Battle of Ishibashiyama

The Battle of Ishibashiyama (石橋山の戦い, Ishibashiyama no tatakai) (referred to as the Battle of Kobayakawa in the Gikeiki) was fought on August 24th, 1180 (Jishō calendar) or September 14th, 1180 (Gregorian calendar) at the end of the Heian period between Minamoto no Yoritomo, who became the first shōgun of Japan less than a decade later, and the forces of the Taira clan, including Ōba Kagechika. It was the first battle in which Yoritomo was commander of the Minamoto forces.

The battle was fought in the southwest of present-day Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, near Yoritomo's headquarters at Kamakura. The Minamoto army, consisting of 300 cavalry, positioned themselves on Ishibashiyama, while the Taira army, numbering 3000 cavalry, deployed across a valley. Minamoto no Yoritomo suffered a crushing defeat and fled into the Hakone Mountains, then escaped by boat to Awa Province and regrouped.