The Mongolian Invasion and the Kamikaze (1274 & 1281)
Utagawa Yoshitara (1863) The Defeat of the Mongol Invasion Fleet (Môko zokusen taiji no zu)
Two Mongol invasions were repulsed during the Kamakura period. This bolstered the image of the samurai class and people started believing that the Japanese were undefeatable.
1st Mongol Invasion (1274): 40,000 men and 900 ships versus 10,000 samurai in Northern Kyushu. The Mongolian fleet were destroyed because of the typhoon.
2nd Mongolian Invasion (1281): 140,000 men and 5000 ships versus 40,000 samurai in northern Kyushu. The Mongolian army was once again destroyed by the typhoon.
Religious people claimed that the land of Japan was sacred and protected by gods. They called the typhoons kami-no-kaze, the sacred wind.
Mongols, under the leadership of Kublai Khan, used paper bombs and iron balls which was the first introduction of “gun powder” in Japan.
After the mongol invasion, the spear (yari) started becoming more popular because the Mongol units were attacking in larger units and swords were ineffective and heavy.
After the mongol invasion the tachi (long swords with curved blade and curved handle) got shorter and thicker and the katana was born.
