Japan art and folklore: Samurai Taira no Tadamori
Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The Taira clan was one of the four notable family clans of old Japan. Fujiwara, Minamoto, and Tachibana were the other notable families. Hence, Taira no Tadamori (1096-1153) was a potent samurai leader in 12th-century Japan.
Tadamori was known for his bravery and endless courage. Thus he neither feared mortals – nor the spirit world that was deemed dangerous. Therefore, in several art pieces depicting Tadamori, his bravery stands out.
The Minneapolis Institute of Art (image above) says, “The warrior Taira Tadamori (1096–1153) was serving the retired Emperor Shirakawa (1053–1129) when, one rainy night, they set out to visit a favorite concubine in the Gion district of Kyoto. On the way, a ghost-like figure appeared among the trees of a shrine. Tadamori went to subdue the beast but discovered that in fact it was an old priest with a small torch and a pot of oil, replenishing the lanterns. The emperor rewarded Tadamori’s courage by granting him his concubine.”
The Taira clan consolidated power under Tadamori. Thus his loyalty to the Taira clan he belonged to – and the Imperial Court – were part and parcel of his soul. Hence, power concentration, consolidating the Taira position, and rallying to the battle cry when needed were the areas that dominated Tadamori’s world.
The British Museum says Tadamori was a “Warrior, father of Taira no Kiyomori, and member of the Kebiishi (Imperial police force). Tadamori was also governor of the provinces of Harima, Ise, Bizen, and Tajima.”
Tadamori also protected the coasts of Nankaido and San’yodo from pirates. Hence, irrespective of whether the military campaign was on land – or at sea – he prepared to the maximum. Therefore, Tadamori was highlighted in Japanese folklore, literature, and kabuki plays during the Edo Period.
More Information about TOSHIDAMA GALLERY
Please visit http://toshidama.wordpress.com and http://toshidama.blogspot.jp/ for more articles and information.
Please visit http://toshidama-japanese-prints.com/ A Wonderful selection of Japanese woodblock prints for sale.
PLEASE DONATE TO HELP MODERN TOKYO TIMES
Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group
DONATIONS to SUPPORT MODERN TOKYO TIMES – please pay PayPal and DONATE to sawakoart@gmail.com
http://moderntokyotimes.com Modern Tokyo Times – International News and Japan News
http://sawakoart.com – Sawako Utsumi personal website and Modern Tokyo Times artist
https://moderntokyonews.com Modern Tokyo News – Tokyo News and International News
PLEASE JOIN ON TWITTER
https://twitter.com/MTT_News Modern Tokyo Times
PLEASE JOIN ON FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/moderntokyotimes