was the title (post) held by the head of the mainline Hà Âjà  clan, who also monopolized the position of shikken (regents to the shogunate) of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan during the period of Regent Rule (1199âÂÂ1333). ItâÂÂs important not to confuse a regent of the shogunate with a regent of the Emperor (the latter are called Sesshà  and Kampaku). Shikkens were the first regents to the shogunate.
The tokusà  from 1256 to 1333 was the military dictator of Japan as de facto head of the bakufu (shogunate); despite the actual shà Âgun being merely a puppet. This implies that all other positions in JapanâÂÂthe Emperor, the Imperial Court, Sesshà  and Kampaku, and the shikken (regent of the shà Âgun)âÂÂhad also been reduced to figureheads.
The name tokusà  is said to have come from , the Buddhist name of Hà Âjà  Yoshitoki, but his father Hà Âjà  Tokimasa is usually regarded as the first tokusà Â. There were eight tokusà  overall:
The political structure of the tokusà  dictatorship was set up by Yasutoki and was consolidated by his grandson Tokiyori. The tokusà  line held overwhelming power over the gokenin and the cadet lines of the Hà Âjà  clan. Tokiyori often worked out policies at at his residence instead of discussing them at the , the council of the shogunate. This made the tokusà Âs stronger. In 1256, Tokiyori separated the positions of shikken and tokusà  for the first time. Because of an illness, he installed his infant son Tokimune as the tokusà  while Nagatoki, a collateral relative, was appointed shikken to assist Tokimune.