| Conflict: | Battle of Awazu |
| Partof: | the Genpei War |
| Date: | February 21, 1184 |
| Place: | Awazu, Ōmi Province |
| Result: | Minamoto no Yoshitsune et al. victory; Minamoto no Yoshinaka killed |
| Combatant1: | Minamoto clan loyalists |
| Combatant2: | Minamoto clan rebels |
| Commander1: | Minamoto no Yoshitsune Minamoto no Noriyori |
Minamoto no Yoshinaka made his final stand at Awazu, after fleeing from his cousins' armies, which confronted him after he attacked Kyoto, burning the Hōjūjiden, and kidnapping Emperor Go-Shirakawa. During the pursuit he was joined by his foster brother Imai Kanehira and Tomoe Gozen.[1] [2]
During the battle, they fought valiantly, holding off Noriyori's large force of thousands of men for a time. However, in the end, they both died in battle.
Yoshinaka was struck dead by an arrow when his horse became mired in a paddy field. Kanehira committed suicide by leaping off his horse while holding his sword in his mouth.[3] [4] [5]