Battle of Dan-no-ura
1185 CE · Straits of Shimonoseki, Japan
The Battle of Dan-no-ura was fought in 1185 CE in Straits of Shimonoseki, Japan between Minamoto clan vs the Taira clan; decisive Minamoto victory; the child emperor Antoku drowned and the Taira were destroyed.
Battle of Dan-no-ura: quick facts
- Date
- 1185 CE
- Location
- Straits of Shimonoseki, Japan
- Belligerents
- Minamoto clan vs the Taira clan
- Commanders
- Minamoto no Yoshitsune vs Taira no Tomomori
- Result
- decisive Minamoto victory; the child emperor Antoku drowned and the Taira were destroyed.
- Era
- ⛩️ East Asia
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Dan-no-ura?
The Battle of Dan-no-ura was the final engagement of the Genpei War, fought in the narrow Straits of Shimonoseki between the Minamoto and Taira clans. When the tidal currents shifted against the Taira fleet, their formation broke apart and the Minamoto forces overwhelmed them. The child Emperor Antoku drowned along with many Taira nobles, and the Minamoto victory established the Kamakura Shogunate, Japan's first military government.
Did you know?
When the Taira clan was defeated at Dan-no-ura, the Emperor's grandmother leapt into the sea carrying the six-year-old Emperor Antoku, along with one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan, the sacred sword Kusanagi.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Dan-no-ura on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.