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Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- Hojo family - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
The governing power of Japan from 1199 until 1333 was in the hands of neither the emperors nor the military rulers called shoguns. It was exercised instead by successive members of the Hojo family, who acted as regents (or governors) for the shoguns. The emperors at this time had very little power. Until 1868 Japan was, except for a brief interval, governed by shoguns. Hojo Tokimasa, the first known member of the Hojo family, served as assistant to the shogun Minamoto Yoritomo. It was the death of Minamoto in 1199 that allowed Hojo Tokimasa to become guardian of the new shogun and effective ruler of the country. Hojo Tokimasa died in 1215. His successors were Yoshitoki (died 1224), Yasutoki (died 1242), Tsunetoki (died 1246), Tokiyori (died 1263), Tokimune (died 1284), Sadatoki (died 1311), and Takatoki (died 1333).