Samurai Kiso Yoshinaka

The print depicts the samurai Kiso Yoshinaka and his wife Tomoe Gozen.

Kiso Yoshinaka (1154–1184), or Lord Kiso, was a general during the late Heian period of Japanese history. A member of the Minamoto clan, he participated in the Genpei War between the Minamoto and Taira clans.

Tomoe Gozen (1157–1184) was one of the few female samurai warriors in Japanese history, during the Genpei War period (1180–1185).

According to The Tale of the Heike: “Tomoe was exceptionally beautiful, with fair skin, long hair, and lovely features. She was also an excellent archer, and as a swordswoman, she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to face a demon or a god, on horseback or on foot. She tamed wild horses with great skill; she rode down dangerous slopes without a scratch.” When a battle seemed imminent, Yoshinaka would send her as his first captain, equipped with heavy armor, a massive sword, and a powerful bow; and she was more valiant than any of his other warriors.

It is estimated that Tomoe (a name meaning "perfect circle") was born around 1157 into a samurai family, and as was customary, all the women in her family were trained in the use of the naginata as a means of protecting the home. Tomoe fought during the Genpei Wars, a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans that lasted five years. In 1184, she captured Kyoto after winning the Battle of Kurikawa. When the Minamoto clan finally triumphed, her husband, Minamoto no Yoshinaka, was accused of conspiracy by the shogun Kamakura Minamoto no Yoritomo, leading the Emperor to declare him an enemy of the state and order his execution. According to some sources, Tomoe would die in the Battle of Awazu, shortly after the death of her husband.