Poetic Deception: The Ujigawa Senjin Episode Between Court and Warrior Traditions

Abstract

The story of Kajiwara Kagesue and Sasaki Takatsuna’s race across the River Uji is one of the most commonly depicted episodes from the Heike monogatari. During the Tokugawa period this tale of deception and wit was presented in a wide variety of formats, yet the context in which these art works were made differed greatly from the original twelfth-century setting of the story. This article examines how the meaning of the Ujigawa senjin episode changed over time and suggests that its immense popularity in Tokugawa imagery was based more on its ability to fit with poetic associations than its content as a war story.

Keywords

• Genpei war, Heike monogatari, Tokugawa art, Uji, warrior ideals