Which 1183 battle saw Minamoto no Yoshinaka defeat the Taira clan in a mountain pass?

The Battle of Kurikara saw Minamoto no Yoshinaka defeat the Taira clan in 1183.

The battle took place during the Genpei War, a struggle between the Minamoto and Taira clans for control of Japan. Yoshinaka’s forces confronted a much larger Taira army in the Kurikara Pass, in present-day Toyama Prefecture. He used deception and a night maneuver to disrupt the opposing force.

Traditional accounts famously describe Yoshinaka sending oxen carrying torches down the slope, frightening the Taira army and helping trigger its collapse. Historians debate details of the story, but the battle’s strategic result is clear: the Taira suffered a major defeat and withdrew westward.

Kurikara is sometimes confused with later Genpei War battles such as Ichi-no-Tani and Dan-no-ura. It was a land battle fought before the Taira’s final defeat at sea.