History of Japan men instead joined forces with Emperor Go-Daigo and overthrew the Kamakura shogunate. Japan nevertheless entered a period of prosperity and population growth starting around 1250. In rural areas, the greater use of iron tools and fertilizer, improved irrigation techniques, and double-cropping increased productivity and rural villages grew. Fewer famines and epidemics allowed cities to grow and commerce to boom. Buddhism, which had been largely a religion of the elites, was brought to the masses by prominent monks, such as Hōnen (1133–1212), who established Pure Land Buddhism in Japan, and Nichiren (1222–82), who founded Nichiren Buddhism. Zen Buddhism spread widely among
Buddhism in Japan managed to establish Shingon as a school in its own right. Kūkai received two lineages of teaching—one based on the and the other based on the . The word "Shingon" is the Japanese pronunciation of "Zhēnyán" "True Words", which in turn is the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit word "mantra". 1175: Hōnen introduces Pure Land Buddhism to Japan. Jōdo-shū was founded by Hōnen (法然), 1175 Japanese name: 浄土, "Pure Land" Major Influences: Chinese Jingtu Zong (净土宗 "Pure Land school"), Tendai Doctrine: "Nianfo" Primary Text: "Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra" ("Muryōju-kyō" 無量壽経) Jōdo Shinshū was founded by Shinran (親鸞), 1224 Japanese name: 浄土真,