Muromachi Period 1333-1600
The Muromachi Period was characterized by almost constant warfare and, by contrast, great cultural advancements.
It began with the Kenmu Restoration. Emperor Go-Daigo attempted to restore imperial power by enlisting dissatisfied samurai against the Kamakura regime. Later, one of his former allies, Ashikaga Takauji, defeated Go-Daigo’s forces and installed Emperor Kōmyō to replace Go-Daigo. Go-Daigo gathered allies and instituted an ongoing conflict between his Southern Court and the Northern Court in Kyoto (Nanboku-chō). This conflict lasted until 1392.
The instability caused by Nanboku-chō led to many people to band together for police and military protection. For business, artisans, and workers, guilds were formed. Guilds would associate with a shrine or temple for protection of their economic interests.
Matters only grew worse with the Ōnin War, a ten year civil war (1467-1477) fought in Kyoto that destroyed the city. The Ōnin War was followed by Sengoku-Jidai or Age of Warring States. The years of Sengoku-Jidai are variously given as 1467-1603 or 1615.
The Golden Age of Japanese art and Muromachi Culture came around 1378 to 1490. Muromachi Culture can be divided into two periods, Kitayama bunka or Kitayama Culture and Higashiyama bunka or Higashiyama Culture, named after areas of Kyoto.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358-1408), the third Ashikaga shogun, fostered Kitayama bunka. Yoshimitsu patroned the arts, especial Noh (nō). His retirement villa, which had a pavilion covered in gold leaf, today it is known as Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion). His grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490), fostered Higashiyama bunka. Yoshimasa devoted his life to aesthetics. Yoshimasa assembled a great number of the leading artists at his retirement villa which later became known as Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion). Higashiyama bunka artists’ aesthetics were heavily influence by Zen Buddhism with the concept of wabi-sabi (beauty in simplicity). They made further refinements to chadō (tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arranging), Noh, and sumi-e (ink wash painting).
The two great schools of Japanese painting came into prominence: the Kanō school and the Tosa School.
Buddhism played an important role in the arts especially in rock gardens and in literature and poetry.
There were important developments in religion. In Buddhism, the Gozan (Five Mountains) system was strengthened. The Gozan system created a hierarchy of temples throughout Japan. Yoshida Kanetomo (1435-1511) helped save shinto from complete submersion in Buddhism.
The division seen in the Muromachi Era would soon end as three warlords appeared who would unify Japan: Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598), and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616). Nobunaga entered the scene as a successful military leader who had assembled an army of masterless samurai who swore allegiance to him. He forced out Ashikaga Yoshiaki, ending the Ashikaga shogunate. Nobunaga instituted several policy changes that made him enemies. One of his allies turned against him and rather than surrender, Nobunaga and his son committed seppuku. Toyotomi Hideyoshi revenged Nobunaga and successfully achieved military unification of Japan.
Hideyoshi instituted great building projects in Kyoto, restoring many great buildings destroyed during the Onin War. He also began the persecution of Christians. Europeans had arrived in 1543, which opened up the Nanban trade period. After Hideyoshi died there was an uneasy peace. In 1599, Ishida Mitsunari and Tokugawa Ieyasu struggled for power. At the Battle of Sekigahara, October 21, 1600, Ieyasu defeated Ishida, becoming the undisputed master of Japan.
As Japan began to stabilize after so many years of constant warfare, culturally the country began to transform itself from a medieval to a modern society. It blossomed in the Azuchi–Momoyama period. New styles of architecture appeared, such as the shoin style in housing, ornate castle architecture and interiors adorned with painted screens and embellished with gold leaf. The tea ceremony or chanoyu, the “Way of Tea” took the shape that we recognize today under the direction of Sen no Rikyū (1522–1591).
Ieyasu eventually moved the seat of government to his castle in Edo, ending the Muromachi Period and ushering in the Edo Period.
4.1 Muromachi Period 1333-1600: Ashikaga Shogunate
4.2 Muromachi Period: Stabilization Attempts and Civil War
4.3 Muromachi Period: Culture and Religion
4.4 Muromachi Period: The Rise of the Great Unifiers