Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 6.djvu/289

RV 259 the envoys to America and Europe in 1872. Later he was a member of the Cabinet. He believed in popular representation and in popular discussion, established one of the first newspapers in Japan, and was the author of the measure for local assemblies.

Kiyomori (1118—1181) was a son of Taira Tadamori, who bequeathed to him in 1153 the leadership of the clan. In a contest originating in rival claims to the Imperial succession, he defeated the Minamoto clan in 1156, and obtained possession of the Emperor and the whole of the administration. He endeavoured to destroy the rival house and filled all the offices with his own kindred. He was arrogant toward the nobles and oppressed the people, so that while he remained virtual ruler during his life, the power of his house was completely shattered by the Minamoto within five years of his death. (See the Index.)

Kōbō Daishi (774—834) was a famous Buddhist prelate and saint, popularly credited with an infinite number of achievements, including the invention of the Japanese syllabary. He was sent to China, and on his return in 816, founded the Shingon sect, sharing with Dengyō the honour of being the earliest preacher of sectarian Buddhism in Japan. His life name was Kōhai.

Kojima Takanori. When in 1330 the Hōjō vicegerent put down a revolt against his power, he sent the Emperor Godaigo into exile. En route an attempt at rescue was made by Kojimi Takanori, a young nobleman, son of the lord of Bingo. The attempt failed, and his followers refused to renew it. Anxious that the Emperor should know that he had not been forgotten, the young nobleman entered the court of the inn where Godaigo was passing the night, and on the inner bark of a cherry-tree, which is the emblem of loyalty, wrote these lines:—

The allusion, which was to a Chinese king rescued from a similar fate by a faithful retainer, was understood by the Emperor, but not by his ignorant guard. The incident appealed to the æsthetic sense of the Japanese, and has been made the subject of many works of art. Later, Kojima fell fighting for the Emperor.

Kōmon, Prince of Mito (1622—1700), was the second chief of that branch of the Tokugawa clan. He made his capital an intellectual centre, and began the composition of the "History of Japan," which became a great authority for those who desired to rehabilitate the Imperial power. As one phase of this tendency, he patronised the "pure" Shinto movement, which professed to restore the Way