Japanese mini figure

The Founder Shogun of the First Shogunate
 Yoritomo Minamoto

BRAND-NEW!!
Authentic product in Japan

FIGURE SIZE: approx. 2.4 inches (approx. 6.0 cm)

Mr. Yoritomo is known as Machiavellian man as well as the founder shogun because he is fratricidal.

ABOUT Benkei Musashibo

(1147–99). Founder of the Kamakura shogunate (1192–1333), the first warrior government in Japan. Yoritomo was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. In January 1160 Yoshitomo joined an unsuccessful coup, the Heiji Disturbance, in which the rebels were routed by Taira no Kiyomori. Yoshitomo was killed, and Yoritomo was exiled to eastern Japan, where he was placed under the watchful eyes of two Taira adherents, first Ito Sukechika and later Hojo Tokimasa. Yoritomo won the favor of Tokimasa and later married his daughter, Hojo Masako.

In 1180 Prince Mochihito (1151–80), son of retired emperor Go-Shirakawa, and Minamoto no Yorimasa revolted against Taira rule. The uprising ended in a battle at Uji, in which Mochihito was killed and Yorimasa took his own life. Yoritomo used Mochihito's edict urging an uprising as a pretext for launching a rebellion. Defeated in his first major engagement, the Battle of Ishibashiyama, Yoritomo escaped and established headquarters at Kamakura.

Raising 200,000 troops, Yoritomo won the Battle of Fujigawa in Suruga Province (now part of Shizuoka Prefecture). He returned to Kamakura and from 1180 to 1183 built a solid political and economic foundation. He created the Samurai-dokoro (Board of Retainers) in late 1180 to regularize the procedures, duties, and responsibilities in the relationship between himself and his vassals.

The final destruction of the Taira was precipitated by Yoritomo's kinsman Minamoto no Yoshinaka. When the Taira sent an army against Yoshinaka he eventually drove them out of the capital. The Taira and the young emperor Antoku fled westward in late 1183, leaving Yoshinaka in command of Kyoto. However, Yoshinaka and his men created havoc in the city, and Yoritomo sent his brothers Noriyori (d 1193) and Minamoto no Yoshitsune against him in January 1184. Defeating Yoshinaka, the two immediately marched against the Taira, reducing the stronghold at Ichinotani in Settsu Province (now part of Osaka and Hyogo prefectures) by March 1184. While organizing boats and supplies to pursue the Taira, Yoritomo established two more offices, the kumonjo (Public Documents Office) and the Monchujo (Board of Inquiry), to administer the expanding area under his control.

In March 1185 Yoshitsune attacked and defeated the Taira at Yashima on the island of Shikoku. Yoshitsune gathered a fleet to pursue the fleeing troops, and on 25 April the Taira and Minamoto fleets met in the Battle of Dannoura off the southern tip of Honshu. The Taira were decisively defeated and the seven-year-old emperor Antoku drowned. See Taira-Minamoto War.

After his victory Yoritomo implemented various measures to consolidate his power; he had Kujo Kanezane made imperial regent (sessho, later kampaku), sympathetic nobles appointed to the Noble Council (Giso), and his brother-in-law Ichijo Yoshiyasu (1147–97) made constable (shugo) of the capital. Because of disagreements over matters of vassalage, however, Yoritomo's relationship with Yoshitsune deteriorated, and Yoshitsune fled north, seeking sanctuary with the Oshu Fujiwara family leader Fujiwara no Hidehira. To assist in apprehending Yoshitsune, Yoritomo received court approval to appoint his vassals as constables of provinces and stewards (jito) of proprietary estates (shoen). In 1189 Hidehira's son forced Yoshitsune to commit suicide, hoping to win Yoritomo's support, but Yoritomo led an army north and destroyed the Oshu Fujiwara, leaving his own officials in charge of the area.

In 1192 Yoritomo was granted the title of shogun, so that in name as well as in fact he was supreme commander throughout Japan. His sons Minamoto no Yoriie and Minamoto no Sanetomo succeeded him as shogun, but the shogunate then passed to the family of Yoritomo's father-in-law, Hojo Tokimasa. Military chronicles such as the Heike monogatari, Gikeiki, and Gempei seisuiki portray Yoritomo as shrewd, calculating, and even ruthless; however, it was these very qualities that enabled Yoritomo to establish Japan's first warrior government, the basic structure of which would survive for nearly 700 years.

ULTRA RARE !!!

I accept US$ and EUR as payment.

 US$ payment 

Shipping & Handling US$8.50 to any place in the world from Japan by the Registered AIR Mail. It takes 7-14 days to arrive in U.S.A./Canada/Australia.

 EUR payment 

Shipping & Handling 7,50EUR to any place in the world from Japan by the Registered AIR Mail. It takes 7-14 days to arrive in Europe.

Registered air can cover the custom value within 6000yen.

As method of payment, I usually accept PayPal.

Winning bidder must respond to our email within 3 days following end of auction.

Payment sent within 7 days and arrived here in Japan within 14 days.

I reserve the right to cancel the winning bid if these conditions are not met.