Hojo Soun
Overlooked tourist spots in Kamakura (especially the former strongholds of the Later Hojo clan)
The members of the “Later Hojo clan”—also known as the “Neo-Hojo”—and particularly the “Tamanawa Hojo,” represent another important, yet often overlooked, facet of Kamakura. I encourage you to explore the traces they left behind on the outer side of the Kiridōshi” (the mountain pass).There are also other historic sites associated with sad anecdotes and unique legends.
Kamakura and Koga: The Birthplaces of Japan’s Warring States Period
There is a widely accepted theory that Japan’s Warring States period began with the “Kyotoku Rebellion,” which broke out in Kamakura. If this is correct, then Kamakura—or Koga in Ibaraki Prefecture—could be considered the birthplace of the Warring States period. The exploits of Hojo Soun, Japan’s first warlord, may also lend credence to this theory. Furthermore, historical novelist Michiko Nagai has been named an honorary citizen of both Kamakura City and Koga City. For these reasons, the history of the late Muromachi period in the Kanto region remains endlessly fascinating.