Minister Kiyomori had issued a warrant for the arrest of Prince Mochihito who was forced to flee Kyoto and seek refuge in the monastery of Mii-dera. With thousands of Taira troops marching toward the monastery, the prince and 300 Minamoto warriors raced south toward Nara, where additional warrior monks would reinforce them. They hoped that monks from Nara would arrive to reinforce them before the Taira army did. Just in case, however, they tore the planks from the only bridge across the river to Byodo-in.