was the title (post) held by the head of the mainline
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 period ...
, who also monopolized the position of ''
shikken
The was a titular post held by a member of the Hōjō clan, officially a regent of the shogunate, from 1199 to 1333, during the Kamakura period, and so he was head of the ''bakufu'' (shogunate). It was part of the era referred to as .
During ro ...
'' (regents to the shogunate) 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 ...
in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
during the period of Regent Rule (1199–1333). It’s important not to confuse a regent of the shogunate with a regent of the Emperor (the latter are called
''Sesshō'' and ''Kampaku''). ''Shikkens'' were the first regents to the shogunate.
The ''tokusō'' from 1256 to 1333 was the military dictator of Japan as de facto head of the ''bakufu'' (shogunate); despite the actual shōgun being merely a puppet. This implies that all other positions in Japan—the Emperor, the Imperial Court, ''Sesshō'' and ''Kampaku'', and the ''shikken'' (regent of the shōgun)—had also been reduced to
figurehead
In politics, a figurehead is a person who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet ''de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that they ...
s.
[「執権 (一)」（『国史大辞典 6』（ 吉川弘文館、 1985年） ）]
Origin
The name ''tokusō'' is said to have come from , the Buddhist name of
Hōjō Yoshitoki
was the second Hōjō ''shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate and head of the Hōjō clan. He was the second son of Hōjō Tokimasa. He was ''shikken'' from the abdication of his father Tokimasa in 1205 until his death in 1224.
Early ...
, but
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 H ...
is usually regarded as the first ''tokusō''. There were eight ''tokusō'':
#
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 H ...
#
Hōjō Yoshitoki
was the second Hōjō ''shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate and head of the Hōjō clan. He was the second son of Hōjō Tokimasa. He was ''shikken'' from the abdication of his father Tokimasa in 1205 until his death in 1224.
Early ...
#
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 ...
#
Hōjō Tsunetoki
was the fourth ''Shikken'' (1242–1246) of the Kamakura shogunate. He was son of Hōjō Tokiuji and of a former wife of Adachi Kagemori, elder brother of Hōjō Tokiyori and grandson of Hōjō Yasutoki
Hōjō Yasutoki (; 1183 – July 14, 12 ...
#
Hōjō Tokiyori
Hōjō Tokiyori (, June 29, 1227 – December 24, 1263) was the fifth shikken (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan.
Early life
He was born to warrior monk Hōjō Tokiuji and a daughter of Adachi Kagemori.
Rule
Tokiyori became shikken f ...
#
Hōjō Tokimune
#
Hōjō Sadatoki
#
Hōjō Takatoki
was the last ''Tokusō'' and ruling Shikken (regent) of Japan's Kamakura shogunate; the rulers that followed were his puppets. A member of the Hōjō clan, he was the son of Hōjō Sadatoki, and was preceded as ''shikken'' by Hōjō Morotoki.
...
The political structure of the ''tokusō'' dictatorship was set up by Yasutoki and was consolidated by his grandson Tokiyori. The ''tokusō'' line held overwhelming power over the ''
gokenin
A was initially a vassal of the shogunate of the Kamakura and the Muromachi periods.Iwanami Kōjien, "Gokenin" In exchange for protection and the right to become '' jitō'' (manor's lord), a ''gokenin'' had in times of peace the duty to protect ...
'' and the cadet lines of the Hōjō clan. Tokiyori often worked out policies at at his residence instead of discussing them at the , the council of the shogunate. This made the ''tokusō''s stronger. In 1256, Tokiyori separated the positions of ''shikken'' and ''tokusō'' for the first time. Because of an illness, he installed his infant son Tokimune as the ''tokusō'' while
Nagatoki, a collateral relative, was appointed ''shikken'' to assist Tokimune.
See also
*
Shikken
The was a titular post held by a member of the Hōjō clan, officially a regent of the shogunate, from 1199 to 1333, during the Kamakura period, and so he was head of the ''bakufu'' (shogunate). It was part of the era referred to as .
During ro ...
*
Rensho
*
Rokuhara Tandai
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tokuso
Government of feudal Japan
Japanese historical terms