Horyakukanki (A History Book of the 14 century in Japan) (保暦間記)

"Horyakukanki" is a history book which was completed during the Japanese middle ages, the Northern and Southern Dynasties period. It is a fundamental historical material to study the ages from the late Kamakura period to the early Northern and Southern Court period. It was completed in the mid-14th century, before 1356. The author is unknown, but it is conjectured that the book was written by a warrior who was in Ashikaga side during the Northern and Southern Court period. It was collected in the miscellaneous part of the 26th volume of "Gunsho ruiju" (Collection of historical documents compiled by Hokiichi HANAWA).

The book covers the incidents from the Hogen Disturbance in 1156 to the demise of Emperor Godaigo in 1339, which became the origin of the title. It is an important historical material to study an outline of the incidents occurred during the Kamakura period, especially after 1266, when the description of "Azuma Kagami" (The Mirror of the East) ended. The names of incidents which occurred during the Kamakura period such as 'Battle of Wada,' 'Jokyu War,' 'Battle of Hoji,' 'February Riot,' 'Shimotsuki Incident,' etc. are used widely today, and most of them are derived from the descriptions in this book.

There are various opinions about the actual reason of the death of MINAMOTO no Yoritomo, however, according to this book, it was because he saw a ghost of MINAMOTO no Yoshitsune at Yamatogahara (the present Tsujido and wide area of Chigasaki) on his way back from Buddhist ceremony for bridging Sagami-gawa River, and also saw a ghost of Emperor Antoku on the sea of Inamuragasaki, then he fainted and was struck down by a illness at Kamakura.

[Original Japanese]