Short description: The various dynasties of the Japanese clans help tell the story of the samurai and the influences they left behind.
It’s impossible to talk about samurai’s stories without mentioning clans and families. The term “clan” referred to the grouping of families united by something in common. In the Minamoto clan, for example, it brought together many families who had an imperial ancestor from the 9th century in common. Therefore, there were approximately ten Minamoto families in the 9th and 10th centuries.
For this reason, B16 claims to be a true clan. Formed by members from different origins (families), like the clans, but with goals, values, and purposes in common.
As a way of standing out, each family had a specific name, often associated with their village of residence. Seiwa family deserves a special mention, which had a major confrontation with another family, the Taira, with the Seiwa coming out victorious.
Seiwa family was responsible for founding the Kamakura Shogunate after winning the battle of Dan-no-ura (1185), which ended the Genpei War. However, the clashes didn’t stop there…
During the 12th century, the clashes between the Taira and the Minamoto went down in history and are present in many of the pages written by Japanese authors. Thus, it was in this boiling political and military context that the figure of the samurai rose and gained notoriety.
Clashing between siblings
Minamoto Yoritomo was the clan leader. He knew of Yoshitsune’s accomplishments and feared that his brother (on his father’s side) could pose a threat to his ambitions. That’s why the Minamoto leader didn’t hesitate to banish his brother, even preventing him from entering Kamakura, the city where the clan had set up its base.
Yoritomo didn’t want to be a target. So, he began to pursue his brother. In June 1189, he cornered him and some of his last men in a castle in Koromogawa, in northern Japan.
Yoritomo’s hunt for his brother ended tragically. After Yoshitsune murdered his wife and one daughter, he committed seppuku. The samurai considered seppuku an honourable death, which consisted of using one’s sword to cut open their own womb.
It is said that Saito Musashibo Benkei, a warrior monk, played a key role in giving Yoshitsune time to carry out this suicide ritual. Benkei managed to stop the enemies on the bridge leading to the castle.
He sacrificed himself, bravely fighting off several men and holding out for as long as he could.
After being hit by many arrows, Benkei died standing up leaned on a spear. Yoshitsune was later beheaded. His head was taken to Yoritomo, which caused great commotion in Kamakura.
This episode exemplifies many of the samurai values that we can take into our lives and our companies. Particularly noteworthy in this context, the figure of the monk Benkei, who, in a stoic and loyal manner, remained faithful to his leader until the end: the monk died on his feet.
Naturally, with less drama and blood, what we want is for all the members of the B16 clan to be united by bonds of loyalty as strong as those evident in this historic episode. These bonds are essential for the growth of any company, as they guarantee that if one member of the clan is “attacked”, everyone will act in their defence.
The first emperor Shogun of the Kamakura period
The ruler who commanded a Shogunate was called Seii Tai-Shôgun or, for short, Shogun. Whoever assumed this position had privileges guaranteed by heredity.
In the history of Japan, there were three clans that rose to the Shogunate:
- Minamoto Clan (1192-1333);
- Ashikaga Clan (1338-1573);
- Tokugawa Clan (1603-1867).
In 1192, Yoritomo received the title of Shogun (highest rank). Yoritomo was a triumphant leader who established the government’s centre in Kamakura. This way, the founder and 1st Shogun Emperor of the Kamakura period became the strongest. By establishing the Shogunate, a hereditary military dictatorship, Minamoto no Yoritomo became an emblematic historical figure.
He decided to shift all royal political power from Japan to the samurai.
After establishing a military government in Kamakura, the emperor took on a purely decorative role in Kyoto.
Thus, it was the Shogun who truly administered the country, in a regime known as Bakufu (meaning “tent government”). The soldiers lived in military barracks, based on a feudal system.
Yoritomo’s authority depended on the strength of the samurai. He therefore made every effort to establish a privileged status for these elite warriors. However, no one could call themselves a samurai. To do so, permission had to be granted by the Shogun. Yoritomo ruled from 1192 until 1199. Therefore, he ended up not leading the nation for long. The samurai, on the other hand, remained in power for over 700 years!
Since the Shogunate was established by military means and the Shogun was its leader, didn’t lack recognition for the samurai and the role they played in Yoritomo’s rise to power.
Similarly, in the B16 clan, we believe in the importance of leadership, but we argue that having a leader is as important as recognizing the value of each team member’s work.
