Kamakura Period – Kamakura Shogunate

Do you know about the Kamakura Period or Kamakura Shogunate? In this article, we will talk about what this period was in Japan, who created it, how long it lasted, conflicts that occurred during this era, and much more.

In Japanese, this period is called Kamakura Bakufu [鎌倉幕府] and was officially recognized in 1192, although the period began in 1185.

What was the Kamakura period?

The Kamakura period was the first feudal military regime in Japan. This period became well known for the emergence of the samurai and the establishment of feudalism in Japan.

The Kamakura era, or Kamakura Shogunate, began in 1185 and received this name because the administrative headquarters of Japan was transferred to Kamakura, a village on the eastern coast of Japan.

This period began when Minamoto Yoritomo was appointed shogun (military dictator) by the emperor. The first shogunate became known as Kamakura Bakufu.

The shogun gained the power to choose his own vassals as administrators and protectors of the provinces. The shogunate was a form of government based on the conduct rules of the samurai.

It was the time when the Boshidô began to be formed, which was the ethical code of the samurai. The samurai became the guardians of this regime, performing civil, military, and protective functions.

The Hojo clan’s dominance

After the death of Minamoto and his sons, the Minamoto clan no longer had heirs for the title of shogun, which was passed down hereditarily. Then, Hojo Masako, the widow of Minamoto, decided to adopt a child and give him the title of shogun. Thus, the Hojo clan remained in power for several decades.

In 1232, Hojo Yasutiki proclaimed the first samurai legislation, which had 51 articles. This legislation became known as Goseibai Shikimoku, and was the first code of feudal laws in Japan.

During this period, Japan experienced some prosperity, with economic and population growth, and the emergence of new agricultural techniques.

Buddhism also experienced a considerable resurgence and popularity. Currently, the main schools of Buddhism in Japan are descendants of the schools that emerged during the Kamakura period.

The war against the Mongols

The Kamakura period was marked by various wars and conflicts between clans and also against other peoples. One of the most interesting conflicts of this time was between the Japanese and the Mongols.

In 1274, Kublai Khan, king of Mongolia and grandson of one of the greatest conquerors and military strategists in the world, decided to expand his domains by conquering Japan as well, believing that Japan was a country rich in gold and other minerals. So Kublai sent an army of 40,000 men to Hakata Bay.

Although the samurai fought bravely to protect their territory, the numerical superiority of the Mongols was overwhelming. So the samurai lost the battle, right? Actually, no.

During a night of rest for the Mongols on their ships, a powerful hurricane sank several boats and forced the army to retreat. The samurai then took the opportunity to drive the Mongols away for good.

But the Mongols did not give up on conquering Japan, and in 1281, King Kublai Khan sent another army, this time with more than 140,000 soldiers, who landed in the same place as the other army, on the coast of Hakata.

For two months, the samurai tried to defend their lands when again, miraculously, a typhoon swept the coast of Kyushu, forcing the Mongolian ships to retreat once more.

Japan then defeated a much superior enemy twice thanks to its typhoons, which became known as Kamikaze, meaning divine wind, as the Japanese came to believe they were protected by the gods. These victories against the Mongols contributed to the emergence of a strong sense of nationalism among the Japanese.

Despite these impressive victories, the Japanese shogunate was unable to properly reward the warriors, as the defense costs of the country were very high, and thus the samurai lost confidence in the Kamakura shogunate.

The battle of Sekigahara

Another important battle of the Kamakura period was the battle of Sekigahara, or “Division of the Kingdom,” which is how it became popularly known. This conflict paved the way for Tokugawa Ieyasu to become shogun in the year 1600.

This battle occurred after the death of shogun Maeda Toshiie and began with a conspiracy against Tokugawa.

The main author of this conspiracy was Mitsunari, who, along with some allies, declared war against Tokugawa. Mitsunari had a significant numerical advantage in territory compared to Tokugawa’s army, but still, thanks to Tokugawa’s impressive military strategies, he managed to win the battle fought at Sekigahara in the year 1600.

Tokugawa then managed to control the rebellion and rose as the last shogun of this period. The Tokugawa shogunate period was very important for the formation of Japan as we know it today, as much of Japanese culture is linked to this period, which lasted about two and a half centuries.

Emperors and shoguns of the Kamakura Period

See a list of emperors who reigned during the Kamakura period:

No.	Reign	Emperor	Name in Kanji
83rd	1198 to 1210	Tsuchimikado	土御門天皇
84th	1210 to 1221	Juntoku	順徳天皇
85th	1221	Chukyo	仲恭天皇
86th	1221 to 1232	Go-Horikawa	後堀河天皇
87th	1232 to 1242	Shijo	四条天皇
88th	1242 to 1246	Go-Saga	後嵯峨天皇
89th	1246 to 1260	Go-Fukakusa	後深草天皇
90th	1260 to 1274	Kameyama	亀山天皇
91st	1274 to 1287	Go-Uda	後宇多天皇
92nd	1287 to 1298	Fushimi	伏見天皇
93rd	1298 to 1301	Go-Fushimi	後伏見天皇
94th	1301 to 1308	Go-Nijo	後二条天皇
95th	1308 to 1318	Hanazono	花園天皇
96th	1318 to 1336	Go-Daigo	後醍醐天皇

See below a list of shoguns who reigned during the Kamakura Period:

No.	Shogun	Reign
1	Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199)	1192 to 1199
2	Minamoto no Yoriie (1182–1204)	1202 to 1203
3	Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192–1219)	1203 to 1219
4	Kujō Yoritsune (1218–1256)	1226 to 1244
5	Kujō Yoritsugu (1239–1256)	1244 to 1252
6	Prince Munetaka (1242–1274)	1252 to 1266
7	Prince Koreyasu (1264–1326)	1266 to 1289
8	Prince Hisaaki (1276–1328)	1289 to 1308
9	Prince Morikuni (1301–1333)	1308 to 1333