Abe no Sadato

Who was Abe no Sadato?

Abe no Sadato was a samurai of the Abe during the Heian period of Japan. Sadato was the son of Abe no Yoritoki, the chinjufu shogun. In the Zenkunen War, Sadato fought alongside his father against the Minamoto.

Minamoto no Yoriyoshi and his son Yoshiie came to the Abe's northern province of Mutsu to restore power over the province to the Governor; Abe no Yoritoki, Sadato's father, had been acting beyond his station. As a result, the two clans fought for roughly nine years, with some truces, over the course of a total of twelve years from 1051 to 1063.

Sadato's father was killed in 1057, and so he became head of the clan and head of the military effort against the Minamoto. He fought them in the battle of Kawasaki, in a snowstorm, defeated them and pursued them through the blizzard for a short time. Other battles followed, during which Sadato's attacks, along with the harsh weather and terrain weakened his enemies. However, in 1062, the Minamoto received reinforcements, and Sadato faced them for the last time. He came under siege in a fortress on the Kuriyagawa, and after several days of fighting, his water supply diverted, his defenses attacked, and his fortress set aflame, Sadato surrendered. The Minamoto returned to Kyoto the following year, carrying his head.