Antique Japanese Nobori Banner, The Last Battle of The Heike
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Two characters on this Japanese banner are Yoshitsune (Minamoto family) and Noritsune (Taira family). It was towards end of the Genpei War (1180-1185), Yoshitsune (Minamoto family) flying high on the top escaping the attack of Noritsune (Taira family). Yoshitsune was said to hopped eight boats at this scene. With the victory of the Minamoto clan here in Dan-no-ura concluded the decades old fuel between the two clans; almost all the members of the Taira family, including six years old Emperor Antoku perished in this ocean. Tokiko, a widow of Kiyomori (the head of the Taira clan), held her six year old grandson, Emperor Antoku, and answered his question of where they were going - there is a world of Amida down in the ocean and they were taking a trip. Then, she threw herself into the ocean with him. Her daughter, the mother of the Emperor (daughter of Kiyomori and Tokiko), followed them into the water but was captured by the Minamoto samurai. She later became a nun and died at the age of thirty-six.
The tale of the Heike was recited by traveling monks and later dramatized in plays, ukiyo-e, books, movies, and so on. Eight hundred years later, it can still bring tears in people. .
This nobori was probably made from 1920 to 1940. The dimensions: 27 1/2" x 199". The handles are not included in our measurements for all nobori. The length of the design area (from the bottom of ocean to the tip of helmet) is 97 1/2" to 98 1/2" long.
