Chapter 7: The Kamakura Shogunate and the Hojo Clan

In June of the first year of the Genin era (1224), Hojo Yoshitoki passed away. Consequently, Hojo Yasutoki and Tokifusa entrusted their positions to their respective sons, Tokisada and Tokimori, and returned from Kyoto to Kamakura. Hojo Yasutoki, originally named Kongotarō Yoshitoki, was granted the character "Yoshi" from Minamoto no Yoritomo, a privilege known as "one-character bestowal," which was an unparalleled honor. As the eldest son of Hojo Yoshitoki, Yasutoki was originally the most qualified to succeed the family head and the position of shikken. However, in his later years, Yoshitoki favored his concubine, Ise no Tsubone, and wished to establish her son, Hojo Masamura, as his heir. Although this plan was ultimately not carried out, Yasutoki, who had been far away in Kyoto for many years, was not a match for the influence of Ise no Tsubone and her son in Kamakura.

The economic foundation of the shogunate originated from the "Kanto Shogunate Territories," where "success and failure" refers to "disposition," indicating that the shogun has the authority to manage and dispose of the lands at will. These territories consist of three parts: first, the "Kanto Shogunate Domains," which are over five hundred estates granted to Minamoto no Yoritomo by the court; second, the "Kanto Shogunate Provinces," referring to the authority granted by the court to appoint and dismiss the provincial governors of the eight provinces of Izu, Sagami, Kōtsu, Shinano, Echigo, Suruga, Musashi, and Shimōsa, which can be recommended by the shogunate's retainers and directly dismissed by the shogunate; third, the "Kanto Jurisdictional Lands," which were obtained by Hojo Tokimasa, allowing the shogunate to establish authority over many estates and public lands. It is worth mentioning that the provincial guardians generally do not receive salaries and often also serve as local stewards, deriving their income from the land.

After the third generation general Minamoto no Yoshitomo married the daughter of the former Chief Minister of State, Sanmon no Nobukiyo, the relationship between the court and the military appeared to be very close. This was because Sanmon no Nobukiyo was originally the younger brother of the mother of Emperor Go-Toba, making him one of the closest individuals to the court. The court was eager to leverage this marriage to unify Kyoto and Kamakura.

When the father-in-law, son-in-law, and brother-in-law reunited, Shizheng suggested to Laichao that they should cross the sea to the province of Anbang and rally the local powerful clans such as Sanpu, Wada, and Chiba to raise an army together. At that time, they could make a comeback, and victory was to be expected. Laichao heeded Shizheng's advice, which led to the subsequent great victory at Fujikawa and later the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate

The subjects primarily paid multiple tributes to the lord, mainly consisting of the "current year's tribute" in the form of land rent (rice paddy tax) or field rent (dry field tax), which often accounted for 30% to 40% of the harvest. Additionally, there were "additional rice" and "various labor services," among others, with the total often exceeding half of the harvest. In comparison to the Han Dynasty in China, where the tax rate was "one out of fifteen" or even "one out of thirty," it seems that the exploitation of farmers in ancient Japan was astronomical. However, in reality, Japan's social structure was relatively simple. Unlike China, where only one-tenth of the harvest was paid to the court, the arbitrary extortion by manor lords and landowners was impossible to quantify. Of course, the common people in Japan were quite resilient and hardworking; when pushed to the brink, they would resort to banditry in the mountains, but there was hardly ever a frequent occurrence of large-scale peasant uprisings that shook the foundations of the state, as seen in ancient China.

Returning to the topic, the political power of the Kamakura Shogunate in its early period was, in fact, not well-established. In order to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible, Minamoto no Yoritomo made considerable compromises with the old powers, allowing the imperial court to still exercise some authority through positions such as provincial governors. At that time, Japan was referred to as a "dual government of the court and the shogunate." Since the court was not completely overthrown, the struggle between the court and the shogunate became inevitable

The demise of the Hojo clan resulted in the complete consolidation of power within the shogunate by the Hojo family. However, shortly thereafter, internal struggles for power and profit began within the Hojo clan. It is said that the Hojo clan originally descended from the Taira clan, and for this reason, when Taira no Kiyomori exiled Minamoto no Yoritomo to Izu, he felt secure enough to send Hojo Tokimasa to oversee him.

In the central government of the samurai regime, namely Kamakura, there were established the "Bureau of Documents" responsible for administration, the "Inquiry Office" responsible for judicial matters, and the "Chamber of Retainers" responsible for military and police powers, all of which were directly subordinate to the shogun of the bakufu. At the local level, each province appointed a shugo, who stripped the military and police powers from the provincial governors dispatched by the court. The shugo maintained public order during peacetime and supervised the retainers who took turns guarding Kyoto and Kamakura (referred to as the Great Guard Duty of Kyoto and the Great Guard Duty of Kamakura), and in times of war, they commanded the retainers within the province to go into battle.

If one were to receive a lower title, it could be overlooked; however, receiving a higher title can easily lead to considerable confusion. This is especially true for future generations who, when faced with a large number of individuals sharing the same common character, find it difficult to discern which ones are truly from the same family, which are merely coincidentally sharing the same character, and which have adopted the higher title of others.

The Power Struggles of the Shogunate

Just as the imperial court, stripped of power by the shogunate, continuously stirred unrest in hopes of restoring its former glory, the shogun, rendered a mere puppet, was also unwilling to remain in such a position for long. At that time, due to the ineffective rule of Hojo Tokiyori and the gradual coming of age of Shogun Kujo Yoshitsune, Yoshitsune allied with some of the vassals to reclaim the power that rightfully belonged to him. Although in the second year of the Kangen era (1244), Yoshitsune was forced to abdicate and pass the shogunal seat to his son Yoshitsugu, he still sought to create turmoil from behind the scenes.

Indeed, even under various so-called "good governance" policies, it is very difficult for the common people to fill their stomachs. At that time, the rural structure was composed of large landowners and small landowners who owned the land, along with laborers and servants who worked the land. Most large landowners were retainers of the shogunate, and those of higher status could even rise to positions such as land stewards or guardians. Small landowners, also known as common landowners, typically owned between 1 to 2 cho (1 cho is approximately 1.5 acres), equivalent to wealthy peasants or medium-sized farmers. Laborers, referred to as small commoners, did not own any land below them, and were essentially tenant farmers—this constituted the vast majority of rural society.

Having obtained the military and police power of the nation along with a robust economic foundation, political power essentially became the possession of the shogun. To strengthen control over Kyoto and remote regions, Minamoto no Yoritomo additionally established positions such as the guardian of Kyoto, the governor of the western region, and the chief governor of Oshu, thereby perfecting what is known as the "bakufu" system. In fact, the term "bakufu" is derived from the same source as the term "shogun," both originating from China. However, in China, when generals established a bakufu and seized power, they would quickly change dynasties, and it has never occurred that the court remained while real power was held by the bakufu for many generations. Therefore, while there was a bakufu in China, there was no bakufu governance.

In the eyes of the Rai family, I have bestowed great rewards upon Chiharu, and surely, Mother, you must be satisfied. At the same time, I have granted my son the position of governor over twenty-eight provinces; with territory in hand, you will be unable to move against him. However, this is clearly an act of splitting the shogunate. Not only would the Hojo clan not agree, but even the Biki clan would find it unacceptable. Biki Noriaki came to advise the Rai family, and the Rai family expressed their concerns. Biki Noriaki then said, "If you are worried about the Hojo clan's reckless actions, it would be better to take this opportunity to exile them. How can we allow ourselves to be thrown into disarray and divide the realm?"

The Chinese place great importance on generational hierarchy, often using the same radicals or characters to identify male members of the same generation within a large family (in modern times, this also partially includes females). For instance, the descendants of the revered sage Confucius have established a generational character system since the Ming Dynasty, which is as follows: "Xi Yan Gong Yan Cheng, Hong Wen Zhen Shang Yan, Xing Yu Chuan Ji Guang, Zhao Xian Qing Fan Xiang, Ling De Wei Chui You, Qin Shao Nian Xian Yang, Jian Dao Dun An Ding, Mao Xiu Xian Yi Chang, Yu Wen Huan Jing Rui, Yong Xi Shi Xu Chang." Notable figures in modern times include Kong Fansen, who belongs to the 'Fan' generation, Kong Xiangxi, who belongs to the 'Xiang' generation, and Kong Linghui, who belongs to the 'Ling' generation.

Hojo Yoshitoki also implemented several economic reform measures and actively engaged in trade with the Southern Song Dynasty. The result of this trade was that the Southern Song government experienced a "money shortage" due to excessive outflow of copper coins, ultimately leading to the necessity of restricting official trade with Japan each year, which greatly improved the national economic environment. Since the Genpei War, it can be said that Japanese society finally entered a period of stable development.

Fujiwara Hidehira was a cunning old fox. Although he had always maintained a good relationship with Minamoto no Yoritomo, once the Taira clan was destroyed and the four provinces and Kyushu were pacified, he felt a pang of anxiety, realizing that his own territory was also in danger. Thus, he gladly took in Yoshitsune, preparing a pawn for a future confrontation with Yoritomo. However, Hidehira soon passed away, bequeathing the position of family head to his son, Taira no Yasuhiro. Yasuhiro was not as capable as his father, and he was terrified at the mere threat from Yoritomo. Consequently, in the fifth year of the Bunji era (1189), during the intercalary month of April, he secretly dispatched troops to surround Yoshitsune's residence at Ichinokawa.

The Hojo clan certainly would not let go of the backers behind this rebellion. They forced Emperor Go-Toba to shave his head and become a monk, subsequently exiling him to the western island of Oki. Meanwhile, Emperor Shundoku was exiled to Sado Island. Even Emperor Tsuchimikado, who did not participate in the rebellion, could not escape the fate of exile, with his destination being Awa in Shikoku. Emperor Go-Toba lived in exile for a full eighteen years until he passed away in the first year of the En'yo era (1239), at the age of sixty.

Ultimately, it was his aunt, "General Ni," Hojo Masako, who helped Takashi. Masako secretly visited the influential Miura Yoshimura among the Minamoto clan—Yoshimura was originally an old retainer who had followed Minamoto no Yoritomo in his uprising, and he was the head of the powerful Miura clan, of which the renowned Wada Yoshimori was merely a branch. Persuaded by Masako, Miura Yoshimura agreed to support Hojo Takashi, and with the backing of figures such as Hojo Tokifusa, Takashi defeated Yoshimura and ascended to the new position of shogunate regent.

For instance, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, had twenty-six sons, all of whom were given names with the radical "木" (wood). Notable among them are the Crown Prince Zhu Biao, Prince of Qin Zhu Qiang, and Zhu Di, who later became the Yongle Emperor. After the third generation of the Zhu family, they began to adopt double-character names, where the first character indicates the generation and the main branch of the family, while the second character is based on the five elements. For example, Zhu Biao's sons were named Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Yuntong, while Zhu Di's sons were named Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Gaosui. The Tianqi Emperor was named Zhu Youjiao, and the Chongzhen Emperor was named Zhu Youjian. It is evident at a glance that they are brothers, unmistakably so.

For this reason, Minamoto no Yoriie sought to counter the matriarchal forces by relying on his wife's family, leading to a fierce struggle between the two generations of the Kamakura shogunate's maternal relatives. Initially, the Biki clan held a slight advantage, but in August of the third year of Ken'nin (1203), Minamoto no Yoriie, who had always been in poor health, suddenly fell gravely ill. Aware that his time was short, he feared that after his death, the Hojo faction would support his younger brother Chihata and kill his son Iehata. Consequently, he ordered that Chihata be appointed as the chief steward of the thirty-eight provinces in Kansai, while Iehata was made the chief steward of the twenty-eight provinces in Kanto.

Two years later, in 1198, Emperor Go-Toba abdicated in favor of the three-year-old Prince Yoshinari, who became Emperor Tsuchimikado, while Minamoto no Tōru, as the maternal grandfather of the emperor, took charge of the government. In October of the second year of Ken'nin (1202), Minamoto no Tōru passed away, and Emperor Go-Toba seized the opportunity to regain power and resumed the cloistered rule. Eight years later, in 1210, Emperor Go-Toba ordered the still underage Emperor Tsuchimikado to abdicate, citing the appearance of comets as the reason, and elevated his other son, the twelve-year-old Prince Morinari, to the throne, who became Emperor Junteki. At that time, there were two retired emperors, thus there were two cloistered courts: the Go-Toba court was referred to as the "original court," while the Tsuchimikado court was called the "new court." Both the emperor and the new court had to act according to the wishes of the original court.

This plan had not yet been concretely executed when it was discovered by Hojo Masako, who was greatly alarmed and decided to take the initiative. Thus, under the pretext of holding a ritual to worship Yakushi Nyorai to cure the illness of the Rai family, she summoned Kiki Noriari and executed him on the spot. After Noriari's death, his son Kiki Munenari led his clan and retainers to firmly defend the small palace where the shogun's legitimate son, Iehira, resided. Unexpectedly, the Hojo clan showed no regard for Iehira's life and launched a fierce attack. Ultimately, the small palace was reduced to ashes in a great fire, and the Kiki clan, along with the six-year-old Iehira, were all burned to death.

In the first month of the first year of Chōkyū (1219), General Minamoto no Sanetomo went to pray at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura, but he never returned, falling victim to an assassin's hand—his assailant was his own nephew, the son of the second shogun Minamoto no Yoriie, known as Kōsuke. After the death of Minamoto no Yoriie, Kōsuke was raised by his grandmother Hojo Masako, and believing that his father's death was a conspiracy orchestrated by his uncle Sanetomo, he sought an opportunity to assassinate Sanetomo. At that time, there were also rumors suggesting that Hojo Yoshitoki had incited Kōsuke to plot against the shogun, as the shogun's recent actions seemed to lean towards aligning with the imperial court, potentially betraying the collective interests of the Minamoto clan.

After the "Kōsōdō" and the "Hōji Battle," a rift emerged between the Hōjō regents and the Fujiwara Kujō family. In February of the fourth year of Kenchō (1252), following the death of the shogun's grandfather, Kujō Michiie, Hōjō Tokiyori decided to exile the shogun, Yoshitsugu, and successfully installed Prince Munetaka, the son of the retired Emperor Saga, as the shogun. The three stages corresponding to the sources of the shogunate are: the Minamoto shogunate, the Kujō shogunate, and the imperial shogunate. Similarly, the governance system of the shogunate underwent three phases: the dictatorial system of Minamoto Yoritomo, the council system of senior officials (the Hyōjō system), and the autocratic system of the Hōjō regents. The era of Hōjō Tokiyori marked the beginning of the autocracy of the regents.

Establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate

The political turmoil of the Kyoto court was matched only by the greater chaos of the Kamakura shogunate. In the same year that Emperor Tsuchimikado ascended the throne, Minamoto no Yoritomo fell from his horse on the way back from the Sagami River Bridge, and from that point on, he fell ill and could not recover. By January of the following year (1199), he finally passed away, bequeathing the throne to his eldest son, Minamoto no Yoriie

To delve into the root of this quarrel, at that time, Taira no Tomoyoshi's territory was located in the southeastern part of Musashi Province, while Hatakeyama Shigetada served as the governor of Musashi, with his territory in the northwestern part of the province. Originally, the two families were separated by the territory of the Biki clan, but after the Biki clan's demise, their lands were joined together. It was only natural for disputes over territory to arise, yet this matter was reported to Kamakura. The officials there sought to weaken the influence of the former wife's faction and executed Hatakeyama Shigehira on charges of treason. As a result of this incident, in June of that year, Hatakeyama Shigetada was also issued a pursuit order by Hojo Tokimasa. While on his way to Kamakura to plead his case, he was ambushed by Hojo soldiers at the Futagawa River in Musashi, fought valiantly but was ultimately outmatched, and took his own life.

In the fourth year of the Kōgen era (1246), in March, Hōjō Tokiyori abdicated, and in the intercalary April, he passed away. In May of that year, taking advantage of the new shikken (regent) Hōjō Tokiyori's unstable position, his clansman Minamoto no Mitsuyoshi conspired with the council members, including Gotō Mototsuna and Chiba Hidetane, to attempt to restore the former shōgun Hōjō Tokiyori to power, thereby replacing Hōjō Tokiyori as the shikken—this event is referred to as the "Court Disturbance".

In March of the 3rd year of Kenkyu (1192), with the arrival of a new era, the representative figure of the old era, the retired Emperor Shirakawa, finally passed away at the age of sixty-six. Throughout his life, the retired Emperor Shirakawa worked tirelessly to restore the imperial court and return power to the imperial family. He first utilized the Taira clan to deal a heavy blow to the Fujiwara clan, and then he used the Minamoto clan to eliminate the Taira clan, constantly stirring up conflicts and disputes among Yoshinaka, Yoshitsune, and Minamoto no Yoritomo. However, the tide of history does not change according to individual will. The countless wars instigated by the retired Emperor Shirakawa ultimately led to the emergence of the most tenacious grave digger of imperial politics, Minamoto no Yoritomo, along with his representative, Hojo Tokimasa. Therefore, Fujiwara no Nobusuke once commented that he was "the greatest tyrant in the history of Japan and China," which undoubtedly represents a biased view. On the other hand, Minamoto no Yoritomo referred to him as "the number one tengu in Japan" (tengu are mythical creatures in Japanese folklore, known for their red faces, long noses, and supernatural powers, often causing disputes), which is much closer to the truth.

After the demise of the Hojo clan, when the Hojo family completely took control of the shogunate, internal divisions gradually emerged due to differing political views. One faction was the "First Wife Faction," which included Hojo Tokimasa's first wife’s children, Hojo Masako and Hojo Yoshitoki, along with their brother-in-law Hatakeyama Shigetada. The other faction was the "Second Wife Faction," consisting of Tokimasa and his new wife Maki no Kata, as well as Maki no Kata's son-in-law (who was also Minamoto Yoritomo's adopted son) Hiraga Tomomasa. In fact, the core figure of the Second Wife Faction was Hiraga Tomomasa. Since Minamoto Sanetomo had no heirs, if he were to die or abdicate, the most qualified successor would be Tomomasa, who was eager to eliminate the council of senior vassals and restore the authority of the shogunate. Conversely, the First Wife Faction represented the interests of the broader samurai families, hoping to jointly support the shogunate and prevent those untested in battle from recklessly taking action.

The End of the Fujiwara Clan's Shogunate

The death of Kajiwara Kagetoki sounded an alarm for General Yoshikata. It was as if he saw the figure of his mother, Hojo Masako, behind Kagetoki's corpse, prompting him to support the Biki clan to counterbalance the Hojo clan. The head of the Biki clan, Biki Noriari, was originally the nephew of Biki Ni, who was the wet nurse of Minamoto no Yoritomo. After Yoritomo was exiled to Izu, Biki Ni repeatedly sent people to deliver clothing and food to her foster child, and Yoritomo treated her with the same intimacy as his own mother, which led to Noriari being entrusted with important responsibilities. Later, Noriari's wife also became a wet nurse for the Minamoto family, and their daughter, Wakasa no Jo, married into the Minamoto clan, giving birth to a son named Ichihata.

The Rebellion of the Emperor

The Hall of Fiery River and Clothes

Since ancient times, those who aspire to dominate the world must possess a ruthless heart and decisive actions—much like Minamoto no Yoritomo, the pillar of the Minamoto clan who held power in Kamakura. Yoritomo constantly remembered the lesson from Taira no Kiyomori's leniency in sparing the Minamoto orphans, which ultimately led to the downfall of the Taira clan. Therefore, after his victory, he unleashed a massacre, almost completely eliminating everyone associated with the Taira.

Among the thirteen high-ranking ministers, Kajiwara Kagetoki was the first to meet his demise, which may be related to his frequent attempts to eliminate rivals, whether they were his own or those of the shogunate, leading to a loss of public support. There are two completely different accounts regarding his downfall in historical records: one states that Kagetoki advised Shogun Yoriie to frame the high minister Yukikata Asamitsu, and upon Asamitsu discovering this, he, along with sixty-five others, jointly petitioned for Kagetoki's exile; the other account suggests that Kagetoki became aware of a movement among the retainers to overthrow Shogun Yoriie and support Minamoto no Yoritomo's second son, Chihata. He advised Yoriie about this, but due to a lack of evidence, he was instead exiled.

After the "Jōkyū War," the economic foundation of the shogunate rapidly expanded, allowing it to politically shift from a position of equal standing with the imperial court to one of absolute dominance. Even matters such as imperial succession and the appointment of court officials required the approval of the shogunate—specifically, the approval of the Hōjō clan. Hōjō Yoshitoki abolished the position of the Kyoto guardian and replaced it with the Rokuhara Tandai, responsible for monitoring the court and assisting in governance, particularly in the Kinki region, where the shogunate's control was relatively weak. This position was held by the Hōjō clan for generations, with responsibilities divided between the north and south. The first Rokuhara Tandai was Hōjō Yasutoki (North) and Hōjō Tokifusa (South), who quelled the rebellion of the retired emperor.

The imperial forces were compelled to contract their defensive lines, resolutely holding the key points of Uji, Seta, and Yodo. It was early summer, and the waters of the Uji River surged violently. The imperial forces had destroyed all the bridges, yet this could not withstand the overwhelming tide of the shogunate army. Driven by high morale, General Sasaki Nobutsuna was the first to brave the rain of arrows, riding his horse into the turbulent waters and swimming across the river (just as his uncle, Sasaki Takatsuna, had done during the Genpei War, riding into the Uji River to fight the enemy). Inspired by him, 190,000 shogunate warriors followed suit, leaping into the Uji River. With their high spirits, General Sasaki Nobutsuna was the first to brave the rain of arrows, riding his horse into the turbulent waters and swimming across the river (just as his uncle, Sasaki Takatsuna, had done during the Genpei War, riding into the Uji River to fight the enemy). Inspired by him, 190,000 shogunate warriors followed suit, leaping into the Uji River and decisively defeating the imperial forces on the opposite bank. This noble rebellion lasted for a month, but the final battle took only half a day, historically known as the "Jōkyū Disturbance"

However, he still felt uneasy, for while his two younger brothers commanded the army in battle, he was merely managing domestic affairs back in Kamakura. He feared that the military only recognized General Pu and Judge Jiulang, unaware of his own status as a pillar of the Minamoto clan—thus, the black hand reached out to his younger brothers

The catalyst for the power struggle between the two factions was the assassination of Hatakeyama Shigetada. In the second year of the Genkyu era (1205), under the arrangements of Maku no Kata, General Minamoto no Sanetomo decided to marry the daughter of the favored courtier of the Later Taira, Bōmon Nobukiyo. Hojo Masakane, from the Hojo clan aligned with Hojo Tokimasa, traveled to the capital to escort the bride, accompanied by Hatakeyama Shigetada's legitimate son, Shigehira, as a bodyguard. At that time, Hiraga no Tomomasa served as the guardian of Kyoto, and he hosted a banquet for Masakane and his entourage. However, during the banquet, a quarrel broke out between Tomomasa and Hatakeyama Shigehira, nearly escalating into a physical altercation. Hojo Masakane, from the Hojo clan aligned with Hojo Tokimasa, traveled to the capital to escort the bride, accompanied by Hatakeyama Shigetada's legitimate son, Shigehira, as a bodyguard. At that time, Hiraga no Tomomasa served as the guardian of Kyoto, and he hosted a banquet for Masakane and his entourage. However, during the banquet, a quarrel broke out between Tomomasa and Hatakeyama Shigehira, nearly escalating into a physical altercation

Another example is the founder of the Ashikaga Shogunate, Ashikaga Takauji. Takauji had two sons, Yoshikane and Motohira, among whom Yoshikane succeeded to the shogunal throne. Subsequently, generations were designated with the character "Yoshi" as a common character, such as the shoguns of the three generations and beyond: Yoshimitsu, Yoshihisa, Yoshikiyo, Yoshikatsu, Yoshimasa, Yoshitomo, Yoshisada, Yoshizane, Yoshiharu, Yoshihiro, and Yoshizumi.

In July of the 3rd year of Kenkyu (1192), Minamoto no Yoritomo was appointed as the Shogun, officially inaugurating what is historically known as the Minamoto Shogunate or the Kamakura Shogunate. The Kamakura Shogunate had a relatively independent governing body, centered in Kamakura, with its influence extending to nearly every corner of Japanese society, representing a true warrior government.

The traditional Japanese perspective emphasizes the continuity of family lineage rather than the distinction of generations, which is why their names often include a "通字" (common character) that is passed down through generations. For instance, the common character for the Kamakura shogunate's Hojo clan is "時" (time). The son of Hojo Tokimasa is named Munetoki, Yoshitoki, and Tokihira. Yoshitoki's sons are named Yasutoki, Asatoki (also known as Nagoe Asatoki, the father of Mitsutoki), Shigetoki, Aratoki, and Tokisada, along with two others named Masamura and Jitsutaka, who, due to certain special circumstances, did not use the common character. Similarly, individuals named Tokisada or Sadatoki are not necessarily brothers.

However, Hojo Tokimasa not only failed to properly supervise Minamoto no Yoritomo, but also married his daughter Masako to Yoritomo, and complied with the arrangements of this son-in-law of the Minamoto clan in all matters. By April of the fourth year of Jishō (1180), Minamoto no Yukiie sent a decree from Emperor Ninnō to Yoritomo, urging him to raise an army to attack the Taira clan. Initially, Yoritomo intended to wait and observe for a while, not eager to take the lead, but soon heard that Minamoto no Yasunobu's rebellion had failed, and both Yasunobu and his son, along with Emperor Ninnō, had been killed. Taira no Kiyomori issued an order to exterminate the Minamoto clan across the provinces. In such an urgent situation, Yoritomo had no choice but to take action, and Hojo Tokimasa was also well aware that if his son-in-law were killed, he would inevitably be implicated, thus he joined the uprising.

Dan Houju was originally the wife of Ping Yefang. After Ping Yefang was exiled, she took the initiative to approach the already marginalized Hou Baihe Yuan, and was soon taken as a concubine by Hou Baihe Yuan. She became closely associated with Minamoto no Tō and was a trusted confidante of Hou Baihe Yuan. Many of the policies that led to turmoil in the court were the result of the actions of these two individuals

Yuan Fanlai was terrified upon hearing the news, spending his days hiding at home, afraid to come out, only knowing to pray to the gods and write loyalty letters to his elder brother. Lai Chao was aware that he was incompetent, but an incompetent person holding military power (even if it was once) is still very dangerous. In the end, he found an excuse to eliminate the unfortunate Fanlai.

It is said that there was an agreement between Hojo Masako and the Retired Emperor Go-Toba, stipulating that if the shogunate were to become extinct, a prince would be sent by Go-Toba to take control of Kamakura. However, Go-Toba took this opportunity to threaten the shogunate, bringing up the issue of the appointment of land stewards again. After being rejected once more, he overturned the previous agreement and resolutely refused to allow the imperial family to succeed in Kamakura. In Go-Toba's view, if the shogunate was unwilling to make concessions, sending a prince to Kamakura would not enable him to control the samurai or compel their submission; instead, it would merely provide them with a suitable hostage, which seemed unnecessary.

The next target, of course, is Yoshitsune Minamoto. At this time, the former Emperor Go-Shirakawa was actively courting Yoshitsune, who was guarding Kyoto, in order to restrain Yoritomo. He conferred titles and rewards without hesitation, which further fueled Yoritomo's suspicions. Consequently, under the advice of the high-ranking minister Kajiwara Kagetoki, an order was issued to subdue the rebel Yoshitsune Minamoto. It is said that during the time of "Fierce winds against the oars, boldly landing on Awashima," Kagetoki advised Yoshitsune not to take risks, but this advice was not heeded, and he was instead reprimanded for being "cowardly," thus deepening the enmity between the two.

Yuan Shichao was assassinated, and the murderer Gong Xiao along with his brother Chan Xiao were promptly captured and executed, thus severing the bloodline of the Genji Shogunate. Yuan Yoritomo exterminated the Taira clan and killed his own brothers; he could not have anticipated that he too would face extinction one day. According to the traditional Japanese family system, bloodline is not the most important factor. If a family's bloodline is severed, one can adopt a child from another family to assume the role of head of the family, as long as the family name is preserved and the family business is not destroyed. Therefore, the regent Hojo Yoshitoki hoped to select a prince to succeed the shogun, which would enhance the prestige of the shogunate instead of diminishing it. According to the traditional Japanese family system, bloodline is not the most important factor. If a family's bloodline is severed, one can adopt a child from another family to assume the role of head of the family, as long as the family name is preserved and the family business is not destroyed. Therefore, the regent Hojo Yoshitoki hoped to select a prince to succeed the shogun, which would enhance the prestige of the shogunate instead of diminishing it

The early political struggles of the Kamakura Shogunate unfolded among the aforementioned individuals, simplifying the complexities into a basic framework: the Hojo clan defeated the shogun Yoriie and supported his younger brother, Chikata. Subsequently, Hojo Masako and her brother Yoshitoki defeated their father, Hojo Tokimasa, completely transforming the Kamakura Shogunate into a situation where the Hojo family held absolute power.

In folklore, Minamoto no Yoshitsune is depicted as simple and kind-hearted, unwilling to fight against his elder brother, and even less inclined to see the hard-won peace of the realm disrupted again. Thus, he voluntarily withdrew from the capital, leading his retainers and family to flee to Mutsu. However, peeling away the layers of historical fog, it stands to reason that even if he wished to escape without fighting, the later Heike would not easily acquiesce to this, would they? In fact, it was Yoshitsune himself who ostensibly first instigated the conflict—on August 14, 1185, the year of the Heike's downfall, the era name was changed to "Heiji," and the court promptly issued a decree for Minamoto no Yoritomo to launch an attack at Yoshitsune's request. However, peeling away the layers of historical fog, it stands to reason that even if he wished to escape without fighting, the later Heike would not easily acquiesce to this, would they? In fact, it was Yoshitsune himself who ostensibly first instigated the conflict—on August 14, 1185, the year of the Heike's downfall, the era name was changed to "Heiji," and the court promptly issued a decree for Minamoto no Yoritomo to launch an attack at Yoshitsune's request.

Due to the hasty uprising, Minamoto no Yoritomo was forced to flee alone after being killed by Taira no Kiyomori at Ishibashiyama. At that time, Hojo Tokimasa fought valiantly with his sons, Munetoki and Yoshitoki, covering their retreat. Munetoki died heroically in battle, and it was only after confirming that Yoritomo had vanished without a trace that Tokimasa and Yoshitoki turned to escape.

Hojo Yasutoki effortlessly invaded Kyoto, occupied the imperial palace, and established a main camp at Rokuhara. He not only killed and exiled a large number of courtiers who dared to support the Retired Emperor Go-Toba's attempt to establish a shogunate, but also confiscated the lands of the imperial family and the samurai in the capital, rewarding loyal vassals for their contributions. Furthermore, he coerced Emperor Nakakyo to abdicate, allowing the ten-year-old Prince Mohei, the nephew of Retired Emperor Go-Toba, to ascend the throne, becoming Emperor Go-Horikawa. Emperor Nakakyo reigned for only seventy-seven days, and since he did not have the opportunity to formally hold the enthronement ceremony, he is historically referred to as the "Abdicated Emperor" or "Half Emperor".

The Birth of the Hojo Regime

[The receipt of the general and the single character]

However, the assassination of Yoshitsune could not halt the surging Kamakura army. In August of that year, Minamoto no Yoritomo conquered Taira and Shikoku, annihilating the self-destructive Fujiwara clan of Oshu, thereby truly unifying the realm.

Regardless, Kajiwara Kagetoki was exiled, yet he was unwilling to accept his downfall. First, he retreated to his territory to build a fortress and defend it, and then he led his clan to the capital, intending to appeal to Emperor Go-Toba. Engaging in the internal power struggles of the shogunate and provoking the court was akin to courting death. Thus, on their way to the capital, the Kajiwara clan was pursued and annihilated by the shogunate's warriors

Hojo Tokiyori swiftly arrested and exiled Nagoe Mitsutoki, repatriated the former shogun Yoriaki to Kyoto, and seized this opportunity to mobilize troops against the Miura clan, which had grown increasingly close to Yoriaki and powerful. The following year, in the first year of Hoji (1247), this battle was known as the "Battle of Hoji." Ultimately, the Miura clan was defeated, and the clan leader Miura Tadamura, along with over five hundred of his clansmen, fled into the Hokkedo of Kamakura, where they all committed suicide.

First, it is said that the second-generation general Lai family is quite inept, yet he is persistently eager to break free from the control of his mother, Hojo Masako, and regain power. His most trusted vassal is Kajiwara Kagetoki. The Kajiwara clan has long resided in Kajiwara Village, Kamakura District, Sagami Province, and their ancestors once claimed the name Kamakura. As the head of the Kajiwara clan, Kajiwara Kagetoki initially sided with the Taira clan when Minamoto no Yoritomo first raised his banner, and he followed Ooba Kagechika to achieve a great victory over Yoritomo at Ishibashiyama. It is said that although Kagetoki was victorious, he was deeply moved by Yoritomo's bravery and thus intentionally allowed him to escape, leading the pursuing troops astray. Later, Yoritomo made a comeback, and Kajiwara Kagetoki sought refuge with him. Yoritomo remembered the favor of having been spared and employed him, placing great trust in him and following his counsel. After the establishment of the shogunate, Kajiwara Kagetoki temporarily replaced Wada Yoshimori as the deputy of the shishi, wielding significant power.

In popular legend, Kajiwara Kagetoki is portrayed as a treacherous minister, likely because he once advised Minamoto no Yoritomo to attack his own brothers, Kajiwara no Kageyoshi and Yoshitsune. Given that, in the eyes of the common people, Kajiwara no Kageyoshi is seen as honest and Yoshitsune as a great hero, it is only natural that Kajiwara Kagetoki, who spoke ill of them, is regarded as a villain. However, to be fair, regardless of his motives, Kagetoki's actions were greatly beneficial to the consolidation of the shogunate's power.

After defeating his political rivals, the Hojo clan immediately forced the despondent Minamoto no Yoriie to become a monk and live in seclusion, transferring the position of shogun to his younger brother, Chihata, who became the third shogun of the Minamoto clan, Minamoto no Sanetomo. The following year, in July 1204, Minamoto no Yoriie, who was imprisoned at the Zen temple in Izu, was murdered

The one-character bestowal is divided into two types: the upper character bestowal and the lower character bestowal. The so-called upper character refers to the common character, while the lower character is the unique character of an individual outside of the common character, and the distinction between the two is significant. Generally, when a character is bestowed with a taboo, it is often the lower character, as illustrated by the examples mentioned above. However, there are exceptions, which indicate greater trust and favor. For instance, the common character of the Takeda family is "Nobu". Takeda Nobutora's son, Harunobu, bestowed the character "Nobu" upon his beloved general, who then changed his name to Baba Nobuharu. Similarly, in the case of the Hojo clan, a prominent general originally named Fukushima later married the daughter of the clan leader, Hojo Ujitsuna, and became a member of the clan. He received a lower character and changed his name to Hojo Ujitsuna. Ujitsuna's son first received the lower character of Ujitsuna's son, Ujiyasu, and was called Hojo Yasunari, but later he was granted the upper character, becoming Hojo Ujifusa.

The Hōjō clan assembled 17,000 samurai and warrior monks to prepare for an expedition against the Hōjō clan, while Hōjō Yoshitoki adopted the suggestion of Ōe Hiromoto for a swift resolution. He appointed his son Yasutoki as the supreme commander and his younger brother Toshitomo as the deputy commander. The army was divided into three routes, each targeting Owari, Mino, and Mikawa, advancing directly towards Kyoto. Along the way, samurai from various regions gathered, and by the time they reached Kyoto, the shogunate's forces had grown to as many as 190,000. It is said that Yoshitoki remarked, "First, let us send 190,000 troops for the Emperor's inspection; if that is insufficient, I will personally lead another 200,000 troops to the capital!" As they advanced, samurai from various regions continued to join, and upon reaching Kyoto, the shogunate's forces had indeed reached 190,000. It is said that Yoshitoki remarked, "First, let us send 190,000 troops for the Emperor's inspection; if that is insufficient, I will personally lead another 200,000 troops to the capital!"

In a state of helplessness, Hojo Yoshitoki had no choice but to seek a compromise and turned to the regent family for assistance. Ultimately, it was agreed that the third son of the Kudo family (the grandson of Kanemasa), a mere two-year-old named Mitsutaka, would assume the position of the new shogun. This child, Mitsutaka, was the grandson of a sister of Minamoto no Yoritomo, thus having a distant connection to the Minamoto lineage. Consequently, the new shogun inherited the character 'Yoshi' that had been passed down through generations of the Minamoto clan, and was named Kudo Yoshitomo.

Since Minamoto no Yoritomo settled in Kamakura, he had essentially not moved his base. Upon hearing that his brother Yoshitsune had raised a rebellion in Kyoto, he was compelled to personally lead a large army westward. Yoshitsune, realizing that he could not withstand his elder brother's formidable advance, was forced to disguise himself and flee to the home of Fujiwara Hidehira in Oshu, where he had once received protection. After receiving the news, Yoritomo dispatched his father-in-law Hojo Tokimasa with a thousand cavalry to stabilize the situation, while he himself safely retreated back to Kamakura

In Kyoto, there were three major forces at that time, which engaged in mutual struggle and restraint. The first was the Kyoto guardian appointed by the shogunate, the second was the regent Kujo Kanezane, and the third was the remnants of the late Heian court, including the Tanka Bureau and Minamoto (Togumon) Tsunetaka. Initially, Kujo Kanezane sought to restrain the power of the court by aligning himself with Minamoto Yoritomo, and it was he who secured the title of Shogun for Yoritomo. However, after the death of the late Heian court, Yoritomo formed an alliance with the weakening remnants of the court, preparing to take action against the dominant Fujiwara clan that controlled the imperial court.

The later Emperor Go-Toba, who was determined to restore the power of the imperial family, believed that the opportunity had arrived. He therefore presented various demands to Minamoto no Sanetomo, such as requesting the shogunate to cease dispatching local officials to various regions, aiming to gradually centralize power. Sanetomo himself did not wish to go against the will of the court; however, he was not the one who actually held power in the shogunate. Hojo Masako and Tokiyori unhesitatingly rejected the court's requests.

On that day, Hojo Yoshitoki and all the vassals in Kamakura, including Oe Hiromoto, were summoned together by Hojo Masako. After a long wait for everyone to gather, Masako slowly emerged, tearfully recounting to the vassals the tragic fate of the samurai, who were treated like dogs by the nobility. She spoke of the glorious achievements of the first shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo, who led the samurai through hardships to establish the Kamakura shogunate, emphasizing that only by uniting around the shogunate could the samurai avoid becoming the slaves of the nobility once more. The vassals present were moved to tears, and in the end, they resolved to fight to the bitter end against the court to defend their regime.

Indeed, in terms of power ambition, Hojo Masako's desire is by no means inferior to that of Minamoto no Yoritomo. After Yoritomo's death, she became a nun but continued to manipulate the shogunate, serving as the shogun's "regent" (guardian), and was referred to as the "Nun Shogun." With her support, her brother Yoshitsune replaced their father as the head of the shogunate and, alongside Oe no Hiroyuki, shared governance. Soon after, they eliminated Wada Yoshimori, who had served as the head of the shogunate since Yoritomo established Kamakura, and took charge of the shogunate's affairs. In the central government of the Kamakura shogunate, Yoshitsune controlled two of the three major institutions, thus establishing the title of "shikken" and becoming the de facto ruler of the shogunate.

The shogunate ultimately abandoned its efforts to welcome a "shogun of the palace" and instead sought assistance from the regent family, which further enraged the Retired Emperor Go-Toba. In April of the third year of the Jōkyū era (1221), the Retired Emperor Go-Toba ordered Emperor Shundō to abdicate in favor of the four-year-old Prince Hōin. The following month, he launched a coup, dispatching his samurai to launch a surprise attack that eliminated the Kyoto guardian Iga Mitsuki. Following this initial victory, the Retired Emperor Go-Toba was elated, believing he had divine favor, and thus issued a proclamation calling upon all samurai across the nation to rise up against the shogunate's regent, Hōjō Yoshitoki.

At the age of thirty-one, Yoshitsune realized that the situation was hopeless, and thus he chose to commit suicide by self-immolation along with his wife (thirty-two years old), daughter (four years old), and beloved concubine Shizuka. His loyal retainers, Musashibo Benkei and Tachi no Kiyoharu, fought valiantly until their last breath... It is worth mentioning his concubine Shizuka, who was said to be a Shirabyoshi (a type of female dancer in male attire) from Kyoto, possessing exceptional beauty and talent, as well as a gentle disposition. The tragic love story of Yoshitsune and Shizuka has become a timeless theme in Japanese literature and arts, reminiscent of the tale of Xiang Yu and Yu Ji in our own culture.

At that time, Emperor Go-Horikawa was in power. Kujo Kanetsugu and Minamoto no Tōchin both married their daughters to the emperor. However, while Kanetsugu's daughter, Ninshi, held the position of empress, she only bore a princess, whereas Tōchin's adopted daughter, although a secondary consort, gave birth to a prince, Minamoto no Yori. Thus, with the support of the shogunate, in November of the 7th year of Kenkyū (1196), Ninshi was expelled from the position of empress, and shortly thereafter, Kujo Kanetsugu was forced to resign from the position of regent—this event is referred to as the "Kenkyū 7th Year Coup"

In addition, the "Zhengyong Code" also detailed provisions regarding annual tributes, penalties, and the lives of the imperial family, becoming the fundamental legal code for the warrior class for a considerable period. It is also worth mentioning that this "Zhengyong Code" included many articles that emphasized the status of women, which can be said to have initially embodied the essence of a national constitution

Returning to discuss the Hōjō regency, Taira died in the third year of the Jōkyū era (1242) in June. Since his sons had all passed away before him, he passed the throne to his grandson Tokisuke. Tokisuke was frail and only ruled for four years before handing over power to his younger brother Taira no Shira. At that time, Taira no Shira was twenty-five years old, and he also assumed the position of the shikken (the head of the Hōjō clan)

Upon learning this significant news, Hojo Yoshitoki was extremely alarmed. Although the number of supporters for the imperial side was few, if the Emperor were to lead the troops personally and his palanquin appeared in front of the enemy lines, the samurai of the shogunate would inevitably have to remove their helmets, break their bowstrings, and kneel in submission. At that moment, an awkward situation would arise where they could neither fight nor retreat. Even if the assembled forces numbered in the millions, they would scatter in disarray, and under pressure from the circumstances, some might even side with the enemy.

During the lifetime of Minamoto no Yoritomo, centralization was solid, and matters could be decided unilaterally. However, upon Yoritomo's death, the numerous contradictions within the shogunate and among the vassals became apparent. To alleviate these various conflicts, Yoritomo's widow, Hojo Masako, used the excuse of her son's young age to abolish the dictatorial power of the Minamoto shogunate, replacing it with a council of senior officials. Initially, thirteen warriors participated in this council, including Masako's father, Hojo Tokimasa, and her brother, Hojo Yoshitoki, as well as the heads of the three offices of public documents, inquiries, and attendants: Oe no Hirotsune, Sanjo Kiyomitsu, and Wada Yoshimori. Additionally, there were Nakahara Chikayoshi, Hiki Yoshikazu, Fujiwara no Yoshikane, Miura Yoshitsune, Hatta Tomitake, Adachi Tadayori, and Kajiwara Kagetoki.

The death of Hatakeyama Shigetada made Masako and her brother Yoshimasa realize that if they did not take action to defeat their father first, they would face endless troubles in the future. Therefore, two months later (in the leap month of July that year), they exposed the conspiracy of Maki no Kata to assassinate Minamoto no Yoritomo and to support Taira no Tomomasa as the new shogun (heaven knows), forcing their father and his power-hungry new wife to retreat to their old home in Izu to live in seclusion, and then beheaded Taira no Tomomasa in Kyoto

In a fit of anger, the leader of the Hōjō clan thought to himself, since you are unwilling to return power, I will take matters into my own hands. He first pressured the regent Fujiwara Kanesada, who was sent by the shogunate, to step down, and then intervened in the appointment rights of the shugo, which should have been under the control of the shogunate. These actions provoked a strong backlash from the Kamakura side, leaving the unfortunate Shogun Sanetomo caught in the middle. He even contemplated personally leading sixty attendants to visit the Song Dynasty—after all, the major affairs of the shogunate no longer required my say—only to abandon the idea because the newly constructed large ships could not be launched near Kamakura.

In the samurai class, there exists a custom known as "one-character homage," whereby a character from the lord's name is adopted, thereby forming a simulated parent-child relationship to strengthen the bond between lord and vassal. Receiving such a character as a mark of favor from the lord was considered a great honor at that time. For instance, the Warring States daimyo Takeda Nobutora granted his vassals the character "tiger" from his name, such as Kanemori Torayasu, Itadomi Toramasa, Hara Torain, and Kanemaru Torayoshi, among others. Additionally, the Warring States daimyo Nagao Kagetora inherited the Uesugi surname and, under the auspices of Uesugi clan head Uesugi Norimasa, changed his name to Uesugi Masatora. Later, he received the favor of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshihide and changed his name again to Uesugi Terutora.

Hojo Yoshitoki is referred to as a wise ruler. During his tenure, he improved the governance system of the shogunate and solidified the power of the regents. In the first year of Jōei (1232), Hojo Yoshitoki presided over the completion of the "Goseibai Shikimoku," also known as the "Jōei Shikimoku." The "Jōei Shikimoku" established the position of "Rensho" as a deputy to the regent, primarily filled by important figures from the Hojo clan—Yoshitoki's uncle, Hojo Tokifusa, was the first Rensho. Additionally, it stipulated the formation of a "Judging Council" consisting of thirteen or fourteen members, including the regent and Rensho, which became the highest decision-making body of the shogunate—Miura Yoshimura was one of the first members of the Judging Council.

In fact, by tracing back from the final outcome, Yoshitsune greatly contributed to Minamoto no Yoritomo's success. He provided Yoritomo with the pretext to suppress or eliminate two major forces that could potentially become threats: one was the Fujiwara clan of Oshu, and the other was the former nobles in Kyoto. Taking advantage of the opportunity to enter the capital on a mission to quell the unrest, Hojo Tokimasa ruthlessly suppressed the pro-Yoshitsune nobles. When the former Emperor Shirakawa intervened on their behalf, Tokimasa then presented two harsh conditions: first, he requested the court to allow the Kamakura regime to appoint shugo (military governors) in various provinces to exercise military and police authority; second, he sought permission for the Kamakura regime to station officials in the estates of the court and the nobles to participate in their management. Under Tokimasa's coercion and pressure, the former Emperor Shirakawa had no choice but to endure and agree.