I have been exploring the Ishibashiyama Battlefield in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Walking along the narrow path of the Nebu River at sunset in Sagami Bay. The sea breeze caresses your cheeks and cools the depths of your chest. The sky was dyed a fiery madder red, and the horizon was filled with golden light, which was slowly fading away. The waves wash over the sand, pounding the beach like a regular heartbeat. The sounds seem like the neighing of warhorses from a distant era, or the last gasps of fallen samurai.
A thousand years ago, Minamoto no Yoritomo must have stood here and gazed at the same sunset. However, what was reflected in his eyes was not peace, but the bitterness of defeat. The regret of the soldiers who were cornered and scattered. Some disappeared into the deep forest, some threw away their swords and ran away, and some became corpses and fell on the mountainside. Yoritomo must have also cursed his fate while looking up at this madder red sky. This beauty must have pierced his despair even deeper. On the night of the defeat, it rained. As if to wash away his suffering, relentless torrential rains pounded the area. Eventually, he disappears into the forest and his escape journey begins. It feels like the breath of a thousand years ago is still blending into this wind. If you stand here, time will distort and the past and present will intersect. We want you to feel a piece of history in front of the waves of Sagami Bay, which holds memories of a thousand years.
Ishibashiyama is a natural fortress surrounded by rugged mountains. This area, which stretches out to the west of Hakone, is a complex complex of deep valleys and steep slopes, and once a battle begins, there is no escape. The path is narrow and the damp soil is difficult for horses. The terrain is truly the worst for a battlefield. On August 23, 1180, Yoritomo's army fought in this area. His army was only 300 horsemen. On the other hand, the army of the Heike side, Kagechika Oba, was 3,000 horsemen. The outcome of the war was decided from the beginning. Yoritomo devised a plan, but the muddy mountain roads exposed even his allies, and his army's advance was slow. Then, Oba's army approaches from all directions as if to pursue them. Swords and spears intersect, and arrows rain down. Yoritomo's army was helplessly scattered, and Yoritomo himself was forced to flee. Hiding in the forest and saving his life, what awaited him was an escape from Manazuru. Through the arrangement of Sanpei Doi, they crossed the sea and ended up on the Boso Peninsula.
However, it was this defeat that changed history. If he had died in battle here, the Kamakura Shogunate might not have been born and the era of samurai might never have arrived. Defeat was not the end. It was the beginning of a new beginning. The wind blows. The mountains whisper quietly. The countless footsteps etched on this land are not just those of losers. You can feel it too by standing here. The bitterness of defeat and the will of those who rise above it. Ishibashiyama is not just an old battlefield. It is the place where those who believed in the future made a vow that will never fade.
■Photography date
2024/11/29
■How to get there
Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, approximately 30 minutes walk from Hayakawa Station or Nebukawa Station
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CBwT4kynJyChYLBWA
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■Photography tools
Osmo Pocket3 DJI
DSC-RX100M3 SONY
*Shot in 4k60p HLG HDR.
*Google Translate is used to translate subtitles for each country.
■Chapter list
00:00 1.Opening
09:23 2. Ishibashiyama Battlefield
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