A painting of Abe Sadato, son of Abe Yoritoki. Sadato continued to evade and outmaneuver the Minamoto warband until the Kiyohara clan became involved in 1062. Public Domain
Japan with Mutsu Province highlighted in red. This was where the Former Nine Years War took place. Source: Ash_Crow, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons
A portrait of Murasaki Shikibu from the late 1500s. Public Domain
A portion of an illustrated scroll of The Tale of Genji. This particular copy is from the 1100s. Public Domain
The back of a 2000 yen note from the Bank of Japan. On the left is Genji Hikaru and peeking from behind a screen on the right is Murasaki Shikibu. Public Domain
A painting of Murasaki Shikibu staring at the moon for inspiration as she pens another chapter. Note that she is wearing purple, a reference to her pseudonym. Public Domain
A landscape portrait, once again featuring the purple-clad Murasaki Shikibu gazing at the moon. Public Domain
Sei Shonagon, author of The Pillow Book, peaks from behind a sliding screen. Public Domain
Sei Shonagon, as imagined by later artist Kikuchi Yosai. Public Domain
A view of Hakata Bay from Noko Island, which the Jurchen pirates occupied as they raided northern Kyushu. Minus the large buildings and the modern ships, this is similar to what they would have seen from their base. Source: そらみみ, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Memorial stone marking the former location of Dazaifu Fortress. While it would still be many years before its final destruction, it would be destroyed and rebuilt many times during the Heian Period and beyond. Source: vigorous action, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The “Tatara” device used to refine iron sands into pig iron. The two bellows on either side needed to be constantly kept in motion for the process to work. Source: Tosaka, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The finished product of the Tatara – Tamahagane, or Pig Iron. As you can probably guess, it still has a long way to go before it is ready for the battlefield. Source: Loulasedna, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The “Mikazuki Munechika,” a tachi sword forged by the Yamashiro School sometime in the late 900s. Source: Sanjō Munechika, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The final battles of Taira Masakado after his 939 consolidation of Kantō. Original Map Source: Ash_Crow, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons
Taira Masakado’s spooky daughter Takayasha-hime, holding a bell and a sword. The frog in the upper left corner, next to Masakado himself, is a verbal pun as the word KAERU can mean “frog” or “to return.”
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