When both of the sides faced each other in Uji, a deer, which was believed to be a messenger from the deity of the Kasuga-taisha Shrine, appeared in front of them; one solder tried to shoot it and this incident caused the battle to begin, resulting in a large number of casualties among the side of the monks.
宇治において双方が対峙中にたまたま現れた鹿（鹿は春日大社明神の使として信仰されていた）を兵士が射ようとしたことから合戦となり、大衆側に多数の戦死者が出た。