Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147-1199)
Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝, 1147-1199) was the founder of the Kamakura shogunate, which became Japan's first warrior-led government and ruled from 1192 to 1333. He was the third son of Minamoto no...
View ArticleMinamoto no Yoriie (1182-1204)
Minamoto no Yoriie (源頼家, 1182–1204), eldest son of Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝, 1147–1199), the founder of the Kamakura shogunate, and Hōjō Masako (北条政子, 1157–1225), was born in Kamakura and raised as...
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Minagawa Castle
Minagawa Castle (皆川城 Minagawa-jō) is a yamajiro (山城, mountain castle) constructed in what is now Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture. As seen in the photograph above, due to the distinctive shape of the...
View ArticleMinamoto no Sanetomo (1192-1219)
Minamoto no Sanetomo (源実朝, 1192-1219), the third shōgun of the Kamakura shogunate and a notable waka (和歌) poet, was the second son of Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝, 1147-1199), the founder of the...
View ArticleMinamoto no Yoshinaka (1154-1184)
Better known as Kiso Yoshinaka (木曾義仲, 1154-1184), Minamoto no Yoshinaka (源義仲) was a prominent warrior of the late Heian period (平安時代, 794–1185). Following the death of his father, Minamoto no Yoshikata...
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Niigata’s Five Great Ramens: A Culinary Journey Through Japan’s Snowy North
While cities like Tokyo, Sapporo, and Fukuoka often steal the spotlight when it comes to ramen, Niigata Prefecture quietly holds its own with an impressive and distinctive ramen culture. Located along...
View ArticleHōjō Masako (1157-1225)
Hōjō Masako (北条政子, 1157-1225), the eldest daughter of Hōjō Tokimasa (北条時政, 1138-1215), was the wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝, 1147-1199), founder of the Kamakura shogunate (鎌倉幕府, 1192-1333), and...
View ArticleHōjō Clan
The Hōjō family (北条氏) was a prominent warrior lineage that held de facto control over Japan for more than a century during the Kamakura period (1185–1333), serving as hereditary regents (執権 shikken) to...
View ArticleHōjō Tokimasa (1138-1215)
Hōjō Tokimasa (北条時政, 1138–1215) was the first shikken (執権), or regent, of the Kamakura shogunate, which governed Japan from 1192 until 1333. Originally a provincial government official in Izu Province...
View ArticleHōjō Yasutoki (1183-1242)
Hōjō Yasutoki (北条泰時, 1183-1242), the third shikken (執権), or regent, of the Kamakura shogunate (鎌倉幕府, 1192-1333), is regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential figures to have held that...
View ArticleHōjō Tokiyori (1227-1263)
Hōjō Tokiyori (北条時頼, 1227-1263), the fifth shikken (執権), or regent, of the Kamakura shogunate (鎌倉幕府, 1192-1333), played a decisive role in strengthening the authority of the Hōjō clan during a time of...
View ArticleHōjō Tokimune (1251–1284)
Hōjō Tokimune (北条時宗, 1251-1284), the eighth shikken (執権) or regent of the Kamakura shogunate (鎌倉幕府, 1192-1333), was the son of Hōjō Tokiyori (北条時頼, 1227-1263) and the daughter of Hōjō Shigetoki (北条重時,...
View ArticleThe Mongol Invasions of Japan
In the late 13th century, the Kamakura shogunate (鎌倉幕府, 1192–1333) found itself facing an unprecedented threat from across the sea: the Mongol invasions of Japan (元寇). Khubilai Khan (1215-1294), the...
View ArticleKawakami Zenbei: The Father of Japanese Wine
There's something unmistakable about this time of year in Japan—cicadas in full screech, kids running riot on weekends, and the crisp "tchhh" of a cold can breaking the silence. But for those in search...
View ArticleJosei tennō: Japan's empresses
Eight women have ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne throughout Japanese imperial history across ten distinct reigns. These reigning empresses, referred to as josei tennō (女性天皇, "female emperor"),...
View ArticleJosei tennō: Japan's empresses regnant
Eight women have ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne throughout Japanese imperial history across ten distinct reigns. These reigning empresses, referred to as josei tennō (女性天皇, "female emperor"),...
View ArticleToyotomi Hideyori (1593–1615)
Toyotomi Hideyori (豊臣秀頼, 1593-1615), the only surviving son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉, 1537-1598), was born to Hideyoshi's concubine Yodogimi (淀君). Following the death in 1591 of Hideyoshi's earlier...
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Toyotomi Hidetsugu (1568-1595)
Toyotomi Hidetsugu (豊臣秀次, 1568–1595), also known as Toyotomi Hidetsugi, was the nephew and adopted heir of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉, 1537–1598). He played a prominent role in Hideyoshi's military...
View ArticleOzo Residence
The Ozo Residence (於曽屋敷 Ozoyashiki) was a medieval samurai estate located in Kōshū, Yamanashi Prefecture. It was initially constructed in the early Kamakura period, when the Kagami clan, a branch of...
View ArticleMiura Clan
The Miura clan (三浦氏) was an influential samurai family based in Sagami Province (modern Kanagawa Prefecture), claiming descent from the Kammu Heishi branch of the Taira clan (桓武平氏). The family's rise...
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