The rivalry between the Sekkan (regent) houses FUJIWARA no Tadamichi versus FUJIWARA no Yorinaga, the rivalry between the Minamoto clans MINAMOTO no Yoshitomo versus MINAMOTO no Tameyoshi, and the rivalry between the Heike families TAIRA no Kiyomori versus TAIRA no Tadamasa are interwoven in the tale.
藤原忠通、藤原頼長の摂関家の対立、源義朝と源為義の源氏の対立、平清盛と平忠正との平家の対立が加わる。