Imperial Court in Kyoto  The Imperial Court in Kyoto was the nominal ruling government of Japan from 794 AD until the Meiji period (1868–1912), after which the court was moved from Kyoto (formerly Heian-kyō) to Tokyo (formerly Edo) and integrated into the Meiji government. The shogunate system came after the Imperial Court, with Minamoto no Yoritomo being the first to establish the post of the "shōgun" as hereditary, in 1192. Since Minamoto no Yoritomo launched the shogunate, true power was in the hand of the "shōguns", who were mistaken several times for the Emperors of Japan by western countries.