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10 Sites of the 13 Lords of Kamakura: A Pilgrimage Through Yoritomo, Masako, and Yoshitoki
A one-day walking pilgrimage through the sites of NHK's historical drama The 13 Lords of Kamakura. From Tsurugaoka Hachimangu to the graves of Yoritomo, Masako, and Yoshitoki, and on to the Hiki Clan massacre site at Myohonji and Yoshitsune's Koshigoe letter monument — all within walking distance of Kamakura Station, with 4 goshuin stops and a 6-hour route.
武
Author
Taketoki
| Samurai History
Contents
MOKUJI
一
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and Yoritomo's Origins — Walking the Shogunate's Core
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二
Masako's Love and Tragedy — The Nun Shogun's Resting Place
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三
Hojo Yoshitoki's Consolidation of Power — Traces of the Power Struggle
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四
The Tragedies of the 13 — The Hiki Clan and Yoshitsune
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五
One-Day Itinerary and Visiting Tips
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六
Frequently Asked Questions
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NHK’s historical drama The 13 Lords of Kamakura renewed widespread interest in the Kamakura period. But the power struggles of Yoritomo, Masako, and Yoshitoki that unfold on screen take on an entirely different weight when you stand at their actual graves and mansion ruins. This guide presents 10 sacred sites where you can trace the origins of the Kamakura shogunate and the light and shadow of the 13-person council system in a single day — all within walking distance of Kamakura Station, with practical route timings and goshuin locations.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu and Yoritomo’s Origins — Walking the Shogunate’s Core
1. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu — Where the 13-Person Council Met
All of Kamakura’s history begins here. When Minamoto no Yoritomo entered Kamakura in 1180, he relocated the Tsurugaoka Wakamiya shrine to its present site and made it the center of his government. Important meetings after the establishment of the 13-person council were held here. Climbing the great stone steps to the main shrine, you can feel the tension of the founding of Japan’s first warrior government. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is the ideal first goshuin stop.
2. Yoritomo’s Grave (Hokkedohato) — The Event That Triggered the Council of 13
The burial site of Yoritomo, who died suddenly at 53 in 1199. The stone tower was restored by the Shimazu clan in the Edo period, but the site itself is a nationally designated historic site preserving the original Hokke-do (hall). Yoritomo’s death was the direct trigger for the establishment of the 13-person council. Standing at the grave, you feel the moment when the retainers’ power struggles began. Yoritomo’s Grave
Masako’s Love and Tragedy — The Nun Shogun’s Resting Place
3. Jufukuji — The Temple Masako Built for Yoritomo
A Rinzai Zen temple of ancient lineage, founded in 1202 by Hojo Masako who invited the monk Eisai to pray for her husband Yoritomo’s soul. The precinct is not open to the public, but walking the long stone-paved approach conveys a distinctive stillness. The site is also said to be the former residence of Yoritomo’s father Yoshitomo, making this a deeply layered memorial space. Jufukuji
4. Masako’s Grave (Jufukuji Hillside) — Mother and Son in Side-by-Side Rock Tombs
In a yagura (rock-cut tomb) carved into the hillside behind Jufukuji, Masako and the third shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo lie side by side. The resting place of the “Nun Shogun” who died at 69 in 1225. Sanetomo had been assassinated at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu by his own nephew in 1219 — the side-by-side graves quietly testify to the tragedy of the Minamoto shogunal line. Masako’s Grave
5. Anyoin — The Temple Named for Masako’s Posthumous Name
A Jodo sect temple tracing its origins to Masako’s founding of Chyorakuji. The precinct contains a pagoda said to be Masako’s memorial, and the temple name “Anyoin” derives from Masako’s posthumous Buddhist name: Anyoin Nyojitsu Myokan Daizenjoni. It is the 3rd temple of the Bando 33-temple Kannon pilgrimage, where goshuin are available. The spring azalea garden is also magnificent. Anyoin
Hojo Yoshitoki’s Consolidation of Power — Traces of the Power Struggle
6. Yoshitoki’s Hokke-do Ruins — Where the Victor of the Jokyu War Rests
The ruins of the funerary hall for the second regent Hojo Yoshitoki, just a few dozen meters east of Yoritomo’s grave. Only foundation stones remain today. Yoshitoki defeated Retired Emperor Go-Toba in the 1221 Jokyu War and secured Hojo supremacy. His proximity to Yoritomo’s grave — sleeping next to the man he revered as an elder brother — speaks to the Hojo clan’s self-image as the rightful inheritors of authority. A 2005 excavation confirmed the remains of a substantial hall. Yoshitoki’s Hall Ruins
7. Wadazuka — The Grave Mound of Wada Yoshimori, Council Member Defeated
A memorial mound for the clan of Wada Yoshimori, who died when he raised arms against Hojo Yoshitoki in the 1213 Wada Conflict. Yoshimori had been one of the 13-person council and the first head of the Samurai Office. His defeat encapsulates the story of how the Hojo consolidated power by eliminating council rivals one by one. Right next to Enoden Wadazuka Station, this is a visceral reminder of the shogunate’s internal power struggles. Wadazuka
The Tragedies of the 13 — The Hiki Clan and Yoshitsune
8. Myohonji — On the Ruins of the Hiki Clan Mansion
One of Kamakura’s oldest Nichiren sect temples, standing on the site of the mansion of the Hiki clan wiped out in the 1203 Hiki Conflict. The Hiki had been allied with the second shogun Minamoto no Yoriie and were members of the council of 13, but they were annihilated in a power struggle with Hojo Tokimasa. The silence of the deep valley precinct holds the weight of the Hiki clan’s tragedy. The Patriarch’s Hall is Kamakura’s largest wooden Buddhist hall. Myohonji
9. The Koshigoe Monument — Yoshitsune’s Heartbroken Letter
The memory of the man Kamakura would not admit. In 1185, after destroying the Taira at Dan-no-Ura, Minamoto no Yoshitsune was refused entry to Kamakura by his brother Yoritomo and held at Manpukuji in Koshigoe. The letter of self-justification he wrote there — the Koshigoe-jo — is celebrated as one of the most heartbreaking documents in Japanese history. The monument stands near Enoden Koshigoe Station. Koshigoe Monument
10. The Hokke-do Ruins — The Spiritual Core of the Kamakura Shogunate
The Hokke-do ruins served as the personal chapel and mausoleum of the Minamoto shogunal line. Archaeological excavations have uncovered foundation stones and roof tiles revealing the scale of the original structure.
One-Day Itinerary and Visiting Tips
Time
Site
Estimated Duration
9:00
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
45 min
10:00
Yoritomo’s Grave + Hokke-do Ruins
30 min
10:45
Yoshitoki’s Hall Ruins
15 min
11:15
Myohonji
30 min
12:00
Anyoin
30 min
12:45
Wadazuka
15 min
13:15
Jufukuji + Masako’s Grave
30 min
14:30
Enoden to Koshigoe
15 min transit
14:45
Koshigoe Monument + Manpukuji
30 min
Goshuin are available at four sites: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Jufukuji, Myohonji, and Anyoin. Using the Toku app, GPS automatically records your stamp at each site; completing all 10 earns a commemorative “13 Lords of Kamakura Course Completion” recognition.
Visiting etiquette: Bow quietly at Yoritomo’s grave and Yoshitoki’s ruins. Jufukuji’s inner precinct is closed to the public (approach path only); Masako’s grave is accessed via a separate side entrance to the hillside. Myohonji has no admission fee. Bring insect repellent for the valley precinct in summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who exactly were the 13 Lords of Kamakura?
The 13 members of the council established after Yoritomo’s death in 1199 included Hojo Tokimasa, Hojo Yoshitoki, Kajiwara Kagetoki, Hiki Yoshikazu, Wada Yoshimori, Oe Hiromoto, Miyoshi Yasunobu, Nakahara Chikayoshi, Adachi Morinaga, and others (exact membership varies by source).
Can all sites be visited on foot from Kamakura Station?
All except Koshigoe are within 1–20 minutes’ walk of Kamakura Station. Koshigoe is a 15-minute Enoden ride away. Comfortable walking shoes and a map (the Toku app’s map feature is handy) are recommended.
What is the approximate cost for the full route?
Precinct admission is free at most sites. Goshuin fees are approximately ¥500 per site (four stops). The Enoden fare to Koshigoe is additional. Total for the day: approximately ¥1,000–2,000.
How does visiting the historical sites differ from watching the drama?
The drama fictionalizes psychology and dialogue. The sites are places where people actually lived and died. Standing on the hillside where Yoritomo and Yoshitoki lie in adjacent graves, the weight of power and its inheritance becomes a physical sensation rather than a narrative.
Is this route suitable for children?
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Myohonji, and Anyoin are spacious and easy to walk. The path to the graves area has some steeper stretches. Koshigoe, near the ocean, is open and enjoyable for children.
Last updated: April 25, 2026
── 了 ──
武
Author
Taketoki（たけとき）
Samurai History
Toku editorial team — samurai history. Insists on primary sources and castle-layout diagrams, walking battlefields from Yoritomo's Izu exile sites to the late-Edo battlegrounds.
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Visit Related Places
History truly comes alive when you visit in person. Choose your next destination from the related sites and pilgrimage courses below.
1. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
Kamakura's guardian shrine since Yoritomo's 1180 relocation — site of Sanetomo's assassination by the great ginkgo
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2. Tomb of Minamoto no Yoritomo
Burial site of Minamoto no Yoritomo, founder of the Kamakura shogunate — Edo-era five-ring tower, National Historic Site
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3. Jufukuji
Founded by Masako with Eisai — Kamakura's 3rd Zen temple, with Masako and Sanetomo's cave tombs
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4. Tomb of Hojo Masako (Jufukuji)
Cave tombs of Hojo Masako the 'Nun Shogun' and Sanetomo, side by side in Jufukuji's hills
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5. Tomb of Hojo Yoshitoki (Hokke-do ruins)
Burial site of Hojo Yoshitoki, who won the Jokyu War — National Historic Site east of the Hokke-do ruins
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6. Anyoin
Founded by Hojo Masako, who is buried here — Station 3 of the Bando Kannon Pilgrimage
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7. Wada Tomb
Memorial mound for Wada Yoshimori's clan, defeated by Hojo Yoshitoki in 1213 — marking Hojo's seizure of power
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8. Myohonji
The oldest Nichiren temple in Kamakura — built on the ruins of the Hiki clan's tragic 1203 downfall
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9. Koshigoe Letter Monument
Where Yoshitsune wrote his famous letter pleading innocence to Yoritomo — the brothers' tragic turning point
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10. Tomb of Hojo Yoshitoki (Hokke-do ruins)
Burial site of Hojo Yoshitoki, who won the Jokyu War — National Historic Site east of the Hokke-do ruins
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