saeki 2004, 14-29;Franks 2009, 62).Ujigawa senjin is an example of deception on the battle eld and ts with the logic of damashiuchi, but it is certainly not its most straightforward example.
e best known example of damashi-uchi is probably the story of Taira no Moritoshi, also known as Etchū no Zenji (平盛俊, 越中前司, ?-1184), which took place in 1184 during the aftermath of the Battle of Ichinotani (一の谷の戦い).
e Taira fort in Ichinotani was burned and the the Taira were escaping to their boats, chased by Minamoto warriors searching for glory.Inomata no Koheiroku Noritsuna (猪俣小平六則綱, ?-1192), who fought on the Minamoto side, rode to attack Moritoshi, tackled him and they fell to the ground.Both men were strong, but Moritoshi was stronger and succeeded in pinning Noritusna down.
Moritoshi was ready to make the nal strike when Noritsuna called him out, saying that without an exchange of names the killing would be worthless.Moritoshi relented, and the two introduced themselves.Noritsuna then continued to suggest that Moritoshi surrendered, the Taira were lost but he, Noritsuna, could help Moritoshi and recommend him to the Minamoto leaders.Moritoshi was reluctant, but was nally convinced to accept the o er and the two sat down by a rice paddy.As they rested, another Minamoto warrior approached.Moritoshi tried to keep an eye on both Noritsuna and the new arrival, but Noritsuna used a moment of distraction, attacked and killed Moritoshi (Ichiko 1975, 238-41;McCullough 1988, 312-3;Mizuhara 1991, 77-80).Moritoshi's story is a perfect example of damashi-uchi.Noritsuna was not as strong or skilled a warrior as Moritoshi, but managed to turn the situation by outwitting him.e story of Moritoshi's death is a very well-known episode, and is depicted in Genpei art.e iconic image of this scene shows the two warriors sitting by the rice paddy, a moment before Noritsuna's attack (Fig. 3).ere are quite a few depictions of this story, although they do not stand on their own.Moritoshi's story appears in handscrolls, albums and battle screens of Ichinotani, but it is not found as the solitary topic of an artwork. is is very clear in elite works, but even in printed popular art Moritoshi's tale is uncommon.It appears in illustrated books of Heike monogatari and Genpei jōsuiki, as well as some painting manuals and collections of warrior images, but it is very rarely the topic of a picture print. 11In fact, I only found one example, an 1857 print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳, 1797-1861) that shows the two men's struggle (Fig. 4).12 is print, however, is not a standalone image.It is from a thematic series titled Heroes Matched to Five Colours (英勇五色合).Moreover, the image does not include a textual description of the story, and because the common iconography is not used the characters are only recognised by the name cartouches.However, considering how rare depictions of this story were, the lack of explanatory text suggests that it was known.e appearance of Moritoshi's story in painting manuals is interesting considering the relative rarity of the image.Jenny Preston suggests that the scene was often used with no relation to the original context, instead building on the general familiarity with the story for puns and for conveying socio-political messages (Preston 2013, 163-71).
is in turn implies that its unpopularity in visual art was not based in the unpopularity of the story itself, but perhaps in its message, which by Tokugawa times was seen as problematic.
What we call damashi-uchi springs from the experience of war and the realities of the battle eld.Winning and surviving the battles were important, and when a warrior presented the head of his defeated foe it is doubtful that his methods were questioned. 13However, as the battles of the sixteen-century faded into the Tokugawa period, new ideas regarding appropriate warrior conduct formed.ese ideas were based on ideals rather than on experience, and tended to be far more xed and in a way deadlier.
Death on the battle eld was now hailed as heroic, especially at the hands of a worthy foe, and while damashi-uchi was still accepted as a battle strategy it was no longer admired.e use of deception on the battle eld was now considered shaming, but the fact that it was still discussed kept the option open.For example, an anonymous text from the early Edo period, titled Annotations to Heike monogatari (平家物語抄), praises Noritsuna's resourcefulness but also cautions that such tactic brings shame that will last for generations (Saeki 2004, 176).It is probable that in the minds of many Tokugawa warriors Noritsuna should have accepted death at the hands of the famed Moritoshi.is change in perspective might be the reason for the low number of visualisations of this scene.However, if indeed deception was no longer accepted as battle conduct, the popularity of the Ujigawa senjin episode is curious.On the one hand, it could be claimed that Takatsuna's deceit was not as immoral as Noritsuna's, since it did not lead to death.But on the other, resorting to trickery in a competition against your ally could be deemed even lower.Since deception was no longer an admired battle eld strategy in Tokugawa times, Ujigawa senjin had to o er more than this controversial discussion to be so widespread.I would like to suggest that the popularity of the scene had less to do with the story of the race itself, and more with details around it.
e River Uji and the Lord of Kamakura One possible reason for the popularity of Ujigawa senjin is Takatsuna's promise to Yoritomo that he would win the race.Heike monogatari variants show this promise in di erent light, in the Genpei jōsuiki Takatsuna seems genuinely touched by his lord's gift of Ikezuki and the promise a gut reaction, while in the Kakuichi-bon Takatsuna's promise raises eyebrows, and some criticise it as boastful (Ichiko 1975, 179;McCullough 1988, 284;Mizuhara 1989, 273-4).Either way, Takatsuna's promise to win the race across the River Uji creates a direct connection between him and his victory and Yoritomo, the high lord of Kamakura.
Yoritomo was the leader of the Minamoto during the Genpei War, but for the most part he was not on the battle eld.More concerned with establishing and stabilizing his warrior government in Kamakura, Yoritomo usually relied on his brothers, Noriyori (源範頼, ?-1193) and Yoshitsune (源義経, 1159-1189), to lead forces in battle.erefore, very few of the examples of lord-retainer relationships and loyalty in Genpei stories mention Yoritomo, making Ujigawa senjin a rather rare example of a warrior acting in direct loyalty to Yoritomo. 14Considering that the Tokugawa, like preceding shogunal lines, related themselves to the rst shogun, Yoritomo, Takatsuna's promise could certainly be a reason for the episode's popularity among warrior elites. 15However, not all audiences were necessarily interested in highlighting connections to the shogunate.Ujigawa senjin was a common topic in prints as well, and while popular art could not openly criticize the Tokugawa regime, it rarely endorsed it.Moreover, Yoritomo is only in the background of the story, especially since its iconic scene is the race itself and does not include Yoritomo.Indeed, some depictions of Ujigawa senjin include Yoshitsune as the eld marshal of the battle, which greatly reduces the Yoritomo connection.Furthermore, there are several painting themes depicting Yoritomo directly, thus the connection with Yoritomo may have added to the popularity of Ujigawa senjin, but it is doubtful that it was the main reason for it.
Ujigawa senjin appears in a wide variety of formats, and, to my knowledge, is the only Genpei story to appear on lacquer writing boxes (Fig. 5).I have only seen three examples of writing boxes with an Ujigawa senjin theme, but even without assuming that more exist, the fact that this is the only Genpei scene to appear on writing boxes is intriguing.To begin with, writing boxes are not associated with warrior culture.Warriors owned them, of course, but being an item related e importance of Takatsuna's promise to Yoritomo can be understood from an anecdote mentioned in the eighteenth-century Jōzan kidan (常山記談), written by Yuasa Jōzan (湯浅常山, 1708-1781).He describes how a warrior named Sano Fusatsuna (佐野房綱, 1558-1601) was moved to tears upon hearing a recitation of the Ujigawa senjin and Nasu no Yoichi episodes of the Heike Monogatari.When asked why he was so touched by these stories, both of which describe a battle of honour, Fusatsuna explained that it was Takatsuna's and Yoichi's determination to die if they could not ful l their promises to their lord that moved him so (Yuasa and Suzuki 1965, 28-29;Gunji 2017, 7). to literary skills they were more associated with courtly traditions, and usually decorated with poetic themes.Secondly, the Heike monogatari includes numerous poems and mentions of poets that seem better related to literary traditions.e choice of Ujigawa senjin seems odd, except for the fact that the story took place in Uji.Toyo and Chobei Tatsuke, 1700s, wood, lacquer, gold, silver, and stone;20 x 19 cm. Denver Art Museum Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Argabrite, (1975.102.)Photograph © Denver Art Museum.
Uji is one of the earliest famous places, or meisho (名所), in Japan; it was mentioned in numerous poems and literary works, it was also one of the earliest Japanese meisho to be depicted in painting. 16Uji had many associations, but in painting its rst and foremost icon was the Uji Bridge.e bridge was intricately connected through poetry with the image of women abandoned by their lovers, making weeping willows, whose long branches were associated with the tangled hair of an unkempt woman, its perfect companion. 17e fast current of the River Uji was associated with the turning of the wheel of the Dharma, which was marked in painting by the inclusion of a waterwheel (Screech 2000, 247).
e Uji bridge became an utamakura (歌枕) and continued to be a popular theme over the years both in literary works and visual art.From the Momoyama period (桃山時代, 1573-1603) alone at least ten folding screens showing the bridge survive today, suggesting the existence of more examples (Munsterberg 1955, 107). 18e details and nishing of Momoyama Uji Bridge screens di er, but they generally include willows and a waterwheel (Fig. 6).e association of the River Uji and its bridge with women's plight in love was already well established in the Heian period (平安時代, 794-1180).e tenth-century Kokinwakashū (古 今和歌集) includes a poem describing a woman, known only as Hashihime (橋姫), the Lady of the Bridge, who awaited her lover with no avail.Uji and the Uji Bridge continued to appear in Genji monogatari (源氏物語) as backdrop to Lady Ukifune's su ering in love.(Shirane 1987, 156;Screech 2000, 247).Tangled and unkempt hair was a signi er of either a poor or abandoned woman in Heian literature.Well-kept hair was the symbol of a digni ed court lady, while wild hair could symbolise the loss of social position, peace of mind or connection with society.For a discussion of the use of hair in the representation of women in mediaeval Japan see Pandey 2016.e fact that several battles took place at the Uji Bridge was usually kept separate from the place's poetic associations.Visual depictions thus tended to focus on either the poetic-literary tradition or war tales and battles.However, the placing of the Ujigawa senjin scene on a writing box connects the two threads in one object.An even clearer connection was made in an Ujigawa senjin folding screen held in the Victoria and Albert Museum (Fig. 7).At rst glance this exquisite screen seems like other Ujigawa senjin depictions, with Takatsuna riding Ikezuki into the water and Kagesue on the black Surusumi trying to catch up.However, this screen includes elements of the poetic tradition of Uji, a waterwheel in the right bottom corner and weeping willows planted at the base of the bridge.e bridge itself has the same compositional presence as in most Momoyama Uji Bridge screens, only that its planks have been removed, exposing the skeleton of its owing form.
e screen balances poetic and warrior traditions beautifully, melding them into one.Although we do not have information on the production of this screen, it is probable that its patron was a warrior that wanted to associate himself with court traditions.e dating of the screen to the rst half of the seventeenth century ts with the attempt to combine the traditions, as warrior elites settled into the new peace and their new position in it.
e Victoria and Albert screen is a unique case, but it is plausible that the poetic association of Uji had contributed much to the popularity of Ujigawa senjin in early modern art.Other famous battles took place at Uji, but they were violent and perhaps not tting with the new peace of Tokugawa.e relative light-heartedness of the Ujigawa senjin scene, showcasing a battle of wit instead of a battle to the death, made it more compatible for the amalgamation of poetic and warrior traditions.Takatsuna's conduct could be seen as dishonourable, but the promise he gave his lord, Yoritomo, made it acceptable.For the warrior elites of Tokugawa times Ujigawa senjin was a window to past glories of their class as well as a connection to the ever-important court traditions through the poetic associations of Uji.Connecting warrior history and poetic tradition was a statement of the new self-image of warriors in Tokugawa times, strongly rooted in the history that gave their rule legitimacy, but also well educated and cultivated.Artworks depicting Ujigawa senjin were an embodiment of this self-image and, as the number of extant folding screens that depict this scene suggest, proudly decorated the homes of numerous warriors.
cause disputes.Yet when Takatsuna is in need of a horse Yoritomo gives Ikezuki away after all. 10Perhaps because Yoritomo's favour is clear Takatsuna leaves with a promise to show his worth by being the rst to cross the River Uji.

Figure 3 :
Figure 3: Noritsuna and Moritoshi resting by the rice paddy, Noritsuna is already moving to attack the unsuspecting Moritoshi.Heike Monogatari Picture Scrolls, Hayashibara Museum of Art, Okayama, Japan.

Figure 4 :
Figure 4: Blue: Inomata no Koheiroku Noritsuna, Etchu no Zenji Moritoshi from the series Heroes Matched to Five Colours.Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1857, multicoloured woodblock print, ōban tate-e.e British Museum Collection, gift of Prof. Arthur R. Miller to the American Friends of the British Museum.Photograph © e British Museum 11

Figure 6 :
Figure 6: Willow Bridge and Water Wheel (Uji Bridge), left of a pair Unknown artist, second half 16th century, Six-panel folding screen, ink, colour, gold, and silver on paper, 142.88 x 335.76 cm.Minneapolis Institute of Art, e Putnam Dana McMillan Fund and gift of funds from the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation (2004.178.1)Photograph © Minneapolis Institute of Art 17

Figure 7 :
Figure 7: e Battle at Uji River, Anonymous, rst half of the 17th century, single six-fold screen, colour on paper and gold leaf, 152.1 x 349.4 cm.Photograph © Victoria and Albert Museum