Taira no Kiyomori

In 1118 in Kyoto amid the time of confusion, Taira no Tadamori, the heir of the Taira clan, spends days doing dirty works to capture robbers under orders of the Imperial Court. One...

Heita, after reaching adulthood, wanders around gambling parlors being frustrated with his ironic fate of having two fathers: Tadamori as his foster father and the cloistered Emper...

Heita, renamed as Kiyomori, spends days fighting against pirates in the Seto Inland Sea and restoring stolen food to fisherfolk. Kiyomori, however, is mistaken as a pirate and sent...

Tadamori becomes the first samurai granted a title which allows him to enter the Imperial Palace in recognition of his loyalty to the Imperial Court, which brings joy to the Taira...

In 1135 at the Imperial Court, aristocrats are discussing countermeasures against pirates who are raising havoc in the Seto Inland Sea. Despite Tadazane's recommendation to place t...

Amid the battle against the pirates, Taira no Moriyasu gets seriously hurt from protecting Kiyomori, and the Taira clan once returns to their base. Kiyomori, however, goes back to...

The Taira clan finally succeeds in subduing the pirates, however, Tadamori is not granted the rank equal to the aristocrats. Kiyomori, on the other hand, gets promoted and pays a v...

In 1136, Kiyomori learns that Tadamori is illegally trading with Sung and keeps it secret from the Imperial Court. Meanwhile, Fujiwara no Yorinaga, the second son of Tadazane who i...

In 1138, Akiko gave birth to her and Kiyomori's first child—a baby boy. Now, an heir was born to the Heike family heir, and the entire clan rejoiced at the news of this auspicious...

Tamako (Empress Dowager Taiken), wife of the retired Emperor Toba, gets upset and clutches at Nariko for bringing up unfavorable rumors surrounding Prince Masahito's birth. On that...

Emperor Sutoku falls into Nariko's trap and passes the throne to Emperor Konoe, the son of Nariko and the retired Emperor Toba. Meanwhile, Akiko becomes seriously ill and passes aw...

In 1145, Tamako, who has become a Buddhist nun, is struck down by a serious illness. The retired Emperor Toba loses his composure and orders samurai serving under the Emperor to fi...

In 1147, when Kiyomori and the members of the Taira family visit Gion Shrine to pray for the prosperity of the Taira family, they get into a skirmish with armed priests. The incide...

Kiyomori, after being released, faces scolding from his younger brother, Iemori, who flatly says that Kiyomori's behavior was inappropriate as the heir of the Taira family. Yorinag...

Iemori falls into Yorinaga's trap and dies from falling off his horse, which strongly shakes the Taira family. Tadamori, however, shows no sign of perturbation, and asks the retire...

While the internal power struggle within the Fujiwara family is heating up, Tadamori, who has been promoted after completing the reconstruction of Mt. Koya, is struck down by an il...

In 1153 after the death of Tadamori, Kiyomori officially becomes the head of the Taira family, however, he starts to doubt his abilities in following the great footsteps of his fat...

In 1154, as the reigning Emperor Konoe's illness worsens, the retired Emperor Toba regrets and wonders if the cause of illness is retribution for him not being in good terms with t...

Prince Masahito ascends the throne and becomes Emperor Go-Shirakawa, which throws the Imperial Court into chaos. Meanwhile, a dispute arises among the Minamoto family and the relat...

In 1156, the former Emperor Sutoku and Yorinaga similarly oppressed, join together. Shinzei puts the two under suspicion of treason and commands the samurais to side to Emperor Go-...

On the late night of July 10, 1156, military meetings are held at both sides, the former Emperor Sutoku and the reigning Emperor Go-Shirakawa, where the two forces react differentl...

The Hogen Rebellion finally comes to an end with the victory of the Emperor Go-Shirakawa side. Yorinaga, who is seriously hurt while escaping, seeks help from his father but the cr...

Kiyomori and Yoshitomo are respectively ordered to cut off Tadamasa and Tameyoshi's heads by Shinzei who has now come to power in the Imperial Court. Although the two are torn betw...

Shinzei, who is actively engaged in political events, sends Kiyomori to Chinzei to raise money by collecting unpaid taxes. Meanwhile, Shigemori, Kiyomori's eldest son, not acceptin...

Yoshitomo feels chagrined at remaining in his low status, while Kiyomori is climbing up the ladder of success. Yoritomo, Yoshitomo's eldest son, meets Kiyomori for the first time a...

In 1159, Yoshitomo finally decides to join hands with Nobuyori and rises in revolt against Shinzei--the Heiji Rebellion. Yoshitomo and Nobuyori place Emperor Nijo (Emperor Go-Shira...

Kiyomori declares his intention to show his obedience to Nobuyori instead of taking an immediate action against him, which surprises the members of the Taira family. While Yoshimot...

Yoshitomo, who was defeated by Kiyomori, flees eastward but ends up being alone with Masakiyo, Yoshitomo's foster brother and most loyal aide, and the two commit suicide. In Kyoto,...

In 1160, Kiyomori is finally granted the long-sought rank which equals to that of an aristocrat, and many within the Taira family also enjoyed promotions. Meanwhile, Shigeko, Kiyom...

In 1161, the retired Emperor Sutoku, who has been exiled to Sanuki where he is now living a quiet life, writes a hand-copied sutra for the former Emperor Go-Shirakawa with hopes to...

It is 1164, Yoritomo, who was exiled five years ago by Kiyomori, has now turned 18 and lives with his retainer in Izu. Meanwhile, Kiyomori gains power in the Imperial Court under t...

In 1166, Kiyomori becomes the first samurai who reaches the position of a Major Counselor at the Imperial Court. Although some aristocrats reacted sharply against Kiyomori's unprec...

In 1167, Kiyomori becomes the Chief Minister of the Imperial Court. At the celebration of Kiyomori's 50th birthday, aristocrats from prominent families, who are discontent with Kiy...

In 1168, Kiyomori is struck down by a febrile illness, which shakes not only the Taira family but also the Imperial Court and samurais across the country. The retired Emperor Go-Sh...

After recovering from his illness, Kiyomori enters the Buddhist priesthood with his wife Tokiko. Kiyomori decides to move his base to Fukuhara to live closer to a port, which surpr...

While Kiyomori moves to Fukuhara, entrusting Kyoto to his heir Shigemori, the retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa enters the Buddhist priesthood. In 1169, the Imperial Court falls into ch...

In 1170, Kiyomori invites the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa to Fukuhara where he arranges a meeting between Go-Shirakawa and the people from Sung. Meanwhile, Sukemori, Shigemori'...

In July 1171, Kiyomori succeeds in marrying off his daughter, Tokuko, to Emperor Takakura, thanks to the hospitality he offered to the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Shigeko (...

In 1172 in Fukuhara, Kiyomori with the backing of the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa steadily advances construction work of a port, together with Usagimaru (Kiyomori's retainer) t...

In 1174 in Fukuhara, Japan-Sung trade has already started. Kiyomori advises the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Shigeko to visit Itsukushima Shrine to pray for the nation's pro...

In 1177, Saiko's son gets into a skirmish with Buddhist monks at a temple on Mt. Hakusan, and the incident escalates into a brawl, involving Buddhist monks of Enryakuji on Mt. Hiei...

Kiyomori receives secret information that the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa and his aides, including Narichika and Saiko, are plotting to overthrow the Taira family. Kiyomori bur...

Narichika, who has been exiled by Kiyomori, dies from starvation. Shigemori becomes worn down by the passing of his brother-in-law and from the considerations shown for the cloiste...

Shigemori, who has been suffering from anxiety of being caught between the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Kiyomori, finally falls ill. After Kiyomori's daughter Moriko, who ac...

Kiyomori launches a coup d'etat by placing the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa under confinement, and finally becomes the first samurai to seize control over the entire country. Wh...

Learning Prince Mochihito's plot, Kiyomori bursts in anger and captures Mochihito and his followers. While Kiyomori enforces the transfer of capital to Fukuhara for Emperor Antoku,...

In 1180, Kiyomori commands his followers to defeat Yoritomo under the name of the former Emperor Takakura. Although Yoritomo loses the battle against the Taira forces at Mt. Ishiba...

After the loss in the Battle of Fujikawa, Kiyomori reluctantly gives in to Munemori's tearful appeal for restoring the capital to Kyoto. Learning Kiyomori's decision, Yoritomo no l...

Early in the following year in 1181, ill feelings towards the Taira family spread across the country. Meanwhile, the former Emperor Takakura, who has been an anchor to Kiyomori, pa...

Kiyomori is struck down by a febrile illness. Kiyomori appears before Saigyo, formerly named Norikiyo, as a wraith, and learns the meaning of his life through dialogue with Saigyo....