The Mongol Invasions of Japan and the Story of the Kamikaze Winds

Twice in the thirteenth century, great fleets crossed the sea toward Kyushu, and storms became part of a story Japan still tells.

Published October 21, 2026 at 9:18 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: The Mongol invasions of Japan were two attempts by the Yuan dynasty under Kublai Khan, in 1274 and 1281, to land forces on the coast of Kyushu. Both ended after fierce resistance and destructive storms. The storms came to be called kamikaze, meaning "divine wind," a name that became shorthand for Japan's good fortune in this episode.

Few chapters of medieval Japanese history are as widely retold as the two Mongol expeditions to Kyushu. They connect a powerful continental empire, the samurai government in Kamakura, and the weather of the East China Sea. People searching for the story usually want a clear timeline and an honest answer to a bigger question: did a divine wind really save Japan? This guide explains who was involved, what happened in each campaign, what the word kamikaze originally meant, and where visitors can still see traces of the events in Fukuoka and beyond.

The Short Version

Two expeditions crossed from the Asian mainland to northern Kyushu, the first in 1274 and the second in 1281. The Yuan dynasty, founded by Kublai Khan, had already brought Korea under its influence and was seeking Japan's submission as well. Japan's government, the Kamakura shogunate led by the Hojo regents, declined the demands.

Each landing met samurai defenders around Hakata Bay, in what is now Fukuoka. Each time a storm damaged the ships, and the invaders withdrew. Historians still debate fleet sizes and exactly how much the weather decided the outcome, but the broad outline is well established.

Why the Mongols Came

By the 1260s, Kublai Khan ruled a vast empire and had established his capital at what is now Beijing. Korea had become a vassal state after a long period of conflict. Between 1266 and 1273, Mongol and Korean envoys were sent to Japan several times asking for submission, and Japan ignored or turned away these requests.

At the head of the Kamakura government stood the regent Hojo Tokimune, who took office in 1268 while still very young. The shogunate organized defenses in Kyushu, and the warriors there prepared for a possible landing. Tokimune also turned to Zen Buddhism, and he later built monasteries, including Engaku-ji in Kamakura, to honor those who died in the conflict.

The First Invasion of 1274

The first expedition sailed from Korea in the autumn of 1274, stopped at the islands of Tsushima and Iki, and reached Hakata Bay in November. Samurai defenders engaged the landing force, which brought new tactics and weapons, including coordinated fighting and explosive devices. The Japanese defenders fell back inland for a time, and the shrine at Hakozaki was among the buildings affected.

According to traditional accounts, a storm then struck the fleet, and the Mongol ships left the bay. Fleet sizes for this campaign vary widely among sources, from a few thousand to tens of thousands of men, so it is best to treat the figures as rough estimates. Some historians argue the force withdrew for military reasons as well as weather.

Building the Wall

The shogunate used the next years to prepare. Beginning in 1276, it had a long stone wall built along the coast of Hakata Bay, drawing on labor and resources from the provinces of Kyushu. The wall is known today as Genko Borui, and it ran roughly 20 kilometers from Imazu in the west to Kashii in the east.

The wall stood about two to three meters high and was designed to keep landing troops from easily moving inland and to give defenders cover. It was designated a National Historic Site in 1931. Sections can still be visited in Fukuoka, including stretches at Imazu and Iki no Matsubara, where part of the wall has been restored.

The Second Invasion of 1281

The second expedition was much larger. It involved two forces, one setting out from Korea and another from southern China, which had come under Yuan rule. Estimates of the total number of men range from tens of thousands to well over a hundred thousand, and historians continue to revise them.

The eastern force arrived first and faced a prepared coastline. The stone wall and Japanese raids on ships kept the invaders from establishing a firm hold on Hakata, and the two forces spent weeks near the coast. In mid-August a great typhoon struck the anchored fleet, and many ships were lost. The remaining forces withdrew, and Mongol plans for Japan came to an end.

What Kamikaze Meant Then

The word kamikaze is written with characters meaning "god" and "wind," and it is usually translated as "divine wind." In the thirteenth-century story, it refers to the storms that were seen as divine help for Japan. Shrines and temples across the country held prayers during the crisis, and afterward the storms became part of how people remembered the events.

Modern historians add useful context. Japan's defenders fought hard, the stone wall mattered, and the weather of late summer on the East China Sea is naturally dangerous for crowded anchored ships. Many scholars therefore see the outcome as the result of preparation and fortune together. The word itself later acquired a very different meaning in the twentieth century, but its original sense is the one tied to these medieval storms.

Seeing the Story Today

Fukuoka is the best place to follow the history on foot. The Genko Borui sites include the viewing area at Imazu, with information panels, and the restored section at Iki no Matsubara. Museums in the city display materials related to the invasions, and Hakozaki Shrine, dedicated to the war deity Hachiman, remains an important local landmark.

Art preserves the story too. The Mongol Invasion Scrolls, an illustrated pair of handscrolls commissioned by the samurai Takezaki Suenaga to record his service and win recognition, are kept in the Museum of the Imperial Collections in Tokyo. Underwater archaeologists have also located shipwrecks and many relics off Takashima in Nagasaki Prefecture, believed to date from the Mongol expeditions. Visitors should check opening days and any reservation needs on official local sites before traveling.

Why It Still Matters

The invasions left a lasting mark on Japan. The shogunate had fought a defensive war and had no new land to give as rewards to the warriors who served, a strain that historians connect to later changes in the Kamakura government. Zen Buddhism gained followers among the samurai, and ideas about warrior values continued to develop.

The story is still told in museums and history books, and the phrase "divine wind" is well known in Japan. For travelers, it offers a way to see Fukuoka as more than a modern port city, since the shoreline carries layers of medieval history.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Manga-Style Japanese History: Shoguns, Samurai & Sake is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did a typhoon really stop the Mongol invasion of Japan?

Storms damaged the Mongol fleets in both 1274 and 1281, and the 1281 typhoon is widely described as the decisive blow. Historians also credit Japanese defenders and the Hakata Bay stone wall. Most scholars see a combination of resistance, preparation and weather, with exact figures still debated.

What does kamikaze mean?

Kamikaze means "divine wind" in Japanese. It originally referred to the storms that were believed to have protected Japan from the Mongol fleets in the thirteenth century. The word was applied to a very different subject in the twentieth century, but the original meaning is tied to these medieval events.

Where can you see Mongol invasion sites in Fukuoka?

The best known are the Genko Borui stone wall sections in western Fukuoka, including Imazu and Iki no Matsubara, where part of the wall has been restored. Fukuoka museums and Hakozaki Shrine also relate to the story. Check official tourism pages for opening days and access before visiting.

Further Reading

To explore further, see Mongol invasions of Japan (Wikipedia), Kamikaze of 1274 and 1281 (Britannica) and The Genko Borui fortifications (Go Fukuoka, official Fukuoka tourism).

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Samurai History Timeline: From the Heian Period to Meiji, Tamaseseri: Hakozaki Shrine's New Year Ball-Grabbing Festival and Samurai Culture: Armor, Arts and Everyday Life.