overview : Set at the end of the 12th century when several wars for control of Japan disrupted a long era of peace, this tale of "Heike" (another name for the Taira clan) focuses on Taira Kiyomori who fights alongside other members of his clan to at first successfully overcome the Minamoto clan and their bid for power. Battles and intrigue abound, as the puppet Emperor and Buddhist monks take sides in the power struggle. At issue is Kiyomori's parentage, not an unusual problem for the nobility in that era where clandestine liaisons among courtiers and the upper classes were common.

First Air Date : Jan 02, 1972

Last Air Date : Dec 24, 1972

Runtime : 45m

Episodes : 52

Seasons : 1

Genre : Drama,

Companies : NHK

Countries : JP

Keywords : japan, historical figure, period drama, jidaigeki, heian period, heike story, taiga