Hello, the episode you're about to listen to is part of a multi-part series introducing an overview

of Japanese history.

This is a repeat of one of the original projects the History of Japan podcast was built on,

and is intended to serve as an update and supplement to these original works.

After 10 years, my hope is to return to this approach and to do it a little bit better,

given the skills that I have improved in the intervening years.

If you haven't been doing so already, you should listen to these episodes sequentially,

starting with episode 501.

Without any further ado, enjoy the episode.

Hello and welcome to the History of Japan podcast, episode 516, From the Ashes.

We left things off last week with the Emperor Go Daigo's Kenmu Restoration, his attempt to return political power to the imperial family in Kyoto, with the help of a collection of warriors who had become disillusioned

with Hojo rule. And initially, Go Daigo was successful. By the middle of 1333, the Hojo had been

annihilated, their chosen replacement for him deposed, and a new government was emerging from the ashes.

However, the Kenmu restoration would not last. Largely, it turned out, because of Godigo himself.

Because in terms of his actual ability to govern, Godigo, it turned out, had some pretty

key blind spots.

Chief among them was his complete failure to recognize the importance of rewarding his

followers from the warrior class.

Remember, this is the main way in which fighting men are paid during this time

period, so remembering to do that is, well, kind of important. These are very well-armed people

who are more than happy to use those weapons, not the sort you want to try and skip out on the check

with. But apparently nobody sent Godiggo that memo.

...