Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358 – 1408) was the third Ashikaga shogun during the Muromachi Period, ruling as shogun from 1368 to 1394.
His birth on September 25, 1358 fell precisely on the 100th day after the death of Ashikaga Takauji, his grandfather. His father was Ashikaga Yoshiakira (1330 –1367) the second Ashikaga shogun. He had numerous concubines and children. He fathered Ashikaga Yoshimochi, the fourth Ashikaga shogun and Ashikaga Yoshinori, the sixth Ashikaga shogun.
AshikagaYoshimitsu was appointed shogun, in 1368 at the age of ten. His shogunate began during very difficult times. There was an ongoing war between the Northern Court and the Southern Court and there had been conflict in the Ashikaga pitting his grandfather, Takauji versus his great-uncle, Tadayoshi in the Kannō Disturbance.
Yoshimitsu was too young to govern, so shugo daimyos of the Ashikaga clan administer the shogunate, prominent among them was Hosokawa Yoriyuki, who was the kanrei (chief deputy). Yoriyuki implemented several measures to strengthen the Ashikaga shogunate, including land management reforms, and tax reforms. He also sent forces to weaken the Southern Court in Kyūshū, where it dominated.
In order to strengthen ties with the emperor, court nobles, and religious authorities, Kanrei Hosokawa Yoriyuki had Yoshimitsu participate in court ritual and court ranking. After Yoshimitsu came of age, he continued keeping close ties with the court, for instance, at twenty he was admitted to the imperial court as Gon Dainagon (Acting Grand Counselor). He became the first samurai to host a reigning emperor at his private residence. Over the years, Yoshimitsu held numerous positions with the imperial court.
Yoshimitsu promoted organized religion by reorganizing the institutional framework of Gozan Zen (Five Mountain System), which in turn helped to strengthen his control over Buddhism. He was given authority over the Sanmon Kunin, influential people associated with Enryaku-ji Temple and its affiliates as well as temple members. He made special trips to demonstrate his power to Tōdai-ji Temple and Kōfuku-ji Temple, Itsukushima Shrine in Aki Province, and a trip to Mt. Fuji.
Yoshimitsu constructed his residence in the Muromachi section of Kyoto in 1378. He moved the shogunate to Kitanokoji Muromachi, the so-called “Hana no Gosho” (Flower Palace) and he was known as “Muromachi-dono” (Lord Muromachi). Later “Muromachi-dono” denoted the Ashikaga Shogun and his residence, which housed the consolidated government, the “Muromachi Bakufu.” Hence, the Ashikaga shogunate and the corresponding time period are often referred to as the Muromachi shogunate and Muromachi period.
Yoshimitsu faced opposition in many regions of Japan: in Kyūshū, from the Toki clan, from the Kamakura kanrei Ashikaga Ujimitsu (who wanted to be shogun), and from Yamana Ujikyo, who attacked Kyoto in the Meitoku War.
One of the most important crises concerned the kanrei Hosokawa Yoriyuki in the Koryaku Coup. Using the shogunate’s failure to subjugate the Kyūshū region as an excuse, the Shiba and Toki clans staged a coup d’état moving their armies to surround the shogunal residence, demanding the resignation of Yoriyuki. Reluctantly, Yoshimitsu agreed. Yoriyuki with his clan returned to his territory in Shikoku and he became a priest. Shiba Yoshimasa assumed the post of kanrei, which led to the personnel within the bakufu to become dominated by the Shiba clan and led to policy changes. However, this was not enough and the usurpers attempted to finish Yoriyuki even obtaining an Imperial letter allowing the “subjugation” of Yoriyuki, but Yoriyuki defeated them in battle.
Hosokawa Yorimoto, Yoriyuki’s younger brother, intervened with Yoshimitsu leading to Yoriyuki returning to Kyoto and Shiba Yoshimasa resigning from the position of kanrei. Yoshimitsu offered Yoriyuki the post of kanrei, but Yoriyuki refused because he was now a priest. The position was given to Yorimoto. However, Yoriyuki was far from finished. Yoriyuki became Yorimoto’s aide. This allowed Yoriyuki to attend Gozensata (private meetings with the shogun to pass judgment on legal cases) that dealt with important bakufu matters. Yoshimitsu benefitted from this experience: when Yoshimitsu later stepped down from his post as shogun and passed it to Ashikaga Yoshimochi and became a priest, he used the same strategy to personally preside over meetings in the shogunate administration.
Yoshimitsu developed his own personal army (gobanshu) that had at its core a loyal force of 350 men to serve as his bodyguard. The main body was a cohesive force consisted of loyal vassals, family and shugo relatives, totaling about 3000 men.
In 1392, he negotiated the end of the Nanboku-chō imperial schism that had lasted for over half a century. Yoshimitsu resolved the rift between the Northern and Southern Courts by having the emperor selected alternately from two imperial lineages, Jimyoin-to and Daikakuji-to. Southern Court Emperor Go-Kameyama presented the Three Sacred Treasures to Emperor Go-Komatsu, ending the Southern Court and establishing peace. This is Yoshimitsu’s greatest political achievement.
In 1394 Yoshimitsu officially retired in favor of his son, Ashikaga Yoshimochi. However, even after his son was confirmed as the fourth Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimitsu did not abandon any of his powers, maintaining authority over the shogunate until his death.
Yoshimitsu took tonsure and moved into his Kitayama-dono retirement villa which, among other things, boasted a pavilion covered in gold leaf (Kinkaku shariden). He took the name Rokuonin Tenzan Dogi. He may have become a priest to better control temples and shrines.
Kitayama bunka
Kitayama Culture (Kitayama bunka, “north mountain culture”) became established at the Kitayamo-dono retirement villa. It is named for the Kitayama region of Kyoto. There Yoshimitsu encouraged the development of noh or nō drama, renga or linked verse poetry, and painting.
He sponsored Nouami (1397-1471) head of the Ami family, who became his advisor and the curator of his art collection, art critic, and complier of a catalog of Chinese paintings. The Ami family profoundly influenced Japanese art and culture, painting in the style of the Chinese Southern Song painters. During Kitayama Bunka contacts with China were increased and Zen Buddhism gained influence and strongly affected aesthetic sensibility.
Yoshimitsu’s patronage played a major role in the development of Noh (dramatic performances with dance, music, and poetry). During Kitayama bunka, Noh was popularized by Seami Motokiyo (1363 – 1443) and his father Kan’ami (1333-1384). When Seami performed before Yoshimitsu, he was so impressed that he introduced Seami to the court and provided Seami with an education while allowing him to continue to act. After Kan’ami died, Seami took over the family troupe.
In international relations, Yoshimitsu helped establish and exchange embassies between China and Japan. Since his youth, he had deeply admired the Ming Dynasty and its culture. He had a fervent desire to establish trade between Japan and Ming. However, this was not to be the case for a while.
Yoshimitsu had some serious problems to overcome to establish trade with Ming China. For one thing, the relationship had to be correct. The Chinese thought of themselves as The Middle Kingdom, the center of the world and trade with foreign countries was considered one of tribute to China and gifts for their vassal states. As far as Japan was concerned, the Ming government recognized Imperial Prince Kanenaga (Kaneyoshi) as sole counter-part for negotiations. Kanenaga (1329 – 1383) was the prince of Emperor Go-Daigo. With the rivalry between the Northern Court and the Southern Court (Nanboku-chō), it was impossible for Yoshimitsu (backing the Northern Court) to enter into any relationship with the Ming government. Even after the end of the Northern Court – Southern Court conflict, when Yoshimitsu tried to negotiate with Ming, under the nominal title of “Seii Shogun of Japan, Yoshimitsu Minamoto,” the Ming government would not accept an envoy dispatched by a vassal of the Emperor because the Ming did not trade with any retainer of a vassal. Eventually, Yoshimitsu was successful. In 1404, Yoshimitsu started Japan-Ming trade through the Gozan System that took the form of tribute to the Ming emperor.
At his Kitayama-dono retirement villa, Yoshimitsu received envoys from the Ming and Joseon courts and forged the terms of a Sino-Japanese trade agreement that endured for over a century. For his diplomatic efforts (and overt displays of subservience), in 1404 he was recognized as Nippon Koku-Ō (King of Japan) by the Emperor of China.
Yoshimitsu’s efforts with China were not appreciated by everyone. In Japanese aristocratic society, there was criticism of the tribute trade because Japan was treated as a vassal to the Ming emperors. Yoshimitsu asked the Imperial Court to use the Chinese character 洪 in the name of Japanese eras after the Taizu of Ming, Emperor Hongwu (洪武帝), but this was rejected. Because of this controversy, there were no changes in era names during Yoshimitsu’s reign, thus the Oei era was the longest era before Meiji.
Yoshimitsu died in 1408. After his death, his retirement villa became Rokuon-ji, (after his Buddhist name), which today is famous as Kinkaku-ji, the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. A statue of Yoshimitsu is found there today.
Legacy
After Yoshimitsu died, his son Ashikaga Yoshimochi became shogun. Yoshimochi had had a bad relationship with his father and believed he had been ill-treated. Policies that Yoshimitsu introduced were denounced by Yoshimochi. Yoshimochi even refused the honorary title of “Rokuonin Daijohoo (Cloistered Emperor)” that was granted to Yoshimitsu by the Imperial Court.
Yoshimitsu’s second son was Ashikaga Yoshitsugu (1394-1418). Yoshitsugu was a favorite of Yoshimitsu. Yoshimitsu helped him acquire high court rank and many privileges. Unfortunately, when Yoshimitsu died, Yoshimochi banished Yoshitsugu from Kitayamatei. Yoshitsugu joined an ill-fated rebellion against Yoshimochi and ended being executed.
Yoshimitsu’s other son, Yoshinori who became the 6th shogun, intended to continue Yoshimitsu’s policies; however, he was assassinated. His grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the 8th shogun, approved of the policies, but he gave up governance during the Ōnin War and devoted his time to Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, named in tribute to Yoshimitsu’s Kinkaku-ji).