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A Prince Imprisoned in a Dungeon and Slain — The Tragedy of Moriyoshi and Kamakura-gu

Prince Moriyoshi, a hero of the anti-shogunate cause, was arrested through Ashikaga Takauji's intrigue and imprisoned in a Kamakura dungeon for over a year. Amid the chaos of the 1335 Nakasendai Rebellion, he was assassinated by the Ashikaga. He was 28. The story of the tragic prince and the shrine that honors him.

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Prince Moriyoshi, a hero of the anti-shogunate cause, was made shogun in 1333 but clashed with Ashikaga Takauji. Takauji slandered him to Emperor Go-Daigo, who arrested his own son and handed him to the Ashikaga. Moriyoshi was imprisoned in a Kamakura dungeon for over a year. During the 1335 Nakasendai Rebellion, Ashikaga Tadayoshi had him assassinated to keep him from the enemy. He was 28. He is now enshrined at Kamakura-gu, founded by imperial decree in 1869.

Portrait of Emperor Go-Daigo — Moriyoshi's father, who believed Takauji's slander, arrested his own son, and handed him to the Ashikaga

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Portrait attributed to Ashikaga Takauji — the warrior who bitterly opposed Moriyoshi; his slander began the prince's tragedy

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Kinpusenji, Yoshino — central temple of Yoshino where Moriyoshi threw himself into the anti-shogunate cause, conveying the tragic prince's deeds

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Key Figures

Prince Moriyoshi