Taira no Masakado
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Taira no Masakado was a Heian period provincial magnate (gōzoku) and samurai based in eastern Japan, notable for leading the first recorded uprising against the central government in Kyōto.
Portrait of Masakado formerly kept at Tsukudo Shrine (築土神社) in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The original painting was destroyed in 1945.
Kanmu, 50th emperor of Japan. The branch of the Taira clan (Heishi) to which Masakado belonged, the Kanmu Heishi (桓武平氏), traces itself from Kanmu's children who were not considered eligible for the throne.
Masakado attacking an opponent on horseback (Yoshitoshi)
Takiyasha-hime, the sorceress, is shown carrying a sword in one hand, a bell in the other, and a torch in her mouth; the toad, her familiar, is shown in the inset with her father, Taira no Masakado. Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Yōshū Chikanobu, 1884
Heian period
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The Heian period is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō. Heian (平安) means 'peace' in Japanese. It is a period in Japanese history when the Chinese influences were in decline and the national culture matured. The Heian period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court, noted for its art, especially poetry and literature. Two syllabaries unique to Japan, katakana and hiragana, emerged during this time. This gave rise to Japan's famous vernacular literature, with many of its texts written by court women who were not as educated in Chinese as their male counterparts.
An illustrated scroll of the Tale of Genji by the 11th century writer Murasaki Shikibu
Miniature model of Heian-kyō, the capital during the Heian period
Byōdō-in ("Phoenix Hall"), built in the 11th century (Uji, Kyoto)
Section of a handscroll depicting a scene from the "Bamboo River" chapter of the Tale of Genji, c. 1130