The Kamakura Shogunate
After the Genpei War, Minamoto no Yoritomo consolidated power at Kamakura. In 1192 the emperor granted him the title Sei-i Taishōgun, formalising the dual governmental structure that would define Japan until 1868: an emperor who reigned in Kyoto while the shogun governed from his military headquarters. Zen Buddhism arrived from China during this period and found a natural home among warriors drawn to its discipline and acceptance of death. The arts of the warrior — swordsmanship, archery, horsemanship — began to be theorised as moral and spiritual disciplines, the early stirrings of bushidō. The shogunate survived two Mongol invasion attempts in 1274 and 1281 but was eventually overthrown in 1333.
- Year: 1185 CE
- Category: Political
