"He was the younger brother of Minamoto no Yoritomo, Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate. Known as the "Kamo no Kanja," Noriyori had a kind and straightforward personality, including affection for his younger brother Yoshitsune and consideration for his brother's wife (Hojo Masako). This led to a misunderstanding by Yoritomo, who imprisoned him here and met a tragic end. *This is an explanation from the Shuzenji Tourist Association. In the end, Yoritomo killed his own family members out of suspicion, and "and then there was no one left." It was a very sad story."

チョラ

"He has become much more well-known to the general public thanks to the historical drama "The 13 Lords of the Kamakura."
He was Yoritomo's younger brother and Yoshitsune's older brother.
Therefore, he leaves a weak impression.

A poor man who incurred the displeasure of Yoritomo, who was strict on his own people, and was purged.
It seems that Noriyori's grave is not located in the temple grounds, but quietly on hilltop.

Less than a 10-minute walk from Shuzenji.
Although there are slopes, there are no steps, so it's fine even if you're not confident in your stamina."

T M

"[Visited on Sunday, October 27, 2024]
I visited "The Tomb of Minamoto no Noriyori" after visiting Shuzenji Temple, the Tomb of Minamoto no Yoriie, the Tomb of the Thirteen Ronin (Jusanshi), and the Bamboo Grove Path, which features the graves of 13 of Yoriie's retainers. It's located on a hill a little ways from Shuzenji Temple, but it's within walking distance. 🚶 There are signs along the way, so I think you'll be able to find it.

Minamoto no Noriyori was the sixth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo and was known as Gaman no Kaja. His mother was a prostitute from Ikeda-juku, Totomi Province (present-day Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture). He was born in Gamanomikuriya (present-day Hamamatsu City) near Ikeda, and was therefore called Gamanokaja. He was raised by Fujiwara (Takakura) Suenori, a mid-ranking aristocrat in Kyoto, and is said to have taken one character from his name and taken the name Noriyori.

In 1180, when his older brothers, Yoritomo and Yoshinaka, came into conflict, Noriyori defeated Yoshinaka alongside his younger brother, Yoshitsune, and then defeated the Taira clan at the Battle of Ichinotani, and was appointed Governor of Mikawa in recognition of his achievements.

After that, the relationship between Yoritomo and Yoshitsune deteriorated, and when Yoritomo ordered Noriyori to defeat Yoshitsune, Noriyori refused, which led to Yoritomo's suspicions.
During the Soga brothers' revenge in 1193, a false report was spread that Yoritomo had been killed in battle. When Noriyori comforted the grieving Masako by saying, "As long as Noriyori is with you, you may rest easy," this led to suspicions of embezzlement by the shogunate. Noriyori made every effort to explain the situation, but was eventually imprisoned at Shuzenji Temple. He was then attacked by Kajiwara Kagetoki and is said to have committed suicide at Shinkoin Temple below Hie Shrine.

Noriyori, who, together with Yoshitsune, did his best for his brother, Yoritomo, was ultimately driven to suicide by Yoritomo... It must have been so frustrating for him. 😢
The Kamakura period was a cruel time, when even parents and children, and siblings, were suspected. 😢

We visited around noon on a Sunday, and there was no one there except the two of us."

Shigezou Chiba