In the "Tale of the Heike," Noritsune first appears in the scene of May 1183 in which the Taira family hurriedly strengthened the defense after successive defeats against MINAMOTO no Yoshinaka in the battle of Kurikara and the Battle of Shinohara and he, together with his elder brother, Michimori, guarded Uji-bashi Bridge while taking command of more than 2,000 mounted warriors.
教経が『平家物語』に最初に登場するのは寿永2年（1183年）5月に倶利伽羅峠の戦い、篠原の戦いで源義仲に連敗した平家が急ぎ京の守りを固める場面で、兄の通盛とともに2000余騎を率いて宇治橋を警護している。