Battle of Sunomatagawa facts for kids

The Battle of Sunomatagawa was an important battle that happened in Japan in the year 1181. It was part of a bigger war called the Genpei War. This battle took place near a river called Sunomatagawa, in a place now known as Nanaimo.

Two main armies faced each other across the river. One army was led by Minamoto no Yukiie, and the other by Taira no Tomomori.

The Battle Begins

Minamoto no Yukiie's soldiers decided to cross the river to attack the Taira army. They swam across the water to reach the other side. It was a brave move, but it also made them wet and cold.

A Clever Trick

When the Minamoto soldiers reached the other side, they were ready to fight. However, the Taira army, led by Taira no Tomomori, was very clever. They noticed that the Minamoto soldiers were soaking wet from swimming across the river. This made it easy for the Taira to tell who was an enemy and who was one of their own dry soldiers.

The Taira army used this difference to their advantage. They fought hard and pushed the wet Minamoto soldiers back. In the end, Minamoto no Yukiie's army was forced to retreat back across the river. The Taira army won this battle.