page_title: Genkō Bōrui
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Genkō Bōrui / History
caption_attribution_description: 日本語: 『蒙古襲来絵詞』後巻、絵十二【弘安の役】菊池武房らが陣取る石築地前を通って出陣する竹崎季長一行。
context_page_description: The Genkō Bōrui was a defensive stone wall, 20 kilometres long, constructed along Hakata Bay in Japan in preparation for an attack by Mongol forces of the Yuan dynasty after the first attack of 1274.
  The second attack of 1281 was thwarted by a typhoon, or kamikaze, and the Mongols were forced to withdraw. In the Edo period, some of the stones were reused for the construction of Fukuoka Castle, though Genkō Bōrui has remained intact at several points along the Hakata Bay. It was originally called "Ishitsuiji". It was designated a national historic site on March 30, 1931.
context_section_description: The Mongol invasions Genkō (元寇) of Japan in 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by Kublai Khan to conquer Japan.  After the failure of the first invasion, the Kamakura shogunate initiated a series of projects in 1275 to prepare for the next invasion, which they felt was imminent.
  In addition to improving the organization of the samurai of Kyushu, they ordered the construction of a large stone wall and other defensive structures at many potential landing points, including Hakata Bay. A defensive wall was planned and a tax was levied on the samurai, temples, and shrines, of 3.3 centimetres (1.3 in) of construction stone per rice field equivalent to one koku of rice. Construction began in March 1276. The planned date of completion for most of the wall was August of the same year, but the deadline differed depending on the strategic importance of given locations. Construction of the defense wall was made by various Kyushu provinces. These provinces continued maintenance on the wall until the early part of the Muromachi period, and by the latter half of the 14th century it had fallen into disrepair.
  A part of Genkō Bōrui was completed before the second invasion and prevented the enemy from landing immediately. The invaders were forced to anchor their ships at Shikanoshima Island.  The battles occurred over several months between several thousand evenly-matched combatants. Takezaki Suenaga of Higo Province joined the battles and had artists draw scrolls concerning the Battle of Kōan. This second attack of 1281 was finally thwarted by a typhoon, or kamikaze, and the Mongols were forced to withdraw.
  Even later, the defense system was continued, and remained intact until 1332. In the Edo period, most of the stones were used for the construction of Fukuoka Castle.  It was designated a national historic site on March 30, 1931.
caption: A scroll showing a small portion of the Genkō Bōrui at Ikino Matsubara[8]
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