Kamakura Period
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Kamakura Period

The Kamakura period (?, Kamakura jidai, 1185-1333) is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first sh?gun, Minamoto no Yoritomo. The period is known for the emergence of the samurai, the warrior caste, and for the establishment of feudalism in Japan.


Shogunate and H?j? Regency


Once Minamoto Yoritomo had consolidated his power, he established a new government at his family home in Kamakura. He called his government a bakufu (, tent government), but because he was given the ancient high military title Sei-i Taish?gun by Emperor Go-Toba, the government is often referred to in Western literature as the shogunate. Yoritomo followed the Fujiwara form of house government and had an administrative board Mandokoro (), a board of retainers Samurai-dokoro (), and a board of inquiry Monch?jo (). After confiscating estates in central and western Japan, he appointed stewards for the estates and constables for the provinces. As sh?gun, 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. However, the 4th leader of the Northern Fujiwara Fujiwara no Yasuhira was defeated by Yoritomo in 1189, and the 100-year-long prosperity of the north disappeared. 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.

A famous Japanese wooden kongorikishi statue of T?dai-ji, Nara. It was made by Busshi Unkei in 1203.

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 sh?gun and nominal head of the Minamoto, but Yoriie was unable to control the other eastern warrior families. By the early thirteenth century, a regency had been established for the sh?gun by H?j? Tokimasa--a member of the H?j? clan, a branch of the Taira that had allied itself with the Minamoto in 1180. The head of H?j? was installed as a regent for the sh?gun; the regent was termed the Shikken during the period, although later positions were created with similar power such as the Tokus? and the Rensho. Often the Shikken was also the Tokuso and Rensho. Under the H?j?, the shogun became a powerless figurehead.

With the protector of the Emperor (sh?gun) a figurehead himself, strains emerged between Kyoto and Kamakura, and in 1221 the J?ky? War broke out between the Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba and the second regent H?j? Yoshitoki. The H?j? forces easily won the war, and the imperial court was brought under the direct control of the shogunate. The sh?guns 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 H?j? regency. In 1225 the third regent H?j? Yasutoki established the Council of State, providing opportunities for other military lords to exercise judicial and legislative authority at Kamakura. The H?j? 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. 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. It was clear and concise, stipulated punishments for violators of its conditions, and parts of it 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 H?j?ki describes the turmoil of the period in terms of the Buddhist concepts of impermanence and the vanity of human projects. 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 Wakash?, of which twenty volumes were produced between 1201 and 1205.

The Expansion of Buddhist Teachings



During this time the pre-existing schools of Tendai, founded by Saich? (767-822), Shingon, founded by K?kai (774-835), and the great temples of Nara, collectively classified by scholars as "Old Buddhism" or Ky? Bukkyo, continued to thrive, adapt, and exert influence.[1]:24-25 For example, all of the above six reformers had studied at the Tendai Mt. Hiei at some point in their lives.[2]:562

"Old Buddhism" (Ky? Bukkyo)

Throughout the Kamakura period older Buddhist sects including Shingon, Tendai, and the Nara temple schools such as Kegon, Hoss?, Sanron, and Ritsu continued to thrive and adapt to the trend of the times.[2]:561-563



"New Buddhism" (Shin Bukkyo)

The first originators of Kamakura Buddhism schools were H?nen and Shinran who emphasized belief and practice over formalism.[2]:546

In the latter part of the 12th-century D?gen and Eisai traveled to China and upon their return to Japan founded, respectively, the S?t? and Rinzai schools of Zen. D?gen rejected affiliations with the secular authorities whereas Eisai actively sought them.[2]:574 Whereas Eisai thought that Zen teachings would revitalize the Tendai school, D?gen aimed for an ineffable absolute, a pure Zen teaching that was not tied to beliefs and practices from Tendai or other orthodox schools[2]:566 and with little guidance for leading people how to live in the secular world.[2]:556


Legacy of Kamakura Buddhism


Mongol invasions


Japanese samurai boarding Mongol ships in 1281




Civil war





  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Osumi, Kazuo; Dobbins, James C. (1999). "Buddhism in the Kamakura Period". In Hall, John Whitney (ed.). Cambridge History of Japan. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University. ISBN 9780521223546.
  7. ^ Varley, P. (1994) p. 82.
  8. ^ NOAA Earthquake Database Query
  9. ^ McCullough, Helen Craig (1959): pp. 285-311.


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