Shizuka Gozen facts for kids
Shizuka Gozen (静御前), also known as Lady Shizuka, was a very famous woman in Japanese history. She lived from 1165 to 1211. Shizuka was a shirabyōshi, which means she was a special court dancer. She was also the girlfriend of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a famous warrior. Her story is well-known because she appears in many old Japanese tales and plays. These include Heike Monogatari and Gikeiki. It can be tricky to know what parts of her story are true and what parts are made up.
Her Life Story
Shizuka Gozen was born in a place called the Iso district. This area is now part of Aminochō town in Tango Province. People there believe she is one of the "seven princesses of Tango." She even has a shrine in the town, where she is honored as a main deity. Her mother, Iso no Zenji, was also a shirabyōshi dancer.
One story says that Emperor Go-Shirakawa asked Shizuka to dance. This happened after 100 Buddhist monks tried to pray for rain, but it didn't work. The Emperor invited 99 other dancers too, but they also failed. When Shizuka danced, it finally rained! The Emperor praised her a lot. This is how she first met Yoshitsune.
Trouble and Capture
In 1185, Yoshitsune had to run away from Kyoto. This was after the Genpei War ended. He had a big disagreement with his brother, Minamoto no Yoritomo, who became the first Kamakura shōgun (a military ruler). Shizuka was left behind on Mount Yoshino. Different stories tell different things about how far she traveled with Yoshitsune.
Eventually, Shizuka was caught by Hōjō Tokimasa and Yoritomo's soldiers. Some stories say she was forced to dance for the new shōgun at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū. While dancing, she sang songs about how much she missed Yoshitsune. This made Yoritomo angry. But Yoritomo's wife, Hōjō Masako, felt sorry for Shizuka. She helped calm her husband's anger.
A Sad Fate
At this time, Shizuka was pregnant with Yoshitsune's child. Yoritomo made a harsh rule: if the baby was a girl, she could live, but if it was a boy, he would have the child killed. A short time later, when Shizuka was 19, she gave birth to a son. Adachi Kiyotsune tried to take the baby. Instead, the baby was given to Shizuka's mother.
Shizuka then went back to Kyoto. There, she became a Buddhist nun. Sadly, Shizuka and her baby boy were later killed by Yoritomo's order.
Some other versions of the story say that Shizuka did not become a nun. They also say she was not killed. Instead, she returned to Kyoto and was welcomed back by Hōjō Masako. She supposedly stayed at the court for some time.
How She is Remembered
Shizuka Gozen is a very important character in many famous Japanese plays. She is in the Noh play Funa Benkei. She also appears in the bunraku puppet play Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura. Both of these plays were later turned into kabuki plays. She is also featured in many other stories and dramas, both old and new.
People across Japan celebrate Shizuka in different festivals. Many towns claim to be the place where she lived in exile. Others say she died there, or that other important events in her life happened in their town.
Gallery
-
Shizukano Mai (Tsuruoka Hachimangu), 12 April 2015
-
Dance of Shizuka (Fujisawa City), 13 June 2009
-
Lady Shizuka, in a book illustration by Kikuchi Yōsai
See also
