Kennin facts for kids

Kennin (建仁) was a special name for a period in Japanese history. Think of it like a short era or time frame. It came after the Shōji era and before the Genkyū era. The Kennin period lasted from February 1201 to February 1204. During this time, the emperor of Japan was Emperor Tsuchimikado.

Important Events of the Kennin Era

One of three special poems from Kumano, written by Emperor Go-Toba during a trip in the first year of Kennin.

• 1202 (Kennin 2): Nitta Yoshishige, an important official in the palace, passed away. He was in charge of food for the emperor.
• 1202 (Kennin 2): Minamoto no Yoriie became the second shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. A shogun was like a military ruler who held a lot of power in Japan.
• 1202 (Kennin 2): Minamoto no Michichika, a high-ranking government official, died at age 54. Another official, Fujiwara no Takatada, took his place.
• 1202 (Kennin 2): Shogun Minamoto no Yoriie ordered a monk named Eisai to build a famous Zen Buddhist temple and monastery called Kennin-ji.
• 1203 (Kennin 3): Shogun Yoriie became very sick.
• 1203 (Kennin 3): Yoriie decided to become a Buddhist priest. The emperor then named Minamoto no Sanetomo as the third shogun. Hōjō Tokimasa became Sanetomo's shikken, which means he was a special helper or regent for the young shogun.

Related Information

• Kamakura period

See also

In Spanish: Kennin para niños