Kamakura Period (1192 - 1333)

BEGINNING | CULTURAL ACHIVEMENTS | DAIBUTSU | TSURUGAOKA HACHIMANGU | HASE TEMPLE | SAMURAI |MONGOL INVASION | END OF KAMAKURA PERIOD

 

Several government and cultural achievements occurred during this time period. For example, in 1225 the Council of State was established. This provided military lords the right to exercise authority at Kamakura. In 1232, the first military code of law, the Joei Code was adopted. This code was a departure from the Confucian based codes to military law. It outlined and emphasized the roles and duties of stewards and constables, provided means for settling land disputes, and established rules governing inheritances. It also contained harsh punishments and stayed in effect for over 600 years. The uncertainty of the time is seen in the literature of the period. Two major works of literature were written during the Kamakura Period. The first The Hojoki (An Account of My Hut) describes the vanity of humans and is tied to Buddhism. The second work, The Heike monogatari (Tale of the Heike), narrates the rise and fall of the Taira Clan contains tales of wars and samurai. Poetry also flourished during this period. Twenty volumes of the Shin kokinshu wakashu (New Collection of Ancient and Modern Times) were produced between 1201 and 1205.

During the Kamakura Period, Buddhism grew greatly. Kamakura became the Buddhist center of Japan during this time period. Perhaps the greatest example of the influence of Buddhism in Kamakura is the Statue of the Great Buddha or Daibutsu. Made in 1252, it was originally located inside a large temple hall. The temple buildings were washed away by a tsunami tidal wave in 1495. The temple is uphill from the water by over 1 mile. Since then the over forty foot Buddha, the second largest in the country, stands in the open air. The statue is so impressive, Rudyard Kipling was inspired to write a poem about it. Lady Inadano-Tsubone, a lady attendant of Shogun Yoritomo left court service after his death and devoted herself to raising funds for the construction of the Great Buddha. A wooden image was completed in 1243 but was damaged by a storm 5 years later. Funding and building of the current bronze state began shortley afterward. Click Here for Video of the Inside of The Buddha StatueThis particular statue is modeled after the usual Indian form of meditation which was adopted by the Japanese Buddhists particularly Zen Buddhists. The legs are crossed in front and the body is inclined slightly forward. Click Here for External Video of the Statue. Video Clip #2. The Pure Land Sects grew greatly during this time period. In addition to previous Buddhist sects, a radical group emerged. In 1253, The Lotus Sutra sect was founded by Nichiren Shonin, a Japanese monk who believed the Lotus Sutra offered the true Buddhism. He went on to write Rissho Ankoku Ron, (Treatise on Spreading Peace Throughout the Country by Establishing Righteousness). This work credits the natural disasters that were occurring to the government's incorrect government and the people who followed the false Buddhist ways. The criticism of the government led to persecution for the followers. Their beliefs focused on the scripture The Lotus Sutra. Click here to see a guide to Buddhist Temples

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is the most important Shinto shrine in Kamakura. It is dedicated to Hachiman, the Shinto god of War and the patron god of the Minamoto family, who founded the shrine in 1063. Hachiman is also the patron god of the samurai. It was later enlarged and moved to its current site in 1180 by Minamoto Yoritomo. The entrance shrine, like most, is marked with red tori. There are several entrances into the shrine. The West entrance has many merchants lining the walkway. The main entrance to the shrine is up a long walkway called Wakamiya Oji. It was constructed for Minamoto Yoritomo's oldest son and his first visit to the shrine. . It is a paved walkway lined with cherry blossoms making it a favorite tourist attraction in the spring. It is now in the center of a main road in Kamakura. At the left of the 61 stairs leading to the main shrine, there is a large gingko tree. There is the claim that it is 1000 years old. It however has a sad history. At that spot in 1219, Minamoto Sanetomo, the third shogun was stapped to death by his nephew Kygyo. Kygyo, the chief of the Shrine at the time, hid behind the tree and killed him out of jealousy. He later committed seppuku rather than face capture. To the east of the main shrine, there is a side shrine where many students make offerings. Shirahata sub-shrine is for success in tests. Another shrine, Hata-age Benzaiten Shrine, is located on an island amidst lotus flowers. It was originally designed with only white lotus flowers, the color of the Minamoto family, but has red lotus flowers, the color of the Taira clan, have mixed in over the years. Benzaiten is believed to be the Goddess of Fortune, Art and Learning. There individuals can pray privately with their families hoping to achieve one of the three assets that the goddess oversees.Click here to see a video clip of a service. Click here to see a guide to Shinto Shrines.

 

Another temple in Kamakura is the Hase Kannon Temple. This temple is located closer to the water than the Daibutsu or Tsurugaoka Hachimangu but on a high hill. It is most famous for its temple dedicated to Kannon (at right), the goddess of Mercy. There is a carved wooden statue of Kannon that washed ashore near Kamakura. Legend of this statue centers around two statues carved from one camphor tree in Hase. One was kept in Hase and the other was cast into the water to find its own home. It washed ashore 300 miles east but was throne back into the sea when all who touched it received bad luck or became ill. It washed ashore in Kamakura and gave them no ill fortune. This was taken as a sign that the statue was at home and the temple was built. One of the shrines at this temple began as a place for parents to pray for children. It is dedicated to Jizo, the guardian deity of children. In the years since World War II, it has become a shrine for children who have died in miscarriage or abortion. Parents may purchase a clay statue and leave it in the garden. They are often fitted with hand-knitted caps and sweaters. Often they will leave sacrifices for the children in the form of small toys or child favorite foods. Click here to view video of the statues. A third shrine in the temple is one to Amida, a Buddha who promised rebirth in the Pure land to the West to all who chanted his name. Minamoto Yoritomo ordered its construction on his 42nd birthday. One of the final shrines is a garden cave dedicated to Benzaiten, the goddess of feminine beauty. The cave is small and marked with the traditional red tori. Click here to see a guide to Buddhist Temples. Click here to see a guide to Shinto Shrines.

The Kamakura Period saw the rise of the samurai. These warriors were bound by loyalty to their daimyo. During this time, the samurai began to carry two swords. The samurai began to follow a code of conduct called bushido. Among their duties to the lord were giving up their lives without hesitation. If they failed, seppuku was the only way for them to regain their honor. When Zen Buddhism was introduced, it appealed to the samurai.

During the Kamakura Period, The Mongols attempted to invade Japan twice. The first invasion in 1274, saw the Mongols lose. In 1282, a typhoon destroyed the Mongol invasion fleet. Japanese believed that the gods had sent the typhoons to protect their islands. This is the origin of the kamikaze myth. The term kamikaze is again used in Japanese history during World War II.

The end of the Kamakura period came in 1333. SInce 1331, there had been a rebellion in Kyoto called Genko Rebellion. In 1336, Takauji joined the banished Emperor Godaigo. They then attacked the government in Kyoto and Kamakura ending the Kamakura Period ushering in the Muromachi Period and control of Ashikaga Shogunate.

 

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July 2005 Created - | Saturday, February 25, 2006 Last Revised -