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Second son of Hojo Tokiyori, born 1251. He became the eighth regent at age 18 and immediately faced an unprecedented national crisis as Mongol Empire envoys arrived one after another demanding submission. He refused every demand, even executing Mongol envoys. He repelled the first invasion — the Battle of Bun'ei (1274) — aided by a storm, then ordered the construction of coastal stone walls for defense. In the second invasion, the Battle of Koan (1281), he faced over 140,000 troops; the samurai's fierce resistance combined with typhoon winds secured another victory. These two victories greatly enhanced the prestige of samurai rule. A devoted Zen practitioner, he took Mugaku Sogen as his teacher and founded Engakuji in 1282. An anecdote of his Zen dialogue—"Shatter heaven and earth"—remains legendary. He died of illness in 1284 at only 34.

He shouldered heavy responsibilities from a young age and faced national crises head-on. He possessed a spiritual strength cultivated through Zen practice, and an anecdote of his Zen dialogue "Shatter heaven and earth" has been passed down.

He is celebrated as a hero who protected Japan by repelling two Mongol invasions. The founding of Engakuji became the center of Zen culture in Kanagawa, and important cultural assets remain there today.