Welcome to our site.
This is the website of MORINORI, which holds small Heikyoku (a performance of the Heike Monogatari accompanied by Heike biwa) concerts and lectures. On this page, we introduce a modern translation of the summary of the Heike Monogatari, Volume 11, “Nasunoyoichi”. It’s not very good, but please take a look if you like.
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▼Click here for a list of modern translations of the Tale of the Heike
The Tale of the Heike is performed at concerts and lectures, etc., in modern Japanese translation.
https://morinorijapan.com/en/category/tale-of-the-heike-en/
A simple summary of the Tale of the Heike, Volume 11, “Nasunoyoichi”
The army of Yoshitsune grows as more and more people from the lands of Awa and Sanuki join the Genji against the Heike, but the battle is temporarily suspended as night falls. At that time, while the Heike’s ships are lined up in the distance, a decorated small boat approaches the shore, and a Yoichi, who had been ordered to shoot the fan, was initially unsure and declined, but he obeyed Yoshitsune’s command and took up the challenge.
Yoichi prayed, and when the wind died down, he aimed at the fan and shot it through beautifully. The fan soared into the sky and scattered
The Tale of the Heike, Volume 11: “NasunoYoichi” – Full modern translation
*This is a modern translation of the text taken from the Heikyoku score “NasunoYoichi”.
Before long, those who had rebelled against the Heike in the provinces of Awa and Sanuki and were waiting for the Genji came running over one after another, bringing with them 14 or 15 or 20 horsemen from here and there, and the army of Hougan(Yoshitsune) soon numbered over 300 horsemen. However, it was already almost dark, and it was too late to decide the outcome of the battle, so the Genji and the Heike were about to withdraw from the field.
Then, a beautifully decorated small boat came paddling towards the shore from the open sea. When the boat was about seven or eight steps from the shore, it turned sideways. Then, a woman of about eighteen or nineteen years of age appeared from the She was wearing a five-layered kimono made of willow and red hakama, and she held a folding fan decorated with a red sun between the oars of the boat and beckoned to the shore.
Hougan(Yoshitsune) called Gotoubyoue Sanemoto and asked him, “What is that? Sanemoto replied, ”I think he wants you to shoot. However, I think that while you, the great general, are admiring the woman, a skilled archer is aiming at you and trying to shoot you down. However, I think it would be better to shoot the fan.” Hougan(Yoshitsune) asked, “Is there anyone among our allies who can shoot an arrow through a fan? Jikki answered, ”There are many skilled archers, but among them, Yohichi Munetaka, the son of Nasu Taro Suketaka, who lives in Shimotsuke Province, is small in stature but a sure shot.” When the Hougan(Yoshitsune) asked for proof, Jitsune replied, “In a competition to shoot down birds in flight, I always hit the target two out of three times.” The Hougan(Yoshitsune) then ordered, “Then, call Yoichi.”
Yoritomo was a young man of around 20 years old at the time. He was wearing a naorai kimono decorated with a red brocade background and brownish-red brocade, and was wearing a light green-colored suit of armor and a sword with a white blade. On his back he carried 24 arrows with feathers, and he also had one arrow with a hawk feather attached to the thin arrow. He held a bow made of bamboo in his arms, took off his helmet and hung it on a strap, and bowed before Hougan(Yoshitsune).
Hougan(Yoshitsune) ordered Yoichi, “How about it, Yoichi? Go ahead and shoot through the center of that fan and show it to the enemy.” Yoichi replied, “I have no confidence in being able to do such a thing. If I miss that fan, it will tarnish the honor of the bow and arrow of the Lord of the House for many years. I think it would be better to give the order to someone who can be relied on.” Hearing this, Hougan(Yoshitsune) became very angry and said, “Everyone who leaves Kamakura this time to go to the western provinces must not disobey Yoshitsune’s orders. Anyone who does not obey even a little must return to Kamakura immediately.”
Yoshitsune thought that if he refused again, things would only get worse, so he replied, “I may be excused, but if it is your order, I will try,” and withdrew from the presence of Hougan(Yoshitsune). He then placed a saddle with a gold border on a black horse, mounted the strong horse, picked up his bow, held the reins firmly, and advanced towards the shore.
The soldiers on the side watched Yoichi’s back from a distance and said to each other, “This young man will surely accomplish it.” Hougan(Yoshitsune) also watched the scene with a sense of expectation. The distance to the target was a little far, and Yoichi stepped forward about a step onto the sea surface, but it still looked like there was a distance of about seven steps between him and the fan. It was the 18th day of the second month, around the time of the rooster. At that time, the north wind was blowing strongly, the waves were high as they broke on the shore, and the boat was rocking violently, so the fan was not fixed to the skewer and was flapping in the wind.
In the distance, the Heike boats were lined up and watching the event. On land, the Minamoto soldiers were also watching, their horses’ bits lined up in a row. Both sides were filled with anticipation and tension was rising. Yoichi closed his eyes and prayed, “NAMUHACHIMANDAIBOSATSU, especially the gods of our country, Nikko Gongen, Utsunomiya, and Nasu’s Yusen Daimyojin, please let me shoot through the center of that fan. If I miss, I will cut the bow in two and kill myself, never to be seen in public again. If you would allow me to return to my hometown once more, please do not let this arrow miss its target.” And when he opened his eyes, the wind had died down a little, and the fan was in a good position to be shot.
Yohichi took the arrow, nocked it onto his bow, drew it back in one swift motion, and released it with a whoosh. He was a small man, but he was an archer with a strong bow that could shoot twelve bundles of arrows in three bows. The arrow shot through the air with great force, and without missing, it shot through the center of the fan, just a little over an inch from the center. The arrow fell into the sea, and the fan flew high into the air. The fan was tossed about by the spring breeze once, twice, and then quickly scattered into the sea. The red fan’s sun-shaped design shone in the setting sun, floating and sinking on the white waves, bobbing up and down. On the shore, the soldiers of the Minamoto clan beat their quivers in admiration, while on the ship, the soldiers of the Taira clan beat the sides of their ships in admiration.
▼Click here for a list of modern translations of the Tale of the Heike
*The Tale of the Heike is performed at concerts and lectures, etc., in modern Japanese translation.
https://morinorijapan.com/category/tale-of-the-heike/
Thank you for reading this far.
I hope to see you somewhere someday.
