Which Japanese typhoons saved Japan from Mongol invasions?

The Japanese typhoons said to have saved Japan from Mongol invasions are known as the kamikaze, meaning “divine wind.” The term refers to storms associated with the Mongol attacks of 1274 and 1281.

Kublai Khan’s forces first invaded Japan in 1274, landing in northern Kyushu and fighting around Hakata Bay. A powerful storm struck the fleet as it withdrew, damaging ships and causing heavy losses. The second invasion in 1281 was much larger, but another typhoon battered the Mongol fleet after it had assembled near Japan.

The storms did not defeat the invasions by themselves. Japanese resistance, fortified defenses, supply problems, disease, difficult terrain, and disagreements within the expeditionary forces also mattered. The popular story emphasizes the divine wind because the storms arrived at critical moments. Centuries later, “kamikaze” acquired a different meaning when it was used for Japanese suicide pilots during World War II.