was a Japanese politician who exercised significant power in the early years of the

Kamakura period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...

, which was reflected by her contemporary

sobriquet A sobriquet ( ) is a descriptive nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym in that it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name without the need for explanation; it may beco ...

of the "nun shogun". She was the wife of

Minamoto no Yoritomo was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate, ruling from 1192 until 1199, also the first ruling shogun in the history of Japan.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Minamoto no Yoriie" in . He was the husband of Hōjō Masako ...

, and mother of

Minamoto no Yoriie was the second ''shōgun'' (1202–1203) of Japan's Kamakura shogunate, and the first son of first shōgun Yoritomo. His Dharma name was Hokke-in-dono Kingo Da'i Zengo (法華院殿金吾大禅閤). Life Minamoto no Yoriie was born to Hōj ...

and

Minamoto no Sanetomo was the third ''shōgun'' of the Kamakura shogunate. He was the second son of the Kamakura shogunate founder, Minamoto no Yoritomo. His mother was Hōjō Masako and his older brother was the second Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoriie. His child ...

, the first, second and third shoguns of the

Kamakura shogunate The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459. The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no Yori ...

, respectively. She was the eldest daughter of

Hōjō Tokimasa was a Japanese samurai lord who was the first ''shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate and head of the Hōjō clan. He was ''shikken'' from 1203 until his abdication in 1205, and Protector of Kyoto from 1185 to 1186. Background The Hō ...

and sister of Hōjō Yoshitoki, both of them ''

shikken The was a senior government post held by members of the Hōjō clan, officially a regent of the shogunate. From 1199 to 1333, during the Kamakura period, the ''shikken'' served as the head of the ''bakufu'' (shogun's government). This era was ref ...

'' of the Kamakura shogunate.

Early life and marriage (1157–1182)

Hōjō Masako (her real name is unknown; she was called Masako after her father's name Tokimasa by later researchers) was born in 1157, eldest child of

, leader of the influential

Hōjō clan The was a Japanese samurai family who controlled the hereditary title of '' shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate between 1203 and 1333. Despite the title, in practice the family wielded actual political power in Japan during this perio ...

Izu province was a province of Japan in the area now part of Shizuoka Prefecture and Tokyo. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Izu''" in . Izu bordered on Sagami and Suruga Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . The mainland portion of Izu Prov ...

, and his wife, Hōjō no Maki. Masako's parents were still in their teens, so she was raised by many ladies-in-waiting and nannies. Masako was born into a world of war and strife. In

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

, the capital of Japan, the

Hōgen Rebellion The was a short civil war fought in order to resolve a dispute about Japanese Imperial succession. The dispute was also about the degree of control exercised by the Fujiwara clan who had become hereditary Imperial regents during the Heian p ...

was in full swing. Cloistered

Emperor Toba was the 74th Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 鳥羽天皇 (74)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Toba's reign spanned the years from 1107 through 1123. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Ch ...

and

Emperor Sutoku was the 75th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 崇徳天皇 (75)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Sutoku's reign spanned the years from 1123 through 1142. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chr ...

warred over who would be the next emperor. The

wisely chose to stay out of the rebellion, even though the Hōjō family was descended from the

Taira The was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period of Japanese history – the others being the Minamoto, the Fujiwara, and the Tachibana. The clan is divided into four major groups, named ...

clan and thus was related to the

imperial family A royal family is the immediate family of monarch, monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or emperor, empress, and the term papal family describes the family of ...

. During the Heiji Rebellion in 1159, the

clan, under Taira no Kiyomori, defeated the

Minamoto was a noble surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility since 814."...the Minamoto (1192-1333)". ''Warrior Rule in Jap ...

clan with the support of Cloistered

Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His de jure reign spanned the years from 1155 through 1158, though arguably he effectively maintained imperial power for almost thirty-seven years through the ''in ...

. Minamoto no Yoshitomo, leader of the

clan, was executed, while his sons and daughters were either executed or sent to nunneries. Of his surviving sons,

Minamoto no Yoshitsune was a commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian period, Heian and early Kamakura period, Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series of battles that toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping his half-br ...

and Minamoto no Noriyori were forced into the priesthood, while

, at the age of thirteen, was exiled to Izu in the domain of

. While this was happening, Masako was barely an infant. The Taira under Kiyomori were from this point on in effective control of Japan. Masako was the oldest child of fifteen. She was instructed in horseback riding, hunting, fishing, and she ate with men rather than with the women of the household. Her brother, Hōjō Yoshitoki, born in 1163 would eventually become the second Hōjō

(regent) of the

and head of the

. Another of her brothers,

Hōjō Tokifusa was a member of Japan's Hōjō clan of nobles and courtiers; the brother of Hōjō Yoshitoki, shogunal regent, Tokifusa was appointed to the Kyoto-based government post of ''Rokuhara Tandai'' upon its creation in 1221, following the Jōkyū Wa ...

, would become a member of the

Rokuhara Tandai was the post of the chiefs of the Kamakura shogunate in imperial capital Kyoto whose agency, the , kept responsibility for security in Kinai and judicial affairs on western Japan, and negotiated with the Imperial Court in Kyoto, imperial court. ...

. Masako married Yoritomo around 1177, against her father's wishes. In 1179, they had their first daughter, Ō-Hime. As Yoritomo's wife, she participated in government administration and eventually became a representation of power for the

. The same year a disillusioned Imperial Prince Mochihito, son of

, called on members of the Minamoto still remaining in Japan to overthrow the Taira. Mochihito thought the

had denied him the throne to offer it to Emperor Antoku, who was half Taira.

considered himself the head of the Minamoto and responded. He had the full support of the Hōjō and

, not to mention Masako. The Minamoto center of power was the city of

Kamakura , officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...

, to the east of Izu in

Sagami Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan located in what is today the central and western Kanagawa Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Kanagawa''" at . Sagami Province bordered the provinces of Izu Province, Izu ...

. The

Genpei War The was a national civil war between the Taira clan, Taira and Minamoto clan, Minamoto clans during the late Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the downfall of the Taira and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yori ...

, the final war between Minamoto and Taira had begun. In 1180, Masako's elder brother Munetoki was killed at Battle of Ishibashiyama and Yoshitoki became heir of Hōjō clan. In 1181, Taira no Kiyomori died, leaving the Taira in the hands of his son

Taira no Munemori was heir to Taira no Kiyomori, and one of the Taira clan's chief commanders in the Genpei War. As his father Taira no Kiyomori laid on his deathbed, Kiyomori declared, among his last wishes, that all affairs of the clan be placed in Munemor ...

. In 1182, Masako and Yoritomo had their first son,

The Genpei War and its aftermath (1182–1199)

In 1183, Yoritomo's rival and cousin

Minamoto no Yoshinaka , also known as , was a Japanese samurai lord mentioned in the epic poem '' The Tale of the Heike.'' A member of the Minamoto clan, he was a cousin and later rival of ''shogun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and t ...

took

, forcing the Taira (and Emperor Antoku) to Shikoku. Soon after,

Emperor Go-Toba was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198. This 12th-century sovereign was named after Emperor Toba, and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as "later"; ...

was installed by the Minamoto.

and Minamoto no Noriyori, Yoritomo's half brothers who had joined the conflict on his side, drove Yoshinaka out of the capital and executed him, taking Kyoto in the name of Yoritomo (and the Hōjō). By 1185, the Taira were defeated at the climactic

Battle of Dan-no-ura A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force c ...

, which ended the war. Munemori was executed, while the remaining Taira were either executed or drowned as they fled, including the young Emperor Antoku. Yoritomo was now the undisputed leader of Japan and his wife Hōjō Masako and her family had stood by her husband through it all. Yoritomo's allegiance to his wife's family and her dislike of her brothers-in-law, as well as an internal power struggle brought on by the three brothers, eventually resulted in the arrest and execution of Yoshitsune and Noriyori. Yoritomo bestowed the titles of

shugo , commonly translated as ' ilitarygovernor', 'protector', or 'constable', was a title given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan. The position gave way to th ...

and

jitō were medieval territory stewards in Japan, especially in the Kamakura and Muromachi shogunates. Appointed by the shōgun, ''jitō'' managed manors, including national holdings governed by the '' kokushi'' or provincial governor. There were als ...

on loyal followers to undermine

's authority and the central government's control in the provinces while

was relegated to a ceremonial role and power shifted to center around

. In 1192, after the death of Go-Shirakawa, Yoritomo proclaimed himself

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...

and took official control over Japan. He was now the undisputed ruler and most powerful man in country. That same year Masako and Yoritomo had another son,

Yoritomo's death and familial strife (1199–1205)

In 1199, Minamoto no Yoritomo died. He was succeeded as ''shōgun'' by his son,

. Since he was only eighteen,

proclaimed himself ''shikken'' or regent for Yoriie. Masako also had a strong position since her son was ''shōgun''. Since her husband was dead, she shaved her head and became a Buddhist nun, receiving a

tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...

from the priest Gyōyū. However, she did not take up residence in a monastery or a nunnery, and still involved herself in politics. Along with her father Tokimasa and her brother Yoshitoki, Masako created a council of regents for the eighteen-year-old Yoriie. The headstrong ''shōgun'' hated his mother's family and preferred his wife's family, the Hiki clan, and his father-in-law, Hiki Yoshikazu. Hōjō Masako overheard a plot that Yoshikazu and Yoriie were hatching, and turned in her own son to Tokimasa, who did not hurt Yoriie but had Yoshikazu executed in 1203. Now, ''Shōgun'' Yoriie was very sick and retired to

Izu Province was a province of Japan in the area now part of Shizuoka Prefecture and Tokyo. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Izu''" in . Izu bordered on Sagami and Suruga Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . The mainland portion of Izu Prov ...

. He was murdered in 1204, no doubt by Tokimasa's orders. Masako had not been aware of this. During the murders and purges of the Hiki clan, Minamoto no Ichiman, Yoriie's eldest son and heir and Masako's grandson, was also executed since he was part Hiki himself. In 1203, Masako's other son by Yoritomo,

, became the third ''shōgun'' with Tokimasa as regent. Sanetomo was closer to his mother than his elder brother was, and still a child when appointed ''shōgun'', by contrast his brother, who was forced to abdicate as ''shōgun'' was now an adult. Nonetheless, Masako and Yoshitoki, the heir to the Hōjō, were angry with their father, especially after their mother, Hōjō no Maki, died in 1204. Masako's sister's husband, Hatakeyama Shigetada, was wrongfully executed on Tokimasa's orders even after Yoshitoki, Masako, and Tokifusa told Tokimasa he was not guilty of the "treason" charges. Hōjō Tokimasa was by 1205 the most powerful man in Kamakura. Masako heard rumors that Tokimasa was planning to execute Sanetomo and replace him with one of his allies, so Masako and Yoshitoki immediately ordered Tokimasa to step down and go into priesthood or they would rebel. Hōjō Tokimasa abdicated in 1205, and was sent off to a monastery in Kamakura, where he shaved his head and became a monk, dying in 1215.

The later years (1205–1225)

Tokimasa was ousted in 1205 when

became ''shōgun.'' The position of the

was still secure. Masako's brother, Hōjō Yoshitoki, succeeded as ''

'' for Sanetomo, and Masako herself remained in a powerful position as a negotiator with the court. In 1218, Masako was awarded the court rank of

Junior Second Rank The court ranks of Japan, also known in Japanese language, Japanese as ''ikai'' (位階), are indications of an individual's court rank in Japan based on the system of the Nation, state. ''Ikai'' as a system was the indication of the rank of burea ...

by the imperial government. She continued to work towards the creation of an advisory council. During this time, she was sent by Regent Yoshitoki on a mission to the Cloistered Emperor Go-Toba, to ask if

might adopt one of the emperor's sons as an heir. The emperor refused. In 1219, Sanetomo was killed by his nephew

Kugyō is the collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. The term generally referred to the and court officials and denoted a court rank between First Rank and Third Rank un ...

, son of his murdered elder brother Yoriie. Sanetomo's death marked the end of the Minamoto line of ''shōguns''. Masako and Hōjō Yoshitoki selected

Kujō Yoritsune , also known as , was the fourth ''shōgun'' of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan. His father was '' kanpaku'' Kujō Michiie and his grandmother was a niece of Minamoto no Yoritomo. His wife was a granddaughter of Yoritomo and daughter of Minamo ...

, known as Fujiwara no Yoritsune, as the next ''shōgun''. Because Yoritsune was still an infant, Masako was able to act as de facto ''shōgun'' until her death. Yoritsune belonged to the Kujō clan (itself part of the

Fujiwara clan The was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

) but his grandmother was the niece of first ''shōgun'' Yoritomo. This meant that whilst he was not strictly a member of the

he was still a figurehead for them. During the

Jōkyū War , also known as the Jōkyū Disturbance or the Jōkyū Rebellion, was fought in Japan between the forces of Retired Emperor Go-Toba and those of the Hōjō clan, regents of the Kamakura shogunate, whom the retired emperor was trying to overthro ...

of 1221, Go-Toba rebelled against the Hōjō. Kamakura was greatly upset by that news, but Masako is said to have calmed it down with her celebrated speech to Kamakura vassals. '' Azuma Kagami'', the official chronicle of the Kamakura shogunate, tells that Masako summoned the vassals and had these words delivered to them by Adachi Kagemori, the Vice-Governor of Akita Fortress: Regent Yoshitoki and his eldest son,

Hōjō Yasutoki Hōjō Yasutoki (; 1183 – July 14, 1242) was the third ''shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. He strengthened the political system of the Hōjō regency. Life He was the eldest son of second ''shikken'' Hōjō Yoshitoki. A ...

, responded to the rebellion by regaining Kyoto, resulting in the exile of Go-Toba. Masako continued to consolidate rule under the advisory council, manage relationships and connections between imperial and aristocratic families, and administer judgments and postwar rewards. In an era that acknowledged the authority and legitimacy of women in rule, Masako's dominance enabled the

to dominate the Kamakura Shogunate until the downfall of the government in 1333. Hōjō Masako died in 1225 at the age of 69. Due to her lifestyle of

cloistered rule was a form of government in Japan during the Heian period. In this bifurcated system, an emperor abdicated, but retained power and influence. Those retired emperors who withdrew to live in monasteries (''in'') continued to act in ways intended to ...

, she was known as the ''ama-shōgun'', or the "nun-''shōgun''". '' Azuma Kagami'' portrayed her as a peer of

Empress Lü Lü Zhi (241 BC – 18 August 180 BC), courtesy name E'xu (娥姁) and commonly known as Empress Lü () and formally Empress Gao of Han (), was the empress consort of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Gaozu, the founding emperor of the Han dynasty. They h ...

in China and

Empress Jingū was a Legend, legendary Japanese empress who ruled as a regent following her Emperor Chūai, husband's death in 200 AD. Both the and the (collectively known as the ''Kiki'') record events that took place during Jingū's alleged lifetime. Legen ...

of Japan.

In Fiction

* Shima Iwashita played Hōjō Masako in Kusa Moeru, the 1979

Taiga drama is the name NHK gives to the annual year-long historical drama television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white ''Hana no Shōgai'', starring kabuki actor Onoe Shoroku II and Awashima Chikage, the network regul ...

. *Masako is played by Eiko Koike in The 13 Lords of the Shogun, the 2022

References

Sources

* * * *

External links

Samurai Archives: Hojo Masako

History Detective Podcast: The Nun Shogun Hōjō Masako
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hojo, Masako 1150s births 1225 deaths 12th-century Buddhist nuns 12th-century Japanese women 12th-century women rulers 13th-century Buddhist nuns 13th-century Japanese women 13th-century queens consort Masako Japanese Buddhist nuns Japanese women in warfare Minamoto clan People of the Kamakura period People of the Heian period Women in 12th-century warfare People of the Genpei War