During the skirmish at Yashima, a woman appeared on one of the Heike’s boats waving a red fan. The Genji believed that she was challenging them to shoot the fan out of her hand. Yoshitsune sent Nasu no Yoichi who scored a direct hit on the fan. What seems to be a pointless diversion had a large impact on the warriors. Yoichi initially declined Yoshitsune’s order, not so much out of lack of confidence, but more out of fear of the shame that would come from missing. Yoichi feared that missing would not only bring shame upon himself, but also upon the Genji forces as a whole. So great was Yoichi’s fear that he was willing to disobey a direct order from Yoshitsune. While riding into position, Yoichi said a quick prayer, begging the gods of his home to ensure that he hit his target. Fortunately for the Genji, Yoichi succeeded, bringing glory for himself and confidence to the Genji warriors. This concern over shame and glory demonstrates the desire to not only defeat the opposing side, but to also surpass them in various areas of combat and strategy. The desire to one-up each other is also demonstrated later during the long distance arrow shooting.
In addition to bringing glory and confidence, hitting the fan can also be seen as a good omen for the Genji. Throughout the Tale of the Heike, and especially Chapter Eleven, specific events and coincidences have been interpreted as messages from the gods. These perceived messages have influenced the actions of multiple characters. Yoichi hitting the fan was one of the first precursors of how the battle will end, and contributed greatly to the motivation of the Genji.