are now to be found on the temple's grounds. Where changes are considerable, this revised edition has footnoted them for the reader's benefit.
The thrilling history and romantic legends surrounding this ancient feudal capital come alive for the visitor to Kamukura who knows of them. I am pleased to see that yet another generation of readers will enjoy this wondrous experience.
—IAN MUTSU
Tokyo
You doors and ascending steps! you arches!
You grey stones of interminable pavements!
you trodden crossings!
From all that has touch'd you I believe
you have imparted to yourselves,
and now would impart the same secretly to me,
From the living and the dead
you have peopled your impassive surfaces,
and the spirits thereof would be evident
and amicable with me.
—WALT WHITMAN
IN THE PRESENT tranquil days it seems almost incredible to recall that the plain of Kamakura—with its green valleys intersecting the enclosing hills, was once the theater of a vast and densely populated city, thickly intersected with busy streets; studded with the splendid mansions of officials and retainers of the ruler; abounding in rich architecture and beautiful temples— in fact the most important city of the realm, the military capital of Japan.
Yet it is a fact that some seven centuries ago this peaceful spot witnessed some of the most thrilling events in the feudal history of the nation: for, partly owing to the value of its strategic position—being entirely surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the ocean on the south—an important consideration in those bellicose days, it was selected by the great Yoritomo as the base of his operations, and in the year 1192, the first shogun of the Minamoto family was established at Kamakura.
This part moreover had long been specially connected with the house of Minamoto. Here Yoritomo's father Yoshitomo had resided; also his famous ancestors Yoriyoshi and his son Yoshiie— governors of this district, had exercised great influence and had played a most effective role in their military capacity.
To the former valiant warrior the temple of Hachiman owes its existence, Yoriyoshi having originally caused it to be established in Kamakura in the hope that invocations at the shrine would propitiate the war god and secure success for his exploits upon the field of battle.
As the achievements of Yoritomo are so inseparably associated with the history of Kamakura it may be of interest to recount a brief sketch of this strange and dominant personality, whose name shines out with such luster as one of the giants of medieval times; the magician whose wand caused the obscure little fishing hamlet to blossom into the most famous city of the day.
For many years Japan had been torn by the civil wars of the rival factions Taira and Minamoto, but toward the latter half of the twelfth century the country lay practically beneath the sway of the Taira. Its chief, Kiyomori—a man of dauntless courage and brilliant military capacity—had succeeded in crushing the enemy and establishing the supremacy of his party. This despot ruled with a rod of iron. All the important posts of the government were occupied by prominent members of his great family; indeed their power was so absolute that a common saying of the time was to the effect that not to be of the Taira was to be deemed unworthy of belonging to the human race. So soaring was Kiyomori's ambition that even the cloistered Son of Heaven, the emperor himself, declared that his own position was not secure.
Yoshitomo, head of the rival faction, had been cruelly trapped and butchered by his enemies (1160); his adherents were scattered in flight and practically without a leader. His two elder sons had also fallen victims and shared the fate of their parent, but the third son Yoritomo had managed to escape with his life. From his exceptional sagacity this boy had always been his father's favorite, and although so young—only thirteen years of age—he is said to have advised Yoshitomo to take the initiative in this battle instead of waiting for the Taira's attack. However fate was against them: while escaping on horseback from their pursuers the over-wearied lad fell asleep in the saddle, and thus was left behind by his father and brothers. As he was passing through Moriyama (Omi province), the villagers recognized and attempted to seize the young Yoritomo, but the boy showed such unexpected spirit—cutting down two of his would-be captors with his sword— that the rest fell back and Yoritomo was able to continue his way unmolested, shortly afterward falling in with the retainer who had been sent to search for him, and thus was enabled to rejoin his party in safety.
But later, on account of a heavy snowstorm, the fugitives were compelled to dismount and walk through the blinding sleet, this effort causing such distress to the fatigued and exhausted boy that again he fell behind. This time he was rescued by a sympathizer who lived in that district named Sadayasu, and by him was concealed, first in a temple and later in the house of his preserver. Meanwhile his father Yoshitomo and his two elder brothers had all perished.
Soon afterward Yoritomo, leaving his temporary abode, went to the province of Mino, and from thence attempted to make his way to the Kanto plain. But the boy was unable to elude the vigilance of the enemy, and fell into the hands of Munekiyo, the Taira commander, who bore off his prey in triumph to Kyoto. By order of Kiyomori he was entrusted to the care of Munekiyo until his ultimate fate should be decided.
At this crisis the noble bearing of the young captive stood him in good stead. The lad's calm self-possession and fearless demeanor in the face of almost certain death softened the heart of his captor: when asked if he were ready for his fate, the young Yoritomo tactfully replied that he would prefer to live, since he alone was left to pray for the souls of his relatives.
Through the intervention of Kiyomori's stepmother, the boy's life was spared. At Munekiyo's suggestion she detected in him a resemblance to her own son who had died in early youth, so with tears and prayers she passionately besought that the child's doom might be averted. Her supplications at last met with success. Kiyomori consented that the boy's sentence should be banishment, and he was entrusted to the guardianship of two Taira adherents whose estates lay beyond Hakone, at Hirugashima in the province of Izu.
This act of benevolence was deplored as a lack of sagacity and sign of weakness by Kiyomori's entourage—a criticism to be amply justified by later events.
The lady to whom he owed his life sagely counseled the boy to spend his time in the study of the Scriptures and to refrain from shooting or the practice of any warlike sports lest he might incur suspicion: the retainers of Yoshitomo, moreover, on hearing the joyful news that their young lord was to be spared, suggested to him that the best way of ensuring his safety was to enter the priesthood. But as he was starting upon his journey into banishment, one Moriyasu Hanabusa secretly whispered into Yoritomo's ear to the effect that as the young master was saved, surely it must be the will of the Almighty that he should not become a priest, but the future hope of his party. This hint was not lost upon the shrewd boy, he nodded his assent in silence: the populace who witnessed his departure unanimously agreed that the young exile was quite apart from ordinary mortals, and to send him away thus was "letting loose a tiger-cub in the wilds."
The two guardians to whose safe custody
