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The Kamakura period (鎌倉時代 Kamakura-jidai?, 1185–1333) is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 by the first Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo. The written history of Japan begins with brief references in the 1st century AD Twenty-Four Histories, a collection of Chinese historical texts The covers the period from around 100000 to 30000 BC when the earliest Stone tool implements have been found to around 14000 BC at the end of the last Ice-age, which corresponds The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14000 BC to 400 BC. The is an era in the history of Japan from about 500 BC to 300 AD. The is an era in the History of Japan from around 250 to 538 The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era The, was a period in the History of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592-645 although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The of the History of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The was a period of Japanese history that occurred from 1333 to 1336. The Muromachi period ( Japanese: 室町時代 Muromachi-jidai, also known as the Muromachi era, the Muromachi bakufu, the Ashikaga era The, spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the early years of the Muromachi period of Japan 's history The came at the end of the Warring States Period in Japan, when the political unification that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took place The Nanban trade ( Japanese: 南蛮貿易 nanban-bōeki, "Southern barbarian trade" or the Nanban trade period ( Japanese: 南蛮貿易時代 The, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 are the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end The, or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July The, also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan 's political and social structure The, or Taishō era, is a period in the History of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign Japan participated in from 1914 to 1917 as one of the major Entente Powers, played an important role in securing the sea lanes in South Pacific The, or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926 to refers to the Ideology in the Empire of Japan that Militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation and that the strength of the military is At the end of World War II, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers, led by the United States with contributions also from Australia, British Following the end of the Allied occupation in 1952 Japan emerged as a global Economic power is the current era name in Japan. The Heisei era started on January 8, 1989, just one day after the death of the reigning Emperor Hirohito The economic history of Japan is one of the most studied for its spectacular growth after the Meiji Revolution to be the first non European Power and after the Second World War The history of Education in Japan dates back at least to the sixth century when Chinese learning was introduced at the Yamato court The military history of Japan is characterised by a long period of Feudal Wars, followed by domestic stability and then foreign conquest The naval history of Japan can be said to begin in early interactions with states on the Asian continent in the early centuries of the 1st millennium, reaching a pre-modern peak This is the glossary of Japanese history including the major terms titles and events the casual (or brand-new reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject The written history of Japan begins with brief references in the 1st century AD Twenty-Four Histories, a collection of Chinese historical texts The Kamakura shogunate ( Japanese: 鎌倉幕府 Kamakura bakufu) was a feudal military dictatorship in Japan headed by the Shoguns from is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 km south-south-west of Tokyo. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" was the founder and the first Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate of Japan.

The Kamakura period ended in 1333 with the destruction of the shogunate and the short reestablishment of imperial rule under Emperor Go-Daigo by Ashikaga Takauji, Nitta Yoshisada, and Kusunoki Masashige. Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇 Go-Daigo-tennō) ( November 26, 1288 &ndash September 19, 1339) was the 96th emperor was the founder and 1st Shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338 beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with (1301-1338 was the head of the Nitta family in the early fourteenth century and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-cho period Kusunoki Masashige (楠木 正成 b 1294-1336 was a 14th century Samurai who fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in his attempt to wrest rulership of Japan away

Contents

Shogunate and Hōjō Regency

The Kamakura period marks the transition to land-based economies and a concentration of advanced military technologies in the hands of a specialized fighting class. Lords required the loyal services of vassals, who were rewarded with fiefs of their own. Under the system of Feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing The fief holders exercised local military rule.

Once Minamoto Yoritomo had consolidated his power, he established a new government at his family home in Kamakura. He called his government a bakufu (幕府, tent government), but because he was given the title Seii Tai-shōgun by the Emperor, the government is often referred to in Western literature as the shogunate. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" Yoritomo followed the Fujiwara form of house government and had an administrative board, a board of retainers, and a board of inquiry. The Fujiwara clan (藤原氏 Fujiwara-shi) descending from the Nakatomi clan, was a powerful family of Regents in Japan that monopolized the regent positions After confiscating estates in central and western Japan, he appointed stewards for the estates and constables for the provinces. As shogun, Yoritomo was both the steward and the constable general. The Kamakura shogunate was not a national regime, however, and although it controlled large tracts of land, there was strong resistance to the stewards. The regime continued warfare against the Northern Fujiwara, but never brought either the north or the west under complete military control. The Northern Fujiwara (奥州藤原氏 Ōshū Fujiwara-shi) were a Japanese noble family that ruled the Tōhoku region (the northeast of The old court resided in Kyoto, continuing to hold the land over which it had jurisdiction, while newly organized military families were attracted to Kamakura. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan.

A Japanese wooden kongorikishi statue from the 14th century, Kamakura period.
A Japanese wooden kongorikishi statue from the 14th century, Kamakura period. Kongōrikishi (金剛力士 or Niō (仁王 are two wrath-filled and muscular guardians of the Buddha, standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in

Despite a strong beginning, Yoritomo failed to consolidate the leadership of his family on a lasting basis. Intrafamily contention had long existed within the Minamoto, although Yoritomo had eliminated most serious challengers to his authority. When he died suddenly in 1199, his son Minamoto no Yoriie became shogun and nominal head of the Minamoto, but Yoriie was unable to control the other eastern warrior families. Minamoto no Yoriie 源頼家 ( September 11, 1182 &ndash August 14, 1204) was the second Shogun (1202 &ndash 1203 of the By the early thirteenth century, a regency had been established for the shogun by Hōjō Tokimasa—a member of the Hōjō clan, a branch of the Taira that had allied itself with the Minamoto in 1180. was the first Hōjō Shikken (regent of the Kamakura bakufu and head of the Hōjō clan. See the Late Hōjō clan for the Hōjō clan of the Sengoku Period. The head of Hōjō was installed as the regent for the shogun is called the Shikken in the period, although later positions were created with similar power such as Tokuso and Rensho. The was the regent for the Shogun in the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. Tokusō (得宗 was the title held by the head of the mainline Hōjō clan, who monopolized the position of Shikken (regents of the Kamakura shogunate The, literally “co-signatory” was the assistant to the Shikken ( Regent) of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. Often the Shikken was also the Tokuso and Rensho. Under the Hōjō, the shogun became a powerless figurehead.

With the protector of the Emperor (shogun) a figurehead himself, strains emerged between Kyoto and Kamakura, and in 1221 the Jōkyū War broke out between the Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba and the second regent Hōjō Yoshitoki. also known as the Jōkyū Disturbance, was fought in Japan between the forces of Retired Emperor Go-Toba and those of the Hōjō clan, ( August 6, 1180 &ndash March 28, 1239) was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession (1163 - 1224 was the second Hōjō Shikken (regent of the Kamakura shogunate and head of the Hōjō clan. The Hōjō forces easily won the war, and the imperial court was brought under the direct control of the shogunate. The shogun's constables gained greater civil powers, and the court was obliged to seek Kamakura's approval for all of its actions. Although deprived of political power, the court retained extensive estates.

Several significant administrative achievements were made during the Hōjō regency. In 1225 the third regent Hōjō Yasutoki established the Council of State, providing opportunities for other military lords to exercise judicial and legislative authority at Kamakura. Hōjō Yasutoki (北条 泰時 1183-1242 r 1224-1242 was the third Shikken (regent of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. The Hōjō regent presided over the council, which was a successful form of collective leadership. The adoption of Japan's first military code of law—the Goseibai Shikimoku—in 1232 reflected the profound transition from court to militarized society. The Goseibai Shikimoku (御成敗式目 or the Formulary of Adjudications was the legal code of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan, promulgated by third While legal practices in Kyoto were still based on 500-year-old Confucian principles, the new code was a highly legalistic document that stressed the duties of stewards and constables, provided means for settling land disputes, and established rules governing inheritances. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B "Heir" and "Heiress" redirect here For the men and women fragrances endorsed by Paris Hilton see Heiress (fragrance. It was clear and concise, stipulated punishments for violators of its conditions, and remained in effect for the next 635 years.

As might be expected, the literature of the time reflected the unsettled nature of the period. The Hōjōki describes the turmoil of the period in terms of the Buddhist concepts of impermanence and the vanity of human projects. sometimes translated as “ An Account of My Hut ” or “ The Ten Foot Square Hut ” was an important short work of the Kamakura period (1185–1333 in Japan by The Heike monogatari narrated the rise and fall of the Taira, replete with tales of wars and samurai deeds. A second literary mainstream was the continuation of anthologies of poetry in the Shin Kokin Wakashū, of which twenty volumes were produced between 1201 and 1205. The, also known in abbreviated form as the or even simply the Shin Kokin, is the eighth in a series of 21 imperial anthologies of waka poetry compiled by the Japanese court

The Flourishing of Buddhism

In the time of disunity and violence, deepening pessimism increased the appeal of the search for salvation. Kamakura was the age of the great popularization of Buddhism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Two new sects, Jōdo shū and Zen, dominated the period. also known as Jodo Buddhism is a branch of Pure Land Buddhism derived from the teachings of the Japanese ex- Tendai monk Hōnen. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. The Mount Hiei monasteries had become politically powerful but appealed primarily to those capable of systematic study of the sect's teachings, while the Shingon sect and its esoteric ritual continued to enjoy support largely from the noble families in Kyoto. is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto city lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures Japan. Shingon Buddhism (眞言 真言 " true words " is a major school of Japanese Buddhism, and is the other branch of Vajrayana Buddhism (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. During this time, a number of monks who had left the Tendai sect founded separate Buddhist sects of their own, including

The older Buddhist sects such as Shingon, Tendai and the early schools of the Nara period continued to thrive through the Kamakura period, and even experienced some measure of a revival. Shingon Buddhism (眞言 真言 " true words " is a major school of Japanese Buddhism, and is the other branch of Vajrayana Buddhism History The Tiantai teaching was first brought to Japan by the Chinese monk Jianzhen (鑑眞 Jp Ganjin in the middle of the 8th century, but The of the History of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. However, with the increasing popularity of the new Kamakura schools, the older schools partially eclipsed as the newer "Kamakura" schools found followers among the new Kamakura government, and its samurai. is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan.

Mongol Invasions

Main article: Mongol Invasions of Japan

The repulsions of two Mongol invasions were momentous events in Japanese history. The of 1274 and 1281 were major Military operations undertaken by Kublai Khan to invade the Japanese Islands after conquering Korea Japanese relations with China had been terminated in the mid-ninth century after the deterioration of late Tang Dynasty China and the turning inward of the Heian court. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Some commercial contacts were maintained with the Southern Song Dynasty of China in later centuries, but Japanese pirates made the open seas dangerous. The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms At a time when the shogunate had little interest in foreign affairs and ignored communications from China and Goryeo (as Korea was then known), news arrived in 1268 of a new Mongol regime in Beijing. The Goryeo Dynasty ( 918 - 1392) (also spelled Koryŏ was a Sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo Wang Kon. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Its leader, Kublai Khan, demanded that the Japanese pay tribute to the new Yuan Dynasty and threatened reprisals if they failed to do so. Early years Kublai Khan studied Chinese culture and became enamoured of it The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Unused to such threats, Kyoto raised the diplomatic counter of Japan's divine origin, rejected the Mongol demands, dismissed the Korean messengers, and started defensive preparations.

Japanese samurai boarding Mongol ships in 1281.
Japanese samurai boarding Mongol ships in 1281. is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan.

After further unsuccessful entreaties, the first Mongol invasion took place in 1274. More than 600 ships carried a combined Mongol, Chinese, and Korean force of 23,000 troops armed with catapults, combustible missiles, and bows and arrows. A catapult is any one of a number of non-handheld mechanical devices used to throw a Projectile a great distance without the aid of an explosive substance—particularly various In fighting, these soldiers grouped in close cavalry formations against samurai, who were accustomed to one-on-one combat. Local Japanese forces at Hakata, on northern Kyūshū, defended against the superior mainland force, which, after one day of fighting was decimated by the onslaught of a sudden typhoon. Hakata (博多区 -ku is a ward in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan with a population of 176585 or Kyushu is the third-largest Island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Kublai realized that nature, not military incompetence, had been the cause of his forces' failure so, in 1281, he launched a second invasion. Seven weeks of fighting took place in northwestern Kyūshū before another typhoon struck, again destroying the Mongol fleet.

Although Shinto priests attributed the two defeats of the Mongols to a "divine wind" or kamikaze, a sign of heaven's special protection of Japan, the invasion left a deep impression on the shogunate leaders. is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. Kamikaze (神風 is a Japanese word usually translated as divine wind, believed to be a gift from the gods Long-standing fears of the Chinese threat to Japan were reinforced. The Japanese victory, however, gave the warriors a sense of fighting superiority that remained with Japan's soldiers until 1945. The victory also convinced the warriors of the value of the shogunate form of government.

The Mongol war had been a drain on the economy, and new taxes had to be levied to maintain defensive preparations for the future. The invasions also caused disaffection among those who expected recompense for their help in defeating the Mongols. There were no lands or other rewards to be given, however, and such disaffection, combined with overextension and the increasing defense costs, led to a decline of the Kamakura bakufu. Additionally, inheritances had divided family properties, and landowners increasingly had to turn to moneylenders for support. Roving bands of ronin further threatened the stability of the shogunate. A was a Samurai with no lord or master during the Feudal period (1185–1868 of Japan.

Civil War

The Hōjō reacted to the ensuing chaos by trying to place more power among the various great family clans. To further weaken the Kyoto court, the bakufu decided to allow two contending imperial lines—known as the Southern Court or junior line and the Northern Court or senior line—to alternate on the throne. The, also known as the Ashikaga Pretenders or Northern Pretenders, were a set of six Pretenders to the throne of Japan. The method worked for several successions until a member of the Southern Court ascended to the throne as Emperor Go-Daigo. Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇 Go-Daigo-tennō) ( November 26, 1288 &ndash September 19, 1339) was the 96th emperor Go-Daigo wanted to overthrow the shogunate, and he openly defied Kamakura by naming his own son his heir. In 1331 the shogunate exiled Go-Daigo, but loyalist forces, including Kusunoki Masashige, rebelled. Kusunoki Masashige (楠木 正成 b 1294-1336 was a 14th century Samurai who fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in his attempt to wrest rulership of Japan away They were aided by Ashikaga Takauji, a constable who turned against Kamakura when dispatched to put down Go-Daigo's rebellion. was the founder and 1st Shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338 beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with At the same time, Nitta Yoshisada, another eastern chieftain, rebelled against the shogunate, which quickly disintegrated, and the Hōjō were defeated. (1301-1338 was the head of the Nitta family in the early fourteenth century and supported the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Nanboku-cho period

In the swell of victory, Go-Daigo endeavored to restore imperial authority and tenth-century Confucian practices. This period of reform, known as the Kemmu restoration, aimed at strengthening the position of the Emperor and reasserting the primacy of the court nobles over the warriors. The was a period of Japanese history that occurred from 1333 to 1336. The reality, however, was that the forces who had arisen against Kamakura had been set on defeating the Hōjō, not on supporting the Emperor. Ashikaga Takauji finally sided with the Northern Court in a civil war against the Southern Court represented by Go-Daigo. The long War Between the Courts lasted from 1336 to 1392. Early in the conflict, Go-Daigo was driven from Kyoto, and the Northern Court contender was installed by Ashikaga, who established a new line of shoguns.

Events

References

  1. ^ NOAA Earthquake Database Query

< Heian period | History of Japan | Kemmu restoration >

The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The written history of Japan begins with brief references in the 1st century AD Twenty-Four Histories, a collection of Chinese historical texts The was a period of Japanese history that occurred from 1333 to 1336.
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