Yoritomo and Masako

Yoritomo Minamoto (at Genji-yama park)

The founder of the Kamakura government is Yoritomo(1147-1199). His family name is Minamoto. In Japan we call him Minamoto no Yoritomo, but I follow the western rule and call him Yoritomo Minamoto or simply Yoritomo. In the Nara era (710-794) and the early Heian era many of the Imperial family members were given family names such as Taira and Minamoto and became aristocrats. Yoritomo is the offspring of the 56th Emperor Seiwa.

Masako Hojo (at Anyo-in Temple)

When he was in exile to the Isu-peninsula under the surveilance of Tokimasa Hojo(1138-1215), a powerful family there, Yoritomo fell in love with Tokimasa's daughter Masako(1157-1225) and got married to her. Yoritomo had a half brother Yoshitsune whose saga is very famous in Japan. Yoshitsune defeated their rival Taira clan at the battle of Dannoura. With the help of Tokimasa, Yoritomo became the first Shogun in 1192 while Yoshitsune was plotted, exiled to the far north and finally killed.