<P> Once Minamoto Yoritomo had consolidated his power , he established a new government at his family home in Kamakura . He called his government a bakufu ( 幕府 , tent government ) , but because he was given the ancient high military title Sei - i Taishōgun by the Emperor , the government is often referred to in Western literature as the shogunate . Yoritomo followed the Fujiwara form of house government and had an administrative board Mandokoro ( 政所 ) , a board of retainers ( Samurai - dokoro ( 侍 所 ) ) , and a board of inquiry ( Monchūjo ) . After confiscating estates in central and western Japan , he appointed stewards for the estates and constables for the provinces . As shōgun , Yoritomo was both the steward and the constable general . The Kamakura shogunate was not a national regime , however , and although it controlled large tracts of land , there was strong resistance to the stewards . The regime continued warfare against the Northern Fujiwara , but never brought either the north or the west under complete military control . However , the 4th leader of the Northern Fujiwara Fujiwara no Yasuhira was defeated by Yoritomo in 1189 , and the 100 - year - long prosperity of the north disappeared . The old court resided in Kyoto , continuing to hold the land over which it had jurisdiction , while newly organized military families were attracted to Kamakura . </P>
what event in japan ushered in the kamakura period around 1185 ad
the 4th leader of the Northern Fujiwara Fujiwara no Yasuhira was defeated by Yoritomo in 1189