Kanezawa Sanetoki facts for kids
Kanezawa Sanetoki (金沢 実時), also known as Hōjō Sanetoki (北条 実時), was an important person in Japanese history. He lived from 1224 to November 30, 1276. He is famous for starting the Kanazawa Bunko, which was a very large and important library.
Sanetoki was part of the Hōjō clan, a powerful family that helped rule Japan for many years. He belonged to a specific part of that family called the Kanezawa branch. He might have been married to a woman named Mugai Nyodai.
Who Was Kanezawa Sanetoki?
Kanezawa Sanetoki was born in 1224. His father was Hōjō Saneyasu. Sanetoki was very smart, and his uncle, Hōjō Yasutoki, noticed his talents. Because of this, Sanetoki was given many important jobs in the government.
He worked for four different shikken. A shikken was like a chief regent, a top leader who helped rule Japan. The shikken he worked for were Yasutoki, Tsunetoki, Tokiyori, and Tokimune.
Early Life and Career
Sanetoki started his career in 1234. His first big job was leading the Kosamurai-dokoro. This was a government office that handled military and police matters. Later, he became a Hikitsukeshu in 1252. This role involved helping with legal cases and court decisions. In 1253, he became a Hyojoshu, which meant he was part of a high council that advised the government.
After many years of hard work, Sanetoki became ill. He decided to leave all his government jobs. He went to rest at his home in Kanezawa. Today, this area is known as Kanazawa in Yokohama.
A Love for Learning
Even though he was busy with government work, Sanetoki loved to study. He learned from a teacher named Kiyohara no Noritaka. This teacher came to Kamakura with Prince Munetaka and his group of followers.
Sanetoki's passion for books led him to create something amazing. In 1258, he built a temple called Shōmyōji in Kanazawa. Inside this temple, he created a special library. This library was built to hold his huge collection of old books and handwritten documents. This library became known as the Kanazawa Bunko. It was one of the most important libraries in medieval Japan.
