Overview
Honnō-ji is a Buddhist temple located in Kyoto, Japan. Its most notable for being the site of the death of Nobunaga Oda. In June of 1582, Nobunaga was staying at the temple under light guard when his officer Mitsuhide Akechi chose to stage a coup. Akechi's forces surrounded the temple and set it on fire. With no way out, Nobunaga committed seppuku.
The event was a major turning point during the Warring States period. Prior to his death, Nobunaga had managed to crush some of the most powerful rival clans in the land, and was well on the way to unifying all of Japan under his rule. Akechi was killed in battle at Yamazaki within two weeks of the incident.
Log in to comment