Changes

Shogunal retainers are believed to have numbered only around 2,000 in the period from 1185-[[1221]], and around 3,000 afterwards. The total population of the archipelago may have been around 9.75 million in 1300.<ref>Robert Tignor, Benjamin Elman, et al, ''Worlds Together, Worlds Apart'', vol B, Fourth Edition, W.W. Norton & Co (2014), 410.</ref>

Shogunal retainers are believed to have numbered only around 2,000 in the period from 1185-[[1221]], and around 3,000 afterwards. The total population of the archipelago may have been around 9.75 million in 1300.<ref>Robert Tignor, Benjamin Elman, et al, ''Worlds Together, Worlds Apart'', vol B, Fourth Edition, W.W. Norton & Co (2014), 410.</ref>

Though the Minamoto clan founded the Kamakura shogunate, and the city, its control of the shogunate lasted only very briefly. After the first shogun, [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]], died in [[1199]], his widow [[Hojo Masako|Hôjô Masako]] named her father [[Hojo Tokimasa|Hôjô Tokimasa]] regent (''[[shikken]]''), and seized control over the shogunate. For the remainder of the period, the shoguns were largely pawns, or puppets, of the Hôjô, who exercised true political power. After the third Kamakura shogun, [[Minamoto no Sanetomo]], was assassinated in [[1219]], the Minamoto line of shoguns ended. The shogunate survived an attempted coup [[1221|two years later]], known as the [[Jokyu War|Jôkyû War]], but for the remainder of the period, Imperial princes and members of the court aristocratic [[Kujo family|Kujô family]] served as shogun.

Though the Minamoto clan founded the Kamakura shogunate, and the city, its control of the shogunate lasted only very briefly. After the first shogun, [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]], died in [[1199]], his widow [[Hojo Masako|Hôjô Masako]] named her father [[Hojo Tokimasa|Hôjô Tokimasa]] regent (''[[shikken]]''), and seized control over the shogunate. For the remainder of the period, the shoguns were largely pawns, or puppets, of the Hôjô, who exercised true political power. After the third Kamakura shogun, [[Minamoto no Sanetomo]], was assassinated in [[1219]], the Minamoto line of shoguns ended, and for the remainder of the period, Imperial princes and members of the court aristocratic [[Kujo family|Kujô family]] served as shogun.  

 

The shogunate survived a conflict with the Imperial court [[1221|two years later]], known as the [[Jokyu War|Jôkyû War]], asserting and defending its power to interfere in the Imperial succession. By the end of the 13th century, the Imperial succession had split and alternated between two lines, the [[Daikakuji and Jimyoin lines|Daikakuji and Jimyôin lineages]]. The tension between these two lines increased after [[1297]], when the shogunate interfered again in the Imperial succession, demanding that [[Emperor Go-Uda]] (of the Daikaku-ji line) abdicate the throne in favor of his cousin [[Emperor Fushimi]] (of the Jimyô-in line), against the wishes of Retired [[Emperor Kameyama]] (of the Daikaku-ji line). This eventually led to the collapse of the shogunate as [[Emperor Go-Daigo]] fought to regain fuller control over the succession, and over governance in general, in the [[Genko War|Genkô War]] of the 1330s.

==Economics==

==Economics==

Though initially banned by the shogunate, especially in the [[Tohoku|northern regions]], the use of [[currency|coinage]] increased considerably in the latter half of the Kamakura period, from [[1240]] when the bans were lifted, onwards. Where taxes or similar obligations were previously paid in kind - meaning, in grain, cloth, or other products - they now came increasingly to be paid in coin. These coins, however, were mostly Chinese currency, imported from the continent as a consequence of maritime trade interactions.<ref>Kang, David C. “Hierarchy in Asian International Relations: 1300-1900.” ''Asian Security'' 1, no. 1 (2005), 65.; Kobata Atsushi. "Coinage from the Kamakura Period through the Edo Period." ''Acta Asiatica'' 21 (1971), 99-100.</ref> Coins minted in Japan only began to circulate in significant numbers again in the 15th century, after dropping off significantly after the 10th century.

Though initially banned by the shogunate, especially in the [[Tohoku|northern regions]], the use of [[currency|coinage]] increased considerably in the latter half of the Kamakura period, from [[1240]] when the bans were lifted, onwards. Where taxes or similar obligations were previously paid in kind - meaning, in grain, cloth, or other products - they now came increasingly to be paid in coin. These coins, however, were mostly Chinese currency, imported from the continent as a consequence of maritime trade interactions.<ref>Kang, David C. “Hierarchy in Asian International Relations: 1300-1900.” ''Asian Security'' 1, no. 1 (2005), 65.; Kobata Atsushi. "Coinage from the Kamakura Period through the Edo Period." ''Acta Asiatica'' 21 (1971), 99-100.</ref> Coins minted in Japan only began to circulate in significant numbers again in the 15th century, after dropping off significantly after the 10th century.

==Culture==

==Culture==

[[File:Engakuji-gate.jpg|right|thumb|320px|The main gate to [[Engaku-ji]], a [[Zen]] temple in Kamakura, a representative example of Kamakura period Zen Buddhist architecture]]

[[File:Engakuji-gate.jpg|right|thumb|320px|The main gate to [[Engaku-ji]], a [[Zen]] temple in Kamakura, a representative example of Kamakura period Zen Buddhist architecture]]

[[File:Sanjusangendo-interior.jpg|right|thumb|320px|A [[Meiji period]] photograph of the interior of the [[Sanjusangendo|Sanjûsangendô]], featuring many statues by the [[Kei school]], exemplary of Kamakura period style sculpture]]

[[File:Sanjusangendo-interior.jpg|right|thumb|320px|A [[Meiji period]] photograph of the interior of the [[Sanjusangendo|Sanjûsangendô]], featuring many statues by the [[Kei school]], exemplary of Kamakura period style sculpture]]

Numerous significant religious developments took place in the period. The monk [[Nichiren]] established and spread his [[Lotus Sect]] school of Buddhism in the 13th century; figures such as [[Ippen]] and [[Kuya|Kûya]] spread their teachings during this time, too, with a variety of popular and millenarian Buddhist movements, including the [[Ji sect]], emerging as well. Much of these developments were tied into a widespread belief that the decline and eventual fall of the Heian period marked the entry into the period of ''[[mappo|mappô]]'' (lit. "end of the law"), a period in the grand cosmic cycle during which the religious laws governing the universe begin to fall out of order, and the ability to achieve salvation wanes. Worship in [[Amida]] Buddha, including especially belief in the practice of ''[[nenbutsu]]'', grew considerably in popularity at this time, as popular movements grew asserting that one needed not devote oneself fully to a proper Buddhist/monastic life of meditation, restraint, prayer, and ritual practice in order to achieve salvation, but rather that one could be saved by Amida, simply for chanting his name and expressing true faith. [[Zen]] was also introduced in this period - specifically, by the monk [[Eisai]], who returned from China in [[1191]], introducing [[Rinzai]] Zen along with powdered [[tea]] and other [[Song Dynasty]] cultural practices. [[Dogen|Dôgen]] then introduced [[Soto Zen|Sôtô]] Zen a few decades later, in [[1227]]. Zen received patronage from the [[Hojo clan (Hojo Regents)|Hôjô clan]], regents to the shoguns, and quickly became well-established, with Kamakura becoming a major center of Zen practice.

Numerous significant religious developments took place in the period. The Pure Land (''[[Jodo shu|Jodo shû]]'') and True Pure Land (''[[Jodo shinshu|Jodo shinshû]]'') sects were established, as was that of the monk [[Nichiren]]; figures such as [[Ippen]] and [[Kuya|Kûya]] spread their teachings during this time, too, with a variety of popular and millenarian Buddhist movements emerging as well. Much of these developments were tied into a widespread belief that the decline and eventual fall of the Heian period marked the entry into the period of ''[[mappo|mappô]]'' (lit. "end of the law"), a period in the grand cosmic cycle during which the religious laws governing the universe begin to fall out of order, and the ability to achieve salvation wanes. Worship in [[Amida]] Buddha, including especially belief in the practice of ''[[nenbutsu]]'', grew considerably in popularity at this time, as popular movements grew asserting that one needed not devote oneself fully to a proper Buddhist/monastic life of meditation, restraint, prayer, and ritual practice in order to achieve salvation, but rather that one could be saved by Amida, simply for chanting his name and expressing true faith. [[Zen]] was also introduced in this period - specifically, by the monk [[Eisai]], who returned from China in [[1191]], introducing [[Rinzai]] Zen along with powdered [[tea]] and other [[Song Dynasty]] cultural practices. [[Dogen|Dôgen]] then introduced [[Soto Zen|Sôtô]] Zen a few decades later, in [[1227]]. Zen received patronage from the [[Hojo clan (Hojo Regents)|Hôjô clan]], regents to the shoguns, and quickly became well-established, with Kamakura becoming a major center of Zen practice.

Song Dynasty [[Neo-Confucianism]] was also first introduced into Japan in this period.<ref>Takatsu Takashi, “Ming Jianyang Prints and the Spread of the Teachings of Zhu Xi to Japan and the Ryukyu Kingdom in the Seventeenth Century,” in Angela Schottenhammer (ed.), ''The East Asian Mediterranean: Maritime Crossroads of Culture'', Harrassowitz Verlag, 2008. 254.; Robert Morrell, "Zeami's Kasuga Ryûjin (Dragon God of Kasuga), or Myôe Shônin," ''Early Kamakura Buddhism: A Minority Report'', Asian Humanities Press (1987), 103.</ref>

Song Dynasty [[Neo-Confucianism]] was also first introduced into Japan in this period.<ref>Takatsu Takashi, “Ming Jianyang Prints and the Spread of the Teachings of Zhu Xi to Japan and the Ryukyu Kingdom in the Seventeenth Century,” in Angela Schottenhammer (ed.), ''The East Asian Mediterranean: Maritime Crossroads of Culture'', Harrassowitz Verlag, 2008. 254.; Robert Morrell, "Zeami's Kasuga Ryûjin (Dragon God of Kasuga), or Myôe Shônin," ''Early Kamakura Buddhism: A Minority Report'', Asian Humanities Press (1987), 103.</ref>

In terms of the arts, perhaps the most significant developments of the Kamakura period were those concerning Buddhist sculpture, as the [[Todai-ji|Tôdai-ji]], [[Sanjusangendo|Sanjûsangendô]], and other temples were rebuilt and restored in the 1190s-1200s following their destruction or damage in the Genpei War. Sculptors such as those of the [[Kei school]] created new sculptures for these temples in a notably new and influential style.<ref>Morse, Samuel C. "Revealing the Unseen: The Master Sculptor Unkei and the Meaning of Dedicatory Objects in Kamakura-Period Sculpture." ''Impressions'' 31 (2010). p25.</ref> Chinese stonemasons brought over at this time for the temple reconstruction projects also contributed significantly to the emergence of a tradition of stone grave markers, particularly in the form of miniature stone pagodas known as ''gorintô''.<ref>Hank Glassman, "Remembering the Dead in Medieval Japan: On the Origins of Stone Grave Markers," talk given at University of California, Santa Barbara, 7 May 2015.</ref>

In terms of the fine & decorative arts, perhaps the most significant developments of the Kamakura period were those concerning Buddhist sculpture, as the [[Todai-ji|Tôdai-ji]], [[Sanjusangendo|Sanjûsangendô]], and other temples were rebuilt and restored in the 1190s-1200s following their destruction or damage in the Genpei War. Sculptors such as those of the [[Kei school]] created new sculptures for these temples in a notably new and influential style.<ref>Morse, Samuel C. "Revealing the Unseen: The Master Sculptor Unkei and the Meaning of Dedicatory Objects in Kamakura-Period Sculpture." ''Impressions'' 31 (2010). p25.</ref> Chinese stonemasons brought over at this time for the temple reconstruction projects also contributed significantly to the emergence of a tradition of stone grave markers, particularly in the form of miniature stone pagodas known as ''gorintô''.<ref>Hank Glassman, "Remembering the Dead in Medieval Japan: On the Origins of Stone Grave Markers," talk given at University of California, Santa Barbara, 7 May 2015.</ref>

Samurai administrators appointed to the provinces, as well as those situated within Kamakura, generally lived in fortified compounds known as ''yakata''. These were strictly conglomerations of wooden structures, often including some in the ''[[shinden-zukuri]]'' style of the Heian period, surrounded with moats, and looked little like the [[castles]] of the [[Azuchi-Momoyama period|Azuchi-Momoyama]] and [[Edo period]]s. The [[Asakura clan]] fortress at [[Ichijodani castle|Ichijôdani]] is a representative example.<ref>Gallery labels, National Museum of Japanese History.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/11737400955/in/dateposted-public/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/11737415975/in/dateposted-public/]</ref>

Samurai administrators appointed to the provinces, as well as those situated within Kamakura, generally lived in fortified compounds known as ''yakata''. These were strictly conglomerations of wooden structures, often including some in the ''[[shinden-zukuri]]'' style of the Heian period, surrounded with moats, and looked little like the [[castles]] of the [[Azuchi-Momoyama period|Azuchi-Momoyama]] and [[Edo period]]s. The [[Asakura clan]] fortress at [[Ichijodani castle|Ichijôdani]] is a representative example.<ref>Gallery labels, National Museum of Japanese History.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/11737400955/in/dateposted-public/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/11737415975/in/dateposted-public/]</ref>

==Fall of the Shogunate==

==Fall of the Shogunate==