The Epic of Go-Daigo and the Birth of a Legend: Kusunoki Masashige
A Turbulent Era in Japanese History. The Rise and Rebellion of Emperor Go-Daigo. The Legend of Kusunoki Masashige.
With the victory in the Genpei War (1180–1185), which saw the triumph of the Minamoto clan over their rivals, the Taira, Minamoto no Yoritomo established a military government based in Kamakura. This marked the beginning of the Minamoto shogunate, the first in Japanese history, which would last until 1333.
The roots of this event, however, go back a few decades earlier. In 1159, Yoritomo’s father, Minamoto no Yoshitomo, was defeated during the Heiji Rebellion and exiled to the province of Izu. The following year, he died, leaving young Yoritomo as head of the Minamoto family.
It was precisely in the province of Izu that the fate of the Minamoto clan changed. The region was governed by the Hōjō family, who chose to protect and support Yoritomo in his quest for revenge against the Taira. The long conflict that followed—the Genpei War—lasted five years and marked a turning point in Japanese history.
Once he had seized power, Yoritomo did not forget the help he had received. Hōjō Tokimasa, his ally and father-in-law, was appointed shikken, or regent to the shogun. This marked the beginning of an unusual political balance: although the shoguns officially belonged to the Minamoto family, it was the Hōjō regents who held real power throughout the Kamakura period.
The Rise of the Hōjō and the Challenge of Emperor Go-Daigo
The shikken were officially regents of the shogunate: they assisted the shogun when he was still too young to rule. In practice, however—especially starting with the second shogun, Minamoto no Yoriie (in office from 1202 to 1203)—the shikken of the Hōjō family gradually assumed more and more power, eventually becoming the true rulers of Japan, both politically and militarily.
During the Kamakura period, power was distributed among three figures: the emperor, the shogun, and the shikken. But while the first two had become largely symbolic roles, real authority lay in the hands of the Hōjō, who controlled every aspect of government.
In 1221, Emperor Go-Toba attempted to rebel against this situation, but was swiftly defeated in the Jōkyū War. His defeat further strengthened the control of the shogunate—and effectively the shikken—over the imperial court. The Hōjō clan held the regency for an impressive 133 years, until the fall of the shogunate in 1333.
Among the Hōjō's main historical accomplishments was the defense of Japan against the Mongol invasions led by Kublai Khan, heroically repelled in 1274 and 1281. However, the cost of these victories was extremely high. To secure the support of various clans, the government had to distribute generous rewards, which drained the shogunate's finances and weakened the Hōjō’s position.
The Epic of a New Emperor: Go-Daigo
In 1318, a new emperor ascended the throne—Go-Daigo—very different from his predecessors. He was not content with a ceremonial role and aimed to reclaim real power. His determination quickly brought him into conflict with the Hōjō, who were unwilling to relinquish control of the country.
Although the Hōjō clan enjoyed the support of most military clans, Go-Daigo managed to build an alternative network of alliances, particularly with major Buddhist temples and the sōhei, or warrior monks. In this context, he sought the favor of the powerful monastery on Mount Hiei, even sending his son, Prince Morinaga, to study among the monks.
One of the emperor’s most valuable allies was Kusunoki Masashige, a previously little-known samurai from a modest clan in Kawachi Province. Between 1331 and 1336, Masashige earned a place in legend as a symbol of loyalty and bravery—the perfect example of a samurai devoted to the cause.
The Genkō War, which pitted the emperor against the military government, broke out in 1331. From the very beginning, things went badly for Go-Daigo, who was betrayed by one of his advisors, Fujiwara Sadafusa. The emperor fled Kyoto with the imperial regalia and took refuge in the Kasagi monastery, but was soon discovered by shogunate forces. After another failed escape, he was captured and eventually exiled to the island of Oki.
In 1332, the Hōjō attempted to consolidate their power by placing another member of the imperial family on the throne—Emperor Kōgon. But the struggle for power was far from over.
The civil war was far from over. Go-Daigo’s son, Prince Morinaga, along with his ally Kusunoki Masashige, continued to support the emperor’s ambitions—since Go-Daigo, though in exile, remained the formal sovereign. This led to a rather surreal situation in which two emperors claimed authority over all of Japan: on one side, Go-Daigo, who still held the imperial regalia and the treasure of the Imperial House (the source of the emperor’s divine legitimacy); on the other, Kōgon, fighting to restore the dynasty’s power.
In October 1331, while Masashige was at the Akasaka stronghold, Prince Morinaga arrived. The two prepared for the imminent attack by the bakufu troops. The siege lasted three weeks, and despite their numerical superiority, the attackers suffered heavy losses. When the fall of the fortress became inevitable, Masashige ordered it to be set on fire, creating the illusion that he and Morinaga had taken their own lives. In reality, under cover of darkness, they both managed to escape. From that moment on, each pursued their own path to rally troops and continue the armed struggle.
In the following year, 1332, Kusunoki Masashige led a campaign of skirmishes and targeted strikes—a true war of attrition against the forces sent by the Hōjō. By early 1333, the bakufu took the initiative: three armies set out from Kyoto, each with a different destination—one toward Yoshino, where Prince Morinaga had taken refuge; one toward Chihaya, where Masashige had fortified himself; and a third toward Akasaka, now held by Hirano Shogen, another loyal supporter of Go-Daigo. While Yoshino and Akasaka quickly fell to the attackers, the Chihaya fortress held firm, drawing in all of the bakufu’s attention.
Unlike Akasaka, Masashige had had time to carefully fortify Chihaya and take advantage of terrain that favored the defenders. In March 1333, the Battle of Chihaya began, turning into a slaughter for the attackers. The besieged, using every available means, inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, forcing them to abandon direct assaults and resort to a blockade. But the Hōjō, frustrated by the stalemate, ordered a renewed offensive to take the fortress swiftly. Losses mounted day by day, but the defenders’ resistance held firm. Meanwhile, the general tide was turning in favor of the imperialists: thanks to Masashige’s heroism and victories, many samurai chose to join Prince Morinaga, and in the spring of 1333, Go-Daigo, supported by the Nawa clan, left his place of exile for good.
Back in Chihaya, the situation remained unchanged. The attackers’ efforts led only to more casualties. Irritated by the deadlock, the Hōjō sent a large reinforcement army under Ashikaga Takauji. This move, however, proved reckless. Ambitious and shrewd, Takauji had grown increasingly disillusioned with Hōjō rule and aspired to become shogun himself, believing that a victory for Go-Daigo could open that path. He decided to switch sides, halted his army, and marched toward Kyoto in the emperor’s name.
Nitta Yoshisada, who had initially sided with the bakufu and was even in rivalry with the Ashikaga, also answered Go-Daigo’s call. In May 1333, he began his march toward Kamakura. The Battle of Kamakura broke out in early July: the siege lasted just five days before Nitta’s forces stormed the city. This event marked the fall of the Minamoto shogunate and the end of Hōjō power. The last shikken, Hōjō Takatoki, chose to take his own life rather than surrender.
The Illusion of the Kenmu Restoration
In the same July of 1333, the other emperor—Kōgon, who had ascended the throne thanks to the Hōjō—was also deposed. Thus began the brief period of the Kenmu Restoration, which lasted only three years, during which all power was concentrated in the hands of the sovereign. However, Go-Daigo’s dream of an empire ruled directly by the monarch would not last long.
Before long, the samurai clans began to express dissatisfaction with the emperor’s rule. Even Ashikaga Takauji, who had initially supported Go-Daigo, started to voice his discontent. After putting down the rebellion led by one of Hōjō Takatoki’s sons, Tokiyuki, Takauji occupied Kamakura, declared himself shogun, and openly challenged Go-Daigo’s authority in November 1335. In response, the emperor sent Nitta Yoshisada against Takauji, accompanied by Kikugi Takeshige, Otomo Sadanori, and Shimazu Sadahisa. The imperial army suffered two defeats: first at the Battle of Hakone Takenoshita, and then at the Battle of Sanoyama.
Amid the conflict, Ashikaga Takauji—initially supported by his brother Tadayoshi—occupied Kyoto, only to be quickly expelled by the combined forces of Nitta and Kusunoki Masashige. After this setback, Tadayoshi retreated to Kyushu, where he prepared for revenge. Once he had secured control of the region, he and Takauji resumed their march toward Kyoto. The massive army was divided into two parts: one, led by Tadayoshi, advanced overland; the other, commanded by Takauji, traveled by sea.
The imperial forces, coordinated by Kusunoki Masashige and Nitta Yoshisada, worked to intercept the two enemy groups before they could reach Kyoto.
The Battle of Minatogawa
On July 5, 1336, the Battle of Minatogawa was fought—one of the most dramatic and decisive clashes in Japanese history. It was on this occasion that the legend of Kusunoki Masashige was born, destined to become the ultimate symbol of samurai loyalty and self-sacrifice.
The Ashikaga forces were vastly superior to the imperial troops, both in number and in strategic capabilities. They also had a powerful fleet, which gave them a decisive advantage. Aware of the great risk of open battle, Kusunoki Masashige proposed a bold alternative: allow Ashikaga Takauji to enter Kyoto, then surround and besiege him. It was a cautious and realistic strategy, but his proposal was rejected.
Even though he knew it was likely a suicide mission, Kusunoki chose to fight nonetheless. His loyalty to Emperor Go-Daigo did not waver, even in the face of imminent danger.
The imperial troops were positioned along the Minato River: Kusunoki commanded the western front, while Nitta Yoshisada held the eastern flank. The Ashikaga acted cleverly: Tadayoshi launched a frontal assault on Masashige, while the fleet split into two divisions—one led by Takauji himself, the other by Hosokawa Akiuji (often confused with the later figure Hosokawa Sozen). Hosokawa directed his ships eastward, threatening to land behind Nitta. To avoid being surrounded, Nitta was forced to shift his position eastward, effectively separating from Kusunoki.
This was the decisive moment: with Nitta drawn away, Takauji landed unopposed behind Kusunoki, closing the trap. The encirclement proved fatal.
With the battle lost, Nitta Yoshisada quickly retreated from the field. Emperor Go-Daigo fled his palace and took refuge in a religious sanctuary on Mount Hiei. Seizing the opportunity, Ashikaga Takauji placed another member of the imperial family on the throne—Emperor Kōmyō—thus legitimizing his own power.
Go-Daigo, however, refused to abdicate. His resistance marked the beginning of the period of the Two Courts, known as Nanboku-chō (1336–1392), during which Japan was divided between the Northern Court, backed by the Ashikaga, and the Southern Court, loyal to Go-Daigo.
With this victory, Takauji established a new shogunal dynasty—the Ashikaga shogunate—which would rule Japan until 1568, when Ashikaga Yoshihide was deposed by Oda Nobunaga.
The Legend of Kusunoki Masashige Is Born
But if the Battle of Minatogawa remains etched in Japan’s historical memory, it is above all thanks to the figure of Kusunoki Masashige. Just days before the battle, it is said that Masashige bid farewell to his son, Masatsura, with words full of emotion and dignity. He gave him a sword he had received from Emperor Go-Daigo and a book of military strategy, then sent him to his mother—fully aware of the fate that awaited him.
That farewell entered legend and became one of the most beloved stories taught in Japanese schools up until the end of World War II. The scene was even immortalized in a famous patriotic song, which praised the courage and stoic acceptance of the samurai in the face of inevitable death. Although the song was banned during the American occupation, it is still remembered today—especially by the elderly—as a symbol of the spirit of self-sacrifice that defines the heroic image of Kusunoki Masashige.
Another episode decisively reinforced the legend of Kusunoki Masashige.
Late in the day on July 5, 1336, with the Battle of Minatogawa definitively lost, Masashige—according to tradition—gravely wounded with eleven strikes across his body, managed to take refuge with his younger brother, Masasue, in an abandoned farmhouse. There, the two performed their final act: ritual suicide, in full accordance with the samurai code of honor.
It is said that, shortly before committing seppuku, Masashige asked his brother what his final wish was. Masasue replied with words that would go down in Japanese history:
"I wish to be reborn seven times into this world of men, so that I may destroy the enemies of the emperor."
Masashige nodded, fully sharing the sentiment. Then, without hesitation, both took their own lives.
With his death, Kusunoki Masashige became not just a hero of his time, but an immortal symbol of courage, loyalty, and sacrifice. His image was especially exalted during the Meiji period, when Japan was seeking new heroic models to strengthen national identity and devotion to the emperor. Even more so during the years of Japanese militarism, Masashige was elevated as the embodiment of patriotic spirit—a man ready to give his life without hesitation for the sovereign.
During World War II, Kusunoki became the spiritual patron of the kamikaze—the suicide pilots who saw themselves as his moral heirs. Like Masashige, they sacrificed themselves in the name of the emperor, convinced they were honoring an ideal of absolute loyalty until their final breath.
Author: Cristiano Suriani
Source and Further Reading:
The Origins of Japan’s Medieval World (Jeffrey P. Mass)
The Nobility of Failure: Tragic Heroes in the History of Japan (Ivan Morris)
A History of Japan, 1334–1615 (George Sansom)
Kenmu Go-Daigo’s Revolution (Andrew Edmund Goble)