WIND

By Stephen Francis Montagna

A female samurai warrior in 1333 is placed in the middle of the most male-dominated era in history. Her determination, skills, and disciplined fighting succeeded to the end, and her demise along with a curse placed upon her sword by the Shogun in which she and the sword would be entwined for eternity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliant Books Literary
• Release date: Apr 27, 2024
• ISBN: 9798889455141

Stephen Francis Montagna

I was born in Brooklyn, New York and I started my writing career late, in 1996, and have completed 23 novels, three movie scripts, and three country and western songs. I am on a great ride and enjoying life and all of what God has given me. I love fishing, have a second home on Duck Key where my boats are moored and I sneak down to Marathon in the Keys when I take a vacation from book signing and writing. I addressed members of SAG (Screen Actors Guild) a day before the Academy Awards of this year and then I attended the Awards before setting off on a book signing to Japan, China, Germany, Italy, France, and England before coming home. I am working on my latest novel, Dragon Fire, and from there I shall start work on Cyrus, a missile developed by Iran. I owe a lot to so many people who formed my life, one special lady is a great and well-known artist, Ms. Marianne Motches who was my mentor, my dictionary, and my driving force to create my novels. I have two of her works and am in search of more. Without her help, I would still be thinking about writing my first novel. Now, my driving force is my seven-year-old daughter who pushes me just as hard as Ms. Motches. I feel I shall write until my lights go out, it is my passion, my mistress, lover, monster, and dream and my writing allows me to be whoever I am writing about so I am enjoying so many different lives.

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Wind

Copyright © 2024 by Stephen Francis Montagna

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. 

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN: 979-8-88945-513-4 (Paperback)

ISBN: 979-8-88945-514-1 (eBook)

Brilliant Books Literary

137 Forest Park Lane Thomasville

North Carolina 27360 USA

For my Dad, Frank. For the living years

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter One

Prologue

The Heaven and Earth weren’t separated at the very beginning of the world. Together, they formed the chaotic mess of the past and the future all in one. The pure air and land mass pulled away from the impure and heavier particles that made up this turbulent mass of confusion, and these pure forms shaped the Heavens, while the more dense particles continued to float through the Universe aimlessly. Heaven formed, and Heaven’s first deities gave birth to the Brother Izanagi and the Sister Izanami. These two great Japanese gods would become man and wife, and would give birth to what would soon become known as the eight islands of Japans.

In the beginning, the Universe was a non living baron place. The deity Izanagi, whose name means the Male who Invites and his sister Izanami, whose name meant the Female who Invites, drifted aimlessly through the Heavens in pure thought. Izanagi searched the Universe looking for the site he intended to create. He was sent on this mission by his father, and his search lasted thousands of years. Unable to find the proper place he was looking for, Izanagi gave in to his boredom and driven by his father’s desires, he created the earth.

With a thunderous clap, the earth was created in the wake by drawing the floating particles together in one wave of air created by the hands of Izanagi, and the earth was covered by water on its creation. Even with this creation, Izanagi continued to be bored with his existence in the floating world.

Izanami, his beloved sister realized Izanagi’s dilemma, and talked him into creating land masses on the bubbling curdling and forming earth. Izanagi agreed with his sister’s suggestion and together, Brother and Sister, Man and Wife stood on the last step of the Floating Bridge to Heaven. They dipped the fabled Amenotamaboko, the Celestial Jeweled Spear and phallic symbol of pure birth, in the swill which was the basis that made up the earth as it was at this time. Together they pushed the Jeweled Spear in the forming earth until it pierced the spine of the great Ocean covering the surface of the forming planet. Together they stirred the untidiness until the brine and froth gave forth with a thundering and curdling gurgle.

When the waters and mud and floating particles boiled in a swirling, moving and forming mass, the two deities withdrew the sacred Spear, and Izanagi held the Jeweled shaft to the Heavens as a gift offered to his honored father. His father allowed the drops of soupy mix to fall from the tip of the Spear of Birth. The drops crystallized and floated on the swirling water, thus creating the Japanese Island of Kyushu which the deities named Onogoro. Onogoro later became the birth place of the honored Japanese race.

The deities soon grew tired of floating on the clouds, so they descend from Heaven and erected the fabled Eight Fathom House with a Central Pillar. This gave the forming earth the World Spine or center core; this swill would be used to build on. When the deities moved to the island they performed the ceremony which would forever make them Man and Wife, by circling this Central Pillar twice, meeting face to face on the other side.

As other drops of mud dripped from the Spear, the deities Izanagi and Izanami gave birth to the other Seven Islands to make up Japan. Together the islands made up the Ohoyashimakuni, the land of the Eight Islands of Japan. Thus endearing the number eight to a scared significant to the future race of the Japanese population.

Ninigi was the next deity to leave the Heavens and take residence on the newly formed earth. His task was to direct the development of Japan, insuring his future grandson, Jimmu Tenno would become the first of divine Emperors to rule the islands of Japan. And to insure his future offspring’s would rein Japan forever, by instilling the honor of Emperor on his grandson Tenno.

This greatness bestowed on the Eight Islands of Japan, did little to make Izanagi content with his work or existence in the new world. He searched his mind for other ways to improve his creation. Izanagi went on to finish his work, before creating the indispensability’s needed to make Japan the true seat of creation on the earth, and the future populations of the world.

Izanagi shaped Onogoro by using drops of his sweat, and turned them into the forests of trees. His breath which he blew across the baron lands turned into a mighty sea of grass. Tears of happiness turned into lakes which gave birth to crystal clear streams crisis-crossing the Eight Islands of Japan. A second thunderous clap of his hands gave birth to the animals which walked on his creation. A third reverberating clap, gave birth to birds that replaced him and soared among the Heavens, along with the sea animals that prowled the ocean’s depth.

Izanagi grew weary of the toils of his creation and wanted to rest, but the entire expanse of the eight Japanese Islands was flat. His sister Izanami felt bad for her husband’s weariness, and with a sudden stomp of her foot, appeared a central mountain range. Thus from the depths of the earth, Mt. Fugi was born. The Mountain rose until it was the height to offer Izanagi a great chair on which to rest his body upon. With a wave of her hand the clear blue sky was instantly dotted by soft fluffy clouds. The hot temperature dropped, making Izanagi rest more comfortably on his mountain chair overlooking his vast creation.

When the Eight Islands of Japan were formed to Izanagi’s desires, Izanagi and Izanami decided their work was completed on the earth, and they considered returning to the Heavens. To give birth to the future deities who would follow them in the hearts and minds of the proud and respectful Japanese people.

The birth of many Japanese deities was a most stormy and violent task, with many arguments developing between the deity Izanagi, his wife, and gods they created to rule the earth he created. The first Kami’s born was the Heavenly Blowing Male, later known as Fujin, or the God of Wind. The sea kamis, Foam Waves, Foam Calm, and Ocean Possessor, and Heavenly Water Provider followed then Izanagi gave birth to the deities of the earth solid. Mountains, passes and valleys had their kami’s or god like guardians, along with the grass, crops, and rock kami’s.

The sea gods were called Watatsumi, or sea children. But the war between the gods didn’t end at their creation. Izanami gave nativity to the fire god Kagutsuchi. This fiery deity caused the death of his mother and his wife and sister of Izanagi. With the death of Izanami terribly burned by this kami’s birth, Izanagi’s heart became filled with grief and hatred. In his rage he drew his ten grasp sword and chopped the head of Kagutsuchi from his body, Izanagi proceeded to chop Kagutsuchi’s body into three pieces, and each severed piece became gods themselves.

Other gods were born from the blood splattered on the rocks and ground from the slaughtered god. Blood dripping from Izanagi’s sword became the gods Kuraokami, the Dragon of Valleys, and Kurayamatsumi, the Lord of Dark Mountains, and Kuramistsuha, the Dark Water Snake.

Before his beloved sister and wife Izanami died, she grown ill and her vomit gave birth to gods, her urine gave birth to Mitsuhanome, or the female water snake. The other deities Izanami and Izanagi gave birth to were of the fearsome dragon family, Mizuchi, or water fathers sometimes referred to as horned deities. Wani, one of the last gods born, was a mighty dragon who resembled a mix between a crocodile and shark. It was believed Toyotamabime, or Abundant Pearl Princess took a human lover, and she transformed herself from human shape to a dragon, and forever retained the shape when her child died at birth, as anger and punishment for her sharing a mortal lover.

After Izanagi slaughtered Kagutsuchi, he longed for his dead wife and sister. Izanagi set out to find his wife residing in the land of the Underworld. Izanagi found his sister living in the land of gloom and darkness. Seeing him standing outside the Parturition structure, Izanami raised the door. Izanagi ordered her to follow him, saying the Islands they created weren’t complete without her presence. But Izanami refused to follow him to the world of the living and light, stating she doomed herself to this place of loneliness for eternity, because she ate from the food of Yomi. Izanami desired to return to the land of light and told Izanagi she would speak with Yomi while Izanagi remained waiting outside.

Izanagi waited and then entered Izanami’s sacred Parturition dwelling against her will. Upon entering the dwelling he saw his wife lying in a rotting state with the gods of thunder eating from her decaying body. Shocked by what he witnessed, Izanagi pulled away from his loving wife and sister in disgust. Izanagi broken the sacred taboo of seeing his wife dwelling in the Parturition House, the specially erected one room structure where the honored Japanese women of respect went to have children unobserved by anyone in the mortal world.

Outraged by this indignity committed against her person and coupled with a great loss of face to Izanami, she became humiliated and commanded the Ugly Females of the Yomi to arise from their graves and hunt down and slays her once beloved husband and brother Izanagi.

Izanagi hearing this command to the lowly gods of the underworld, he fled the sequestered house being pursued by the angry Female gods. He slowed the horde of pursuing evil gods by throwing articles of clothing behind him, which formed obstacles too great to be overcome by the pursuing gods. Thus stopping the evil deities in pursuit of him. Izanami, finding the Female gods failed on their mission to kill her brother and husband, unleashed other pursuers from the dark side of the underworld. The eight Thunder deities she gave birth to were sent after Izanag, with a thousand, five hundred warriors of Hades to assist them.

Izanagi was able to escape the Even Pass of Hades by swinging his ten grasp sword, forcing the pursuing demons back in the depths of the dark and foreboding cave and doorway of the underworld. Izanami took up the pursuit of Izanagi. Seeing her rapidly approaching from within the depths of the dark cave, Izanagi blocked the mouth of the Pass of Yomi with a massive boulder that would take a thousand men to move.

Enraged by this blocking action of her brother, the screaming Izanami threatened from within the mouth of the cave to kill a thousand men from the land of light and living. Izanagi yelled back threatening to give birth to a thousand five hundred men to exceed the number threatened by her death order. The great bolder held Izanami at bay in the dark cave forced her to forever become the Yomotsuohokami, or Yomi’s Great Deity. Upon Izanagi’s return to the land of the living, Izanagi performed the honored ceremony of the purification of the body.

Izanagi went to the river and bathed. Two evil demons were born from the filth of Hades washed from his battered and exhausted body, and floated down river to escape Izanagi’s wrath. Izanagi washed his left eye, and from it he gave birth to Amaterasu, the goddess of sun. He washed his right eye in the pure waters of the river, and from that he gave birth to the god of the moon, the great Tsukiyomi.

Izanagi ordered the sun deity Amaterasu to rule over the great Plains of the High Heavens, and ordered the moon god Tsukiyomi, to rule over the night Heaven. Susanowo, born from Izanagi’s spittle, was decreed by Izanagi to become the brother of the war like and fearsome Fujin, the always angry god of Wind, and he was ordered to rule the immense depths of the unending Sea he created with his own hands.

The god Susanowo defied Izanagi’s order and wept, unleashing an evil poisonous rain to wash over the lands of the sacred eight Islands of Japan. Seeing this evil rain was destroying what he created for the children of his breath, the angry Izanagi confronted the god Susanowo, and demanded to know why he wept so. Susanowo replied he wanted to join his mother dwelling in the honored land of the dead in the cellar of the underworld.

Enraged by Susanowo’s defiance of his command and destroying of what he created, Izanagi banished Susanowo to Afumi, the fresh water lake. Izanagi hoped the pure waters of the lake would do something to wash away some of the evil thoughts from the angry god’s mind. Izanagi returned to Heaven for a rest.

Susanowo rose in the air as a bellowing and ferocious dragon, and caused the lands of Japan to be violently ripped apart by crippling earthquakes. The Sun goddess Amaterasu came to her brother’s side. There they pledged faith and love to each other, with Amaterasu requesting Susanowo’s sword before she would consider having his children. Upon receiving the sword from his right hand, Amaterasu broke it in three pieces.

Amaterasu removed five hundred curved jewels from her hair and washed them in the pure waters of the Pool of Truth in Heaven, then crushed them and with her breath, blew the fine jeweled dust to the Heavens. The deities of the Torrent Mist Princess, the Lovely Island Princess, and Princess of Torrent were born from the crushed jewels and Amaterasu’s breathe.

Susanowo who dearly wanted to have children with his sister, asked her for the remaining five hundred six foot long curved jewels from her hair. He washed them in the waters of the Pool of Truth in Heaven, and crushed them in his hands and just as his sister had done moments before him, he gently blew the fine jewel dust towards the Heavens. From his breath came forth the birth of the gods, the Truly Conqueror, I Conquer, Conquering, and Swift Heavenly Great Ears, and the god Amenohohi, along with the god Prince Lord of Heaven, and god Prince Lord of Life, and lastly to be born from this dust, was the god of Kumano who came forth from the glittering dust as it drifted to the surface of the earth. Thus, the gods of Japan were given their birthright in the hearts and minds of their loving people of Japan forever to be loved and respected.

Chapter One

Thus throughout the great history of Japan’s turbulent beginning, starting with the end of the Prehistoric Age, life was a savage struggle at best for the children of Izanagi. This struggle extended to the birth of the religion of Buddhism, born from the influences of the Chinese civilization which filtered into the development of Japan. True growth began in earnest in Japan around the time of the sixth century, and extended to the feudal times of the Middle Ages. But Japan’s development was plagued by many rivalries between the ruling clans. Clashes occurred frequently between the different clans making up the haphazard Japanese lifestyle. A period of violent wars began with the conquest of the northern section of the emerging country against the fearsome Caucasian type Ainu Aborigines, and continued with great battles breaking out between the rival families of nobility.

Early wars caused hopelessness among Japan’s citizens, the conflicts undermining the national consciousness, and the only way citizens felt security from their leader’s wrath was by belonging to a group. Groups, city, or military districts sprouted up throughout the islands. This need to belong coupled with the want for security against the bands of Ronin, the masterless samurai warriors or highway men, or wave men and criminals roaming Japan. Created the need for the birth of Seii TaiShogun. Shogun means the barbarian suppressing commander in chief, or military dictator. To rule over their domain, the Shogun with his retainers developed a bakufu or central government to rule Japan. They were forced to employ help and developed daimyos or provincial governments to protect the bakufu. Daimyo means great name.

These ruthless feudal sub leaders or provincial lords, were merciless dealing with farmers (hyakusho), artisans (shokunin), merchants (akindo, chonin), and outcasts (eta, himin). Peasants lost their lives to the killing sword for such minor infractions as not bowing properly.

The need for protection from criminals robbed the uneducated of initiative to better themselves, insuring no disturbances from the inhabitants of the bakufu. There was no reason for them to better themselves or escape servitude, when they didn’t realize the situation they were in.

The emergence of the Japanese culture suffered more hardships and setbacks through countless years of unrest and strife, with the worst beginning in the year 1051 and extending to 1062. This was the time of the Early Nine Year War, which witnessed the emergence of the warrior Yoshiie Minamoto who eliminated the Abe clan in northern Honshu. 1083 to 1087 was the time of the Later Three Year War which witnessed many warriors from Yoshiie Minamoto destroying the opposition from the Kiyowara clan who took over northern Honshu, when the Abe clan was destroyed in war. 1095 was the year that beheld the marauding sohei monks as they descended from Mount Hiei, and attacked Heian Kyo.

The continuing years of fighting and hatred caused disruption in Japan, and when Kiyomoni Taira emerged from the masses, it was hoped he would be the answer to Japan’s problems. But it wasn’t to be, he was the worst. In 1156, Kiyomoni Taira of the military aristocracy in the provinces took control of the civil government of Kyoto. This period became known as the Fujiwara period, which extended from 866 to 1160, and led to the beginning of the Taira period of rule, 1156 which gives birth to this story.

THE KAMAKURA PERIOD, ELEVEN EIGHTY FIVE TO THIRTEEN THIRTY SIX

The beginning of the Kamakura era marked a turning point in Japan’s history. During the time of the tenth and eleventh centuries, aristocratic Fujiwara clan was the ruling power of Japan. The Fujiwara clan enjoyed unlimited control of the capital of Kyoto, Japan’s seat of power and ruling center of the country. But the foolish Fujiwara leaders allowed themselves to fall victim to the perils of good life, the absolute power and stagnation offered Japan’s rulers. They became involved in the pleasurable pursuits of culture, grand rituals and leisurely pleasures of court life, and forgot how they had to fight to become the leaders of Japan. Rulers of the Fujiwara clan neglected martial arts, and relied on independent warrior clans controlling the outer provinces for their maintenance of the political structure of Kyoto, sowing the seeds of their demise.

By the beginning of the twelfth century saw the rise of two powerful rival clans to rule the lands of Japan. The clans owed their strengths to the weakness of the bored and unsuited Fujiwara government leaders. Forced to appoint the Kiyomuri Taira and Yoshitomo Minamoto clan leaders as daimyos of the land south and north of Kyoto, because of their military strengths and knowledge of war making abilities. This appointment made it possible for the warlords to mass powerful armies of feared samurai warriors for future wars to rule the land of Japan.

The Kamatari Fujiwara government not possessing an army of its own was compelled to call on these clan leaders to put down constant uprisings plaguing its government. The government wasn’t aware samurai warriors were mostly responsible for the uprisings. The leaders of the these clans, Yoshitomo Minamoto or Genji, and Kiyomori Taira or Heishi or Heike, took advantage of the needs of the government to savagely attack each other’s camp. Making it necessary for each side to reinforce the size and strength of their armies with more samurai. Terribly savage wars between these armies arose from the political foundation of Kyoto, and gave birth to a class of samurai to fight for the opposition against the rule of the aristocracy. This new class of warriors began to revenge themselves on the capital city trying to control them.

The final battle between the clans occurred in 1160, when Yoshitomo Minamoto attacked the Imperial castle in the proper of Kyoto with five hundred warriors. They overran the castle, taking the Emperor Goshirakawa cloistered in the castle and imprisoned him in an ill fated attempt to regain power. A month of fighting took place in Kyoto until the forces of Taira overwhelmed the Minamoto warriors. The Taira set out on a mission of revenge by ordering executions and retribution of unparalleled savagery to be carried out against surviving Minamoto clan members, until the clan was hunted down and on the brink of extinction.

For a period of time in Japan’s stormy history, the Taira clan enjoyed absolute authority under the harsh leadership of Kiyomori Taira. Kiyomori Taira was a ruthless general of courage and brilliant military leadership who succeeded in ruthlessly crushing his enemy without mercy, and leader of the Minamoto clan. Kiyomori trapped Yoshitomo in a valley and butchered the rival leader with many military leaders and family members. Others adherents were scattered and without a true leader to guide them, they took to roaming Japan looking for a safe place to settle. Yoshitomo’s two eldest sons were put to the sword, sharing the fate that took their parents. But one fatal mistake was committed, a mistake that would come to haunt Kiyomori forever. He allowed the third son of the feared Yoshitomo Minamoto to survive.

Yoritomo Minamoto, leaving his isle after fleeing the slaughter of his family, headed for the province of Mino and from there, he attempted to head for Kwanto or east provinces and safety this region offered him. But he was unable to elude the armies sent to capture him. Yoritomo was captured by the Taira commander General Kunekiyo, who brought him to capital of Kyoto. Yoritomo was dragged before Kiyomori where he was asked if he was ready to meet his fate. The child’s fearless demeanor ruled his actions and he replied proudly he was ready to die by his own hand if ordered, but added he would rather live, for he was the only one of his clan left alive to pray for the souls of his relatives. His words and plea for prayers to his relatives softened the stout heart of the fearless Taira leader, and Kiyomori spared the child’s life, and placed him in the care of two trusted retainers.

Once Kiyomori’s clan defeated Yoshitomo’s armies, he established the supremacy of his rule over Japan, by putting his rivals and troublemakers to the sword. This purge of Japan lasted months, and when Kiyomori grew weary of the slaughter he ordered a stop to the killings. But instead of returning to the woods where the Imperial Court and Emperor of Kyoto felt he and his followers belonged, Kiyomori moved to the heart of Kyoto and settled and surrounded himself with his best generals and captains and counselors, who served to strengthen his position.

These positions of government were occupied by prominent members of his clan. Kiyomori’s power became so absolute over the Fujiwara government; it was believed the Taira leader was unworthy of belonging to the human race. So soaring was Kiyomori’s ambition that the cloistered Son of Heaven, the Emperor, felt threatened and declared his own position in control over Japan was in jeopardy. Realizing his power was soaring, Kiyomori dared to take the title of grand chancellor, and taking a page from Kamatari Fujiwara’s rise to power, he married his daughter to the Emperor. The couple produced their only heir who would occupy the throne.

THE RISE OF THE FIRST TRUE SHOGUN

In the year of 1180, the Minamoto clan was being led by one of the greatest generals in Japan’s history, and who would later become a statesman. Yoritomo Minamoto appeared on the horizon. He was a surviving son of the great leader of the Minamoto clan, Yoshitomo, assassinated in 1160 after his bid to overthrow Kiyomori failed. Kiyomori’s clan would have ruled Japan if it wasn’t for one fatal mistake. Instead of slaughtering all surviving children of Yoshitomo, Kiyomori allowed two sons to live. One child was Yoritomo Minamoto, although he was raised by Taira guardians, Yoritomo grew to hate Kiyomori for what he done to his family. He rose to become a most ambitious leader of opposition against the Kiyomori leaders.

Rallying the surviving members of the Minamoto clans together who took safe harbor on the far east coast of Japan, Yoritomo Minamoto established a formidable army to rise up and challenge the Taira ruler over Japan and her subjects.

Shortly after the death of Kiyomori Taira, the eldest Minamoto son, Yoritomo seized the opportunity and rose in rebellion against the Taira clan, launching the beginning of the great Gempei War, which lasted from 1180 to 1185. The war was one of the longest in Japan’s history. Not only did the war last for an extended period, but it was Japan’s most savage and bloody conflict, witnessing the deaths of thousands of loyal warriors to both sides.

The Gempei War began in the spring of 1180 when Yorimasa Minamoto, an aged Kyoto courtier and relation of the banished Minamoto clan, plotted to overthrow the Taira leader and establish on the Imperial Throne the disqualified Prince Mochihito. Mochihito was overlooked as the successor in favor of Kiyomori Taira’s infant grandson, the Emperor Antoku.

The plot was discovered and it ended with the deaths of Yorimasa and Prince Mochihito, with their heads being lost as a result of their crime. The incident served to incite Yoritomo and his clan and he rebelled from his place of exile on the Izu Peninsula.

The animosity that fostered between the Taira and Minamoto clans erupted in one breath of the dragon, and unleashed the fires of hell on the lands of Japan in the war between the two clans. Late 1180 on the twenty eighth day of the twelfth month, Shigehira Taira, one of Kiyomori’s sons set fire to the temples of Kofukuji and Todaiji. These temples were regarded as powerful centers of Japanese religion and cultural beliefs, and a forceful seat of anti-Taira sentiment.

In one rampaging night of unmasked destruction and hatred, these remarkable structures, along with the Buddhist statuary of the temples once believed to be the spine of Japan since the eighth century, were reduced to ash. Shigehira Taira realized he committed a foolish act against the heart of Japan. He killed himself, but his rash act aroused the abhorrence of the pure men of conscience throughout Japan. Taira clan’s future was sealed in their demise.

After the Nara fire that destroyed much of Kyoto had been brought under control, restoration work on the sacred temples and shrines began at Todaiji on the sixth month of 1181. The Taira clan retreated, and on the third month of 1183, the Taira clan was pressured in abandoning Kyoto. Their retreat was, with the Minamoto forces maintaining pressure on the retreating Taira troops. The fleeing Taira army was slaughtered almost to the last warrior two years later, in a sea battle off the coast of Dannoura.

Minamoto’s forces were aided by a shift in the tide which caught the Taira army depleted by hunger and desertions by surprise, and the raging tide capsized warships carrying thousands of Taira fighters. So many weighted down warriors were drowned that the sea in this region ran red with blood from the slaughtered Taira soldiers. The massacre of the Taira clan was so complete the daughter of the clan’s leader, and infant son and future Emperor of Japan, Antohu, were drowned. When found, they were hacked to pieces and their body parts were scattered along the beach, having been refused a proper burial.

YORITOMO MINAMOTO, NOW THE UNDISPUTED MASTER OF ALL OF JAPAN

The true Emperor was so pleased when he was informed Kiyomori Taira and his family were destroyed; he bestowed the highest privilege of Seii TaiShogun, on the head of Yoritomo. The barbarian subduing general was honored for his accomplishment of destroying the Taira clan. Thus establishing the duel system of government that would rule Japan for centuries. Yoritomo learned not to repeat the same mistake of allowing his enemy to survive, only to come back sometime in the future to wage war on his rule.

When Yoritomo received the title of Seii TaiShogun from the Emperor in the third month 1192, he became the master of his fate. By the time this honor was bestowed on him, Yoritomo controlled half Japan with the outlying provinces swearing loyalty and allegiance to his leadership. With this honor placed on his head, the decree rendered the Emperor’s authority to be overshadowed by Yoritomo rule. His need for money and troops linked the new Emperor to the Yoritomo clan. The Emperor agreed with the arrangement, he knew he had no choice, because Yoritomo was so powerful a force to deal with. If he decided to make a claim for the Emperor’s seat, the population would have served it up to him on a silver platter.

The Shogun Yoritomo made certain he didn’t commit the second fatal mistake of his career, by taking residence and living in Kyoto. Before the collapse of Kyoto, the city was known as Heian Kyo, translated as the Capital of Peace and Tranquility. Heian Kyo went out of use and the capital’s name changed to Kyoto. If he stayed in Kyoto, Yoritomo was worried he might fall victim to the glorified ways of life, and luxuries of the Imperial Court that trapped many leaders before him, and doomed them to the pitfall of stagnation. Yoritomo set up headquarters at the military site at Kamakura in the Sagami (Soshu) province, at a town resting on the shore at the mouth of Edo Bay. Upon establishing this capital city, the wise Shogun Yoritomo made his loyal henchmen, daimyos and stewards of the land, and then sent them to govern their provinces, which he bestowed on them in his name for their loyalty to him and his rule.

The daimyos were placed in command of provincial armies, thus sowing the seeds of the samurai caste. The daimyos duty was to instill the loyalty of these soldiers to their Shogun. This was the development of the Bushido, the Code of Conduct and Chivalry, the Way of the Warrior which governed the soul of samurai, and enslaved them to the steadfast belief in their Shogun and his will. The Shogun’s honor was raised up to a living god like reverence, forever bonding the samurai’s body and soul to their leader. This insured the Shogun there would never be any uprisings against any Shogun from the ranks of soldiers, while the daimyos ruled the royal estates they were placed in command of by the Shogun.

The samurai class took years to establish firmly before these warriors could assert themselves in the army of the Shogun. The Shogun was forced to take them on if he wanted to remain in power. Years of unpredictable changes, battles, and political and social disorders, added to the strengthening of the rising samurai class. Japan thus entered its most active and alternating phase of history. It was as if Mount Fuji had awakened after lying dormant for thousands of years. Japan was poised to erupt into a greatness that still rules her nature today, hundreds of years after the true meanings and the beliefs of Bushido came into being.

With the unwavering backing of his samurai, Yoritomo Minamoto set up a military dictatorship with the samurai becoming his most important class of personage. Yoritomo was swift enough to realize his Shogun’s power rested on the shoulders and loyalty of his samurai. Their loyalty was vital to his rule and he did everything to insure their happiness. He established a section of his Kamakura bakufu to deal with the samurai’s problems. A ruling samurai dealt out the duties of every samurai, and recommended promotions, and other different forms of rewards for the warrior’s accomplishments on the field of battle, or to the protection of the Shogun’s lands. This ruling samurai determined the punishments against any infractions of laws and controlled the home life of each samurai. Yoritomo didn’t want unhappiness among the soldiers. Tea Houses were established to service the samurai who felt the need to pillow a woman. Everything to further the samurai’s comforts was pursued.

The Shogun Yoritomo Minamoto demanded unwavering loyalty from those who served him, and was ruthless to all he dealt with or was against him. His treachery was so compelling he trusted no one, not even his brother. Yoritomo tried to have his brother assassinated when he suspected he was becoming too great a general and threat in his right, and beginning to usurp his rule. Yoritomo’s brother was the popular Yoshitsume, the ninth and youngest son of the slaughtered leader, Yoshitomo, Yoritomo’s father. Stories of his brother’s deeds in battle were spoken among the campfires of samurai. This mounting respect for his brother clouded Yoritomo’s mind until he turned against his brother in the closing days of the Gempei War. Yoritomo arranged for his brother’s murder, but the assassins were clumsy and discovered. Yoshitsume and his servants and vassals escaped the attempt on their lives.

Yoshitsume fled Kamakura and rushed to the protection offered by Kyoto whereupon he appealed to the Emperor. Yoshitsume was ordered to arrest his brother and bring him to the capital for justice. But Yoshitsume lacked the support of samurai to carry out this order by the Emperor. Yoshitsume was forced to sail for the western provinces to raise the army he needed to place his brother and Shogun under arrest. He went to Mutsu and Dewa and pleaded with his friend Hidehira Fujiwara for help in finding the soldiers he needed to defeat his brother.

While his brother Yoshitsume wasted time raising an army to go against the ruling Shogun, Yoritomo Minamoto marched an army of samurai to the heart of Kyoto. There demanded an audience with the Emperor, whereupon Shogun Yoritomo insisted the Emperor change his order of arrest, and forced the Emperor to grant Shogun Yoritomo a new arrest warrant, this one was to arrest his rebel brother, Yoshitsume.

Late in the fifth month of 1189, Yoshitsume’s palace at Korumogawa came under siege once it was discovered Yoritomo’s brother moved into this palace with the army he massed to go against the Shogun. Under crushing attacks from Yoritomo’s samurai, Yoshitsume’s bakufu crumbled. Yoshitsume, seeing escape from the bakufu was impossible, ordered his second in command, General Kanefusa to kill his wife and children while he committed seppuku.

Once Kanefusa was certain Yoshitsume and his family was dead, he completed the orders from his master. He set out to torch the palace before he died, but not until he carried out one final act of defiance. Kanefusa, his body ablaze ran from the burning palace and he wrapped his arms around a general from Yoritomo’s armies and dragged him into the flames, causing the general’s death with his own. No samurai reacted to this act of defiance carried by the enemy general because it occurred so swiftly. The siege ended with this act of bravery with the samurai of the opposing side paying homage to the memory of General Kanefusa.

With the defeat of Yoshitsume and the destruction of his palace, Yasuhira Fujiwara who recently succeeded Hidehiru, committed suppuku once he ordered his soldiers to march with Yoshitsume. Yasuhira was so eager to prove himself to Yoritomo, ordered the execution of his brother for helping Yoshitsume’s army. The head of his brother, along with the head from Yoshitsume’s body was taken, and sent to Kamakura as proof of his loyalty to the Shogun.

Shogun Yoritomo Minamoto searched his mind for a way to wreak revenge on the two he believed to be, rebel provinces. He was angered over their compliance with his rebel brother Yoshitsume’s attempt to take him in custody. Upon receiving the courier sent by Fujiwara, and viewing the heads resting on the wooded plates, Yoritomo faked outrage over what he deemed to be a terrible deed committed by Fujiwara. Yoritomo used this outrage as a reason for war and he sent out his samurai who destroyed the provinces of Mutsu and Dewa, while taking thousands of heads as the massive armies marched through the enemy provinces. This set an example to any who dared to go against the Shogun, Yoritomo’s will and rule.

There were other uprisings plaguing Yoritomo Minamoto’s reign, but he was successful in crushing them. When Yoritomo died 1199, the power held by the Minamoto clan was transferred, and now being wielded by the Hojo family. Hojo Tokimas was the father of Yoritomo’s wife, and he took over the military post of Regent. The Hojo family, whose members were once steadfast loyal vassals to the destroyed Taira clan, was rewarded by the seat of Regent and absolute power, and he ruled the troubled period of the Kamakura era. Although the Hojo rulers continued to rule in Kamakura, they exercised absolute rule over the realm, but no Hojo clan dared to assume the title of Shogun. They were content to be known as Shikken, Power Holders or Regents to the realm. The worse challenge to the Hojo rule came in 1274 with the first of the Mongolian invasions of Japan.

THE WAR BETWEEN KYOTO AND KAMAKURA

When the bloodline of Minamoto became extinct with his death, the Hojo clan rose to power over Japan, and they would hold this power for years. The reign of the Hojo clan in Kamakura began. However, the idea of Hojo Regents being in command of Japan didn’t sit well with the Emperor, who wanted to move the seat of power to its rightful place in Kyoto. The Emperor Go-Toba availed himself of the disturbances in the military government of Kamakura to overthrow the Hojo clan, and reinstate the Imperial Power in the capital of Kyoto. The Emperor Go-Toba infuriated the military followers in Kyoto, and once he was assured of their backing, he declared the Hojo clan and their followers to be traitors to the realm and its rule, and he assembled a great army with one objective, to destroy Kamakura as the current seat of power in Japan.

In the year 1221, a mighty Imperial army was dispatched from Kyoto, thus initiating a new confrontation against the Kamakura leaders. The ill trained and poorly equipped Imperial army was soundly defeated and forced to capitulate in one month’s time to the seasoned, better trained and equipped samurai of the Hojo of Kwanto, made up of samurai from the Yoritomo clan. This insured Kamakura would remain the seat of power over Japan. The Jokyu Disturbance as it came to be known brought down the curtain on Kyoto as the main stage of natural affairs for Japan.

All the nobles who took part in this short lived and soundly routed uprising were put to the edge of the sword. Heads were taken and placed on the Gunyokis, the small spiked wood platforms specially designed for the displaying of severed heads of one’s enemy. The estates of the vanquished were confiscated by the Hojo and divided between the loyal daimyos that made up the Kamakura bakufu defenders, and they backed the Hojo in this uprising. The heads were displayed before the Hojo leader and this act was elevated to a sacred ceremony of right, the viewing of the heads of their enemy.

The severed heads of the enemy were prepared by the women of the defeated who washed the battlefield grime and blood from them, and then the heads were set on the Gunyokis with the spike holding the heads in place for viewing. The heads were marched through the samurai ranks for viewing before being placed on the ground in patterns around the victor. In this case, Hojo viewed the heads for a moment, before ordering them to be brought to the beaches where they were placed on bamboo spears, and left for the birds to eat, or rot in the sun.

The Imperial family was treated harshly for their actions in this Jokyu disturbance, with Emperor Go-Toba receiving the rare punishment of being exiled to the barren and rocky island of Oki. He suffered there for three years of sequestration before succumbing to the toils of trying to survive under the harsh conditions. The rest of his family allowed to survive the slaughter of the disturbance, were married to mere peasants and farmers for their punishment.

THE MONGOLIAN INVASION LEAD BY KUBLAI KHAN: 1274

Another event held significance in shaping Japan and made the ruling Hojo Regent Tokimune, the 6th Regent of the Hojo clan, one of great distinction. This acknowledgment began in the fourth month 1274 when the Mongolian hordes in the backwash of their great invasion of most of Europe, attempted to ride this wave of success with the first of their invasions into Japan.

This race of outcast mixed blood Chinese Nomad warriors called Mongols, received their reputation of being great warriors by possessing highly maneuverability and employing surprise attacks against their enemy. They spread across developing Asia lands as a mass of deadly humanity. Like a plague sweeping the region, the Mongols attacked nations bordering their own. Within a few years the aggressive Mongols were successful in overrunning the Empire that made up the Chinese world, adding to their conquests, Korea. Although the Mongols had a number of leaders in their time, one great leader would be remembered as their greatest. Outside his grandfather Ghenghis Khan, it was Kublai Khan who ruled the Mongolians the longest.

Kublai Khan was the first grandson of Ghenghis Khan, who possessed a warring heart and as such, his mind always looking for the next nation to conquer, the next war to fight. The Khan turned to the rich Islands of the Japans. Klan sent spies to Japan long before he intended to invade, and they reported Japan were ripe for invasion, sighting the wars and uprisings plaguing the Hojo leadership. The discontent of the nobles in Kyoto added to the beliefs the time was right for invasion.

Kublai Khan, operating under the advice from his generals, decided he was going to bring Japan into the Mongolian Empire and dispatched six emissaries to the Japanese Emperor, demanding homage and gifts of tribute be paid to the Chinese empire. When the Emperor refused, Kublai Khan ordered the defeated Koreans to construct an armada of five hundred ships. In the eleventh month of 1274, the armada carrying twenty thousand Mongolians crossed to the island of Kyushu, and landed at Imazu in Hakata Bay, almost unopposed except for a few samurai who were the village’s only military presence.

The demands leveled on the Kyushu bakufu officials concerning the problems facing the samurai defenders and peasant farmers of Kyushu, resulted in the uncertainty of maintaining law and order on the island. This forced the officials to turn their backs on what was happening in the waters off Japan, China, and Korea. Coastal waters were visited by Japanese pirates believed to be using Tsushima, Ikishima, and Kyushu as their safe ports in which to operate from.

The Mongolian leader sent to Japan the first of six intermediates to address this fact with the Emperor of Japan, demanding the officials of Kyushu place a stop to the pirate raids in his domain. When there was no response from the Emperor to his demands, Khan decided to make a number of new demands of tribute from Japan. Khan demanded to be paid to replace what was stolen by the Japanese pirates. The sixth ruling Hojo Regent, Tokimune, was capable of defending Japan from invasion by the Mongolians, and in this crucial point in Japanese history. The islands that made up Japan were relatively free from civil strife and war. Making it possible for the ruling Hojo Regent to muster his force of samurai for the defense of Kyushu.

Kublai Khan’s army began his conquest of Japan by building his forces with the lesser trained Korean fighters, and his first attack occurred when his armada landed on Tsushima, which lay half way between Korea and Japan. Once this island was defeated, Khan aimed his army at Kyushu. On the island, Khan forces encountered a force of samurai numbering five hundred warriors commanded by So Sukekumi. These samurai as all Japanese warriors were trained fought courageously for hours before Khan’s outnumbering forces broke the defenders down by overwhelming them and slaughtering the garrison.

After this victory of Khan fighters was completed, the Khan armada moved on until it came across the second island, and the outer most defenses of the mainland. The Khan forces attacked Ikishima which suffered the same fate as her sister island miles before her, defeat at the hands of the Mongolians, ending with the slaughter of those who dwelled upon the island.

Khan began his attack on the Japanese mainland by landing his forces on Kyushu. Upon hearing of this attack, the Hojo sent his samurai to do battle with the invaders. When the samurai defenders arrived on the site where the Mongolians landed, the Mongolian aggressors launched a hail of arrows at the massed samurai who stopped and waited orders. The samurai beat on their shields and yelled battle cries, giving notice to the Mongolian hordes of their intent to do honorable battle.

The Mongolians replied to this threat with a deafening drum roll lasting throughout the battle yet to come. This constant drumbeat so terrified the samurai horses they bolted uncontrollable, with many steeds breaking free and fleeing their masters. Gathering the remaining herd for battle, the samurai mounted their steeds and rode at the Mongolians, proudly announcing their names and making challenges to the invaders of single, honorable combat by the sword. The Mongols were aware of the samurai’s devotion to honor and opened their ranks to the advancing Japanese, making them believe they would receive their wish. The Mongol warriors allowed the samurai to enter deep in their army before closing ranks, trapping and savagely slaughtered the samurai to the last man, by attacking the warriors in force in great numbers.

The samurai defenders showed one tactic employed by the Khan wasn’t going to work on them. The campaign of creating panic in the enemy defenses was wasted on these samurai. Another cry of anger and beating of their shields rose from the remaining ranks of samurai; they were stunned by this barbarian act committed against their attacking warriors. They massed another hundred samurai horseman who rode fool hearted forward as did the first wave of samurai, against their less than chivalrous Mongolian adversaries. Ninety nine of these fearless warriors were butchered outright by the overwhelming enemy fighters who attacked the samurai in large packs rather than one on one, leaving the commanding officer of the samurai to carry on. The samurai were unprepared for this style of mass attack warfare. The Bushido, the samurai code of law laid emphasis on their individual challenge and the combat of the soul of the warrior.

With the drums freezing the Japanese in place, the Mongols advanced on the samurai defenders, using a new weapon the Japanese never seen before. The deadly cross bow which sent enemy arrows further and with more power and accuracy. They advanced in huge bodies of troops so packed tightly in massive detachments no light passed them. The Mongols opened the attack by firing showers of arrows at random into the defending samurai ranks. Realizing there were no gallant antagonists to challenge to individual combat, just mass of Mongolians marching against them. The samurai aroused from their stupor and offered heavy resistance before fighting fiercely and bravely.

The Mongolian hordes fought the samurai wielding swords. The samurai sliced and hacked into the leading elements of Mongolian forces. The Mongols resorted to fire giving exploding weapons launched by catapult, knowing the Japanese warriors’ fear of fire and destruction fire could bring to their cities and towns made mostly of wood and paper. The samurai being soldiers of training and discipline, adapted to this tactic of fighting, and they attacked in controlled waves from different angles at a time. After a time, the fighting skills of the samurai forced the Mongolians to make a tactical retreat to the sea from whence they came, but not before setting the village ablaze as they retreated from Japan. Once their armada was out to sea, a great storm arose, capturing the enemy fleet and causing much damage to the invaders of the Khan. Sinking many warships and losing countless soldiers to the roaring surf. and breaking the back of their first invasion of Japan. The survivors were forced to return to China.

Undaunted by his defeat at the hands of the samurai defenders, Kublai Khan sent more emissaries to Japan demanding homage and loyalty to his ever growing and expanding Mongolian empire in China. In both instances the Mongolian embassies were killed. Infuriated by this action ordered by the Emperor of Japan, the Khan planned his second attack on the Japanese islands. He amassed an army ten times the size of the first invasion fleet. Armed with two thousand ships and one hundred and fifty thousand troops and horses, the Khan’s troops set off for the islands. On their journey the invading Mongolians attacked the smaller islands off the coast of Japan. This time to their surprise, they found Tsushima and Ikishima deserted.

In the summer of 1281, countless soldiers from the Khan’s second invasion army landed, this time on the northern coast of the Japanese island of Kyushu. But by the time of this second invasion, the samurai had plenty of time to fortify their coastal defenses against the new horde of invaders. In some cases the Japanese defenders constructed long stone walls running the length of the shoreline from which the samurai launched thick clouds of arrows of their own, thus stopping the invasion forces from landing on their land and trying to fight from their boats.

With the ability to stop the enemy armada from coming ashore, vast numbers of samurai were afforded time to swarm to the island’s defense. The Japanese harassed the invaders before they could approach the main coast. Samurai boarded small fishing boats and sailed out to meet the invaders head on, mounting daring hit and run attacks on the larger ships with arrows, using the cover of darkness to make good their escape.

As the enemy ships approached Japan’s coast, large numbers of samurai swam out to attack the vessels. The daring attacks destroyed a number of enemy ships at sea. On one occasion, forty samurai swam to one troop ship floundering in the surf and chopped the heads from the crew and fighters left aboard the stricken ship. Then the samurai swam to shore with the heads clutched in their teeth by the hair, and placed them on wood spears on the beaches to serve as warning to the Mongolian army waiting to invade the island.

All the attacks against the Khan’s mighty armada served the purpose of forcing the Mongolian invaders to remain at sea for long periods of time at the mercy of pounding surf and turbulent tides, and stifling under the heat from the summer sun. Water and food provisions became a serious problem to the Khan’s invasion forces trapped afloat on the ocean, and the Mongolian invaders were soon forced to slaughter and eat their horses for food, and drinking their blood for life giving fluids.

After fifty days of fierce battles on the ocean and land with the Mongolians able to fight their way ashore, the outcome hung in the state of indecision. The summer days of warring gave way to the dreaded typhoon season. The once clear bright sky held the darkening and threatening clouds of the typhoon spell. Then, in the early morning hours of August 14th, 1281, the prayers of the samurai were answered when the first of the mighty storms wracked the islands of Japan.

A fierce storm made its way on shore capturing the remaining fleet of Mongolian invaders in the open seas. For two days raging winds blew, mauling the enemy ships at sea and buildings on shore, sweeping soldiers on shore out to sea, and drowning those trapped in the ships on the water. On the closing night of this immense storm, the worst winds blew. The kamikaze or the divine wind blew hard and long, surpassing the destructive winds of the storm of the day before. It smashed the once great Mongolian armada, destroying many remaining ships and scattering the others to the far off corners of the four winds.

When the storm blew itself out and calmer weather returned, thousands of enemy troops were washed ashore. Many alive but unable to fight due to exhaustion. The samurai marched the shore, dispatching enemy warriors they came across. The enemy who had fight in them after their ordeal of battling the kamikaze winds, tried to carry on with their fight, but they were forced to surrender and fell to the way of the sword.

THE DOWNFALL OF THE HOJO REGENTS, THE END OF THE KAMAKURA ERA AND THE RETURN OF POWER TO THE CAPITAL, KYOTO

With the defeat of Kublai Khan’s second invasion forces, the samurai united as never before. For the first time in Japan’s courageous history, many samurai from different clans fought side by side as one against a foreign enemy. After the war ended, the samurai demanded pay from the Regents. The Hojo Regent Tokimune unable to tax the people further had no other way to raise the money needed to pay his samurai for their services. The war with the Khan armies was different than wars carried out on the mainland of Japan. Here, with the end of this war there were no captured lands to divide among the samurai or their feudal land owners, no caches of captured food and valuables to be used as payment, and no women to give away.

The demands from the warriors who defeated the Mongols placed a strain on the economy of the Hojo government based in Kamakura. The Hojo made requests for monies and food from the land owners, the daimyos he appointed to govern the lands he gave for their services, and his pleas fell on deaf ears. With the neglect of the samurai who fought on his behalf, and after the discovery there was no place to give for these samurai who demanded land for payment of their services, bands of Ronins formed. These criminal samurai were from many defeated clans who weren’t absorbed into the ranks of the conquering clans.

In 1284, the leader and the last great generals, Tokimune Hojo died. The leader of Japan whose military mind led hordes of samurai in the defense of Japan against the Mongols was gone. With his death, the demise of Kamakura began. Tokimune Hojo’s successors failed to lead the country in this time of need. They lacked the man’s inspiration and abilities of leadership, and the drive that carried Tokimune Hojo on to his greatness in his rule over Japan. Just as they did during the short time of the Jokyu Disturbance, the Imperial Family understood the weakness of the Kamakura bakufu as an opportunity to make their move against the ruling Hojo government and leadership, and their want to restore Kyoto as the seat of power for Japan.

From the beginning of 1318, the Imperial throne belonged to Emperor Go-Daigo, the second Emperor in the Go-Daigo line to rule the throne of Japan. The latest Go-Daigo to assume the Imperial throne was an ambitious man who once made up his mind. He showed by thoughts and actions he was going to end the existence of the outlying bakufus and bring the seat of power to Kyoto. The Go-Daigo made sweeping changes in the beginning months of his rule, abolishing the hallowed belief in the Cloistered Emperor. He made it clear to those who observed his government he was determined to rule Japan as its Emperor. Thus insuring the independence of the Emperor through his action. The lack of affirmative military action by the Kamakura bakufu, or outlying bakufu’s, incited the Emperor to challenge the Kamakura bakufu’s dominance.

When the Hojo Regent realized what the Emperor was attempting, he sent out an army from the Kamakura bakufu to challenge the Emperor’s orders. Emperor Go-Daigo received advance warning of this army from Kamakura’s approach, and it gave him time to prepare for the attack. Go-Daigo requested and received help in the form of samurai from the warring monks of Mount Hiei Buddhist bakufu, because the Emperor appointed his eldest son, Prince Morinaga, to become Abbot to the sohei monks. In this way he maintained control of the unpredictable monks. The Emperor had the wherewithal to make monetary offerings to the Buddhist bakufu of Nara. This was wise on his behalf because it inked the bakufu who controlled the high lands on which the army from Kamakura had to travel upon against his seat of power in Kyoto.

But as before in the turbulent history of Japan’s warring past, the plot of the Emperor was uncovered by spies sent from Kamakura. In the early days of September of 1331, the Go-Daigo was forced to flee Kyoto under pressure, and he headed for the safety of the Todia-ji in Nara. Again the Emperor didn’t leave Kyoto before taking with him the symbols of the Emperor’s sovereignty, the Imperial Regalia. The highly regarded Imperial Regalia consisted of three honored objects which forever insured the holder the throne of Japan. These were the Mirror, the great Sword, and the comma shaped Jewels.

The dangerous Todia-ji monks informed the Emperor they wouldn’t be able to fight off the attack from the Kamakura soldiers marching on their bakufu. So Go-Daigo was forced to move to the safety of Kasagi where another bakufu of monks let it be known they would protect the Emperor of Japan. The monks welcomed Go-Daigo and set out to reinforce their defenses for the pending attack from the Kamakura forces, but this attack never came about. Instead, the Kamakura army attacked the sohei monk bakufu at Mount Hiei, destroying the bakufu and forcing Prince Morinaga to flee, isolating Go-Daigo at Kasagi. The decision to attack the monks on Mount Hiei dealt a blow to the feared monk’s bakufu where the Go-Daigo took refuge. These