Minamoto no Yoritomo

Did you know one samurai changed how Japan was ruled for hundreds of years? Meet Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199). He lived in the late 1100s and became the first shogun — the military ruler of Japan. In 1192 the emperor gave him the title Seii Taishogun, and Yoritomo founded the Kamakura shogunate, the first samurai-led government.

Yoritomo rose after the Genpei War (1180–1185), when the Minamoto clan defeated the rival Taira clan. He built his power base in Kamakura, far from the old court in Kyoto. He also had strong allies in the Hojo family, who helped him govern and keep control of the samurai.

To run the country, Yoritomo set up the bakufu — a military government — and created offices like military governors (shugo) and land stewards (jito). These officials kept peace, collected taxes, and managed land for samurai. By organizing people this way, he turned scattered warriors into a working government.

Why does this matter? Before Yoritomo, emperors and court nobles in Kyoto made most decisions. Yoritomo shifted real power to samurai leaders and started a pattern of military rule that shaped Japan’s politics, laws, and society for centuries. He didn’t only win wars; he built a whole new system that lasted long after he died.