Stories of the Japanese 00647 [Mid-Kamakura Period] The Character of Hojo Yasutoki and His Legacy

There is another episode that illustrates Hojo Yasutoki's character.
The fourth shogun, Yoritsune, once said this to the gathered gokenin (vassals):
"The siding of a house is meant to hide the unsightly interior, but the siding of Yasutoki's house is so crude that one can see right through it from the outside."
It is unclear whether Yoritsune said this to disparage Yasutoki or to praise his simple, frugal lifestyle, but in any case, the gokenin who heard this were concerned for Yasutoki and said,
"For the sake of your security, we believe you should build a proper fence. If each of us gokenin prepares just one board, we could build a fence in less than ten days. Please, give us the order."
They all urged this upon Yasutoki.
However, Yasutoki replied,
"I am truly grateful for everyone's feelings. However, the laborers who have come to Kamakura from various provinces would surely face trouble if they were tasked with this work. You speak of security, but if my luck has run out, even an iron fence would not save me. The siding shall remain as it is."
He refused their offer. It is said that the gokenin were deeply moved by Yasutoki's response.
In any case, Yasutoki's reputation was extraordinary; there was no one who spoke ill of him.
In the mid-Kamakura period collection of Buddhist tales, the 'Shasekishu', it is praised as follows:
"He was a saintly man, a father to all people."
Furthermore, Kitabatake Chikafusa, who later became an ideologue for the Southern Court, wrote in his book 'Jinnō Shōtōki':
"Yasutoki had a righteous heart, his governance was honest, he nurtured the people, and he was not arrogant."
He even went so far as to state,
"If someone like Yasutoki had been in place of Yoritomo during the Genpei War, the people would not have suffered."
In fact, Yasutoki never acted in a dictatorial manner; he consulted his uncle, Tokifusa, on many government affairs, and official documents were signed by both Yasutoki and Tokifusa. It is said that this led to the creation of the 'Rensho' (co-signer) position to assist the regent.
Yasutoki also established the 'Hyojoshu' (Council of State) and sought to conduct much of the government's business through a deliberative system involving influential gokenin. Among the council members, Miura Yoshimura held the most power. In the sense that he avoided concentrating power in the hands of the regent, Yasutoki can be considered a moderate statesman.