Monument of Kiso Yoshinaka

In December 1832, Minamoto no Yoshinaga, a descendant of Kiso Yoshinaka and a Shogunate physician built this monument in the precinct of Gichuji Temple on the 650th death anniversary of Kiso Yoshinaka. This 1.7-meter-high monument has the title, “General Asahi, Lord Kiso Minamoto’s monument” and some sentences are engraved on it. Yoshinaka was a general in the late Heian Period [the 12th century]. He was born in 1154 and grew up in Kiso. Due to the command of Prince Mochihito, he raised an army to hunt down and destroy the Taira Clan and entered Kyoto from the Hokurikudo Road; however, he fell out with retired Emperor Go-shirakawa. He was defeated by Yoshitsune’s army sent by Minamoto no Yoritomo and died in Awazu, Omi [now Shiga Prefecture]. Gichuji Temple was reportedly built by Rokkaku, the Omi Governor, to pray for Yoshinaka’s soul to rest in peace.