Battle of Uji (1221)

{{Short description|Battle in Japan}}

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Third Battle of Uji

| partof = the Jōkyū War

| image =

| caption =

| date = May 1221The 13th–14th days of the 6th lunar month on the Japanese calendar.

| place = Uji, near Kyoto

| coordinates = {{WikidataCoord|display=it}}

| map_type = Japan

| map_relief = yes

| map_size =

| map_marksize =

| map_caption =

| map_label =

| territory =

| result = Shogunate victorious; Emperor exiled to Oki island

| status =

| combatants_header =

| combatant1 = Kamakura shogunate and allies

| combatant2 = Clans loyal to Emperor Go-Toba

| commander1 = Hōjō Yoshitoki
Hōjō Yasutoki

| commander2 = Emperor Go-Toba

| strength1 = 100,000

| strength2 = 10,000

| casualties1 = 2,000–3,000

| casualties2 = 6,000–8,000

| notes =

| campaignbox =

}}

The third battle at the Uji River was the primary battle of the Jōkyū War in Japan. Bakufu forces led by Hōjō Yoshitoki, shikken (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate, sought to enter Kyoto and overthrow Emperor Go-Toba, using Uji and Seta as their gateways.

The Emperor's forces, alongside warrior monks from Mount Hiei, attempted to make a final stand at the bridge into Kyoto, defending it from the Shōgun's armies.

The bakufu forces attacked the entire river line from Uji to Seta, and the Imperial forces stood firm for many hours. However, eventually they broke through and scattered the remaining defenders, and opening the way into the city for the rest of their rebel forces.{{Cite book |last=Sansom |first=George |title=A History of Japan to 1334 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofjapanto00sans |url-access=registration |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=1958 |ISBN=0804705232 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofjapanto00sans/page/380 380]–381}}

As had happened twice before (see Battle of Uji), the bridge over the Uji-gawa proved to be a tactically crucial entryway into Kyoto, and highly defensible; but, as before, it was ultimately not defensible enough and the attackers crossed the river and entered Kyoto.{{cite book|last=Turnbull|first=Stephen|title=The Samurai Sourcebook |publisher=Cassell & Co |date=1998 |pages=205–206 |isbn=1-85409-523-4}}