Muromachi Period: The Rise of Culture and the Beginning of Turmoil

(1336–1467)

- Prologue: The Birth of the Muromachi Shogunate

In 1336, a warrior who had survived the chaos of war emerged to forge a new era.
His name was Ashikaga Takauji. After overthrowing the Kamakura Shogunate, he established a new bushi government based in Kyoto.
By consolidating the power of the bushi while cleverly utilizing the emperor’s authority, he sought to create a centralized political structure.
This marked the beginning of the Muromachi Shogunate, which would rule Japan for nearly 240 years.

The new government, centered around the Hana-no-Gosho (Flower Palace), became not only the center of politics but also the cradle of Japanese cultural and artistic development.
Takauji aimed for a harmonious order where bushi, aristocrats, and culture coexisted and flourished.

The birth of the Muromachi Shogunate was a significant turning point in Japanese history, setting the stage for the warring states period (Sengoku Era) that would follow.

- Chapter 1: The Turbulence of the Northern and Southern Courts

The rule of Ashikaga Takauji was far from peaceful.
His former ally, Emperor Go-Daigo, rejected the new shogunate and fled to Yoshino (Nara Prefecture), establishing the Southern Court.
Meanwhile, the Northern Court, backed by the shogunate, remained in Kyoto.
This conflict, known as the Nanboku-cho (Northern and Southern Courts) period, turned into a long and bloody struggle that engulfed the entire country.

For nearly 60 years, various bushi factions fought for dominance.
However, by 1392, under the leadership of the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the Northern and Southern Courts were finally unified.

The Achievements of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
Yoshimitsu was not merely a military leader but a masterful politician, economist, and cultural patron.

He reconciled with the Southern Court by promising an alternating succession of emperors from both courts, but in reality, only the Northern Court's line continued, effectively eliminating the Southern Court.
He promoted trade with the Ming Dynasty (China), boosting Japan’s economy.
He strengthened ties with the imperial court while also asserting his own dominance by proclaiming himself the “King of Japan” in diplomatic relations.
Yoshimitsu’s greatest symbol of power and aesthetics was the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji).

The golden temple, radiating splendor, displayed the cultural and political supremacy of the Ashikaga shogunate, leaving a lasting impact on Japan’s history.

- Chapter 2: The Golden Age of Japanese Culture

During the Muromachi period, particularly under Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Japan experienced a cultural renaissance.
With political stability came the flourishing of art, religion, and diplomacy, establishing a unique Japanese aesthetic.

Zen and Muromachi Culture – The Beauty of “Wabi” and “Seijaku”
One of the most profound influences on this era was Zen Buddhism.
Zen’s philosophy of simplicity and refinement shaped the Muromachi aesthetic, emphasizing subtle elegance over extravagance.

The Birth of Karesansui – A Garden Representing the Universe
A defining element of Muromachi culture was the Karesansui (dry landscape gardens).
Using rocks and sand to depict flowing water, these gardens embodied minimalism and spiritual depth.
Famous examples like Ryoan-ji's rock garden and Ginkaku-ji's gardens continue to captivate people worldwide today.

 

Noh Theater – The Performing Art Loved by the Bushi
The Muromachi period also saw the emergence of Noh, a traditional Japanese theatrical art.
Perfected by the father-son duo Kan'ami and Zeami, Noh expressed the spiritual and aesthetic ideals of the bushi class, blending stillness and movement into an art form embraced by the Ashikaga shogunate.

While Yoshimitsu’s era was one of cultural prosperity, his death marked the beginning of the decline of shogunal power, pushing Japan toward an era of unrest and war.

- Chapter 3: The onin War – A Conflict That Shook Japan

Approximately 70 years after the golden age of Yoshimitsu, the Muromachi Shogunate began to crumble from within.
Internal political struggles, feuds among powerful warlords (shugo daimyo), and disputes over shogunal succession escalated into a full-scale war.
In 1467, the onin War broke out, plunging Japan into chaos.

Kyoto in Flames
The onin War erupted in Kyoto between the Eastern Army (led by Hosokawa Katsumoto) and the Western Army (led by Yamana Sozen).
The fighting spread throughout the city, turning Kyoto into a battlefield.
The war dragged on for 11 years, yet neither side emerged as a clear victor.
Eventually, war-weary daimyo abandoned the fight and returned to their domains, leaving Kyoto in ruins.

While the conflict ended, the war crippled the Muromachi Shogunate, reducing the Ashikaga shogun to a mere figurehead.
The once-centralized rule collapsed, and regional warlords (daimyo) gained more autonomy, pushing Japan toward the Sengoku period (Warring States Era).

- Final Chapter: The Dawn of the Sengoku Era – An Age of Upheaval

Even after the onin War, conflicts continued throughout Japan.
With the decline of the Muromachi Shogunate’s authority, a new class of powerful rulers known as sengoku daimyo rose.

The Rise of Sengoku Daimyo – The Era of “Gekokujo”

The Sengoku period marked the collapse of the traditional class hierarchy, where the strong overthrew the weak.
This principle, known as Gekokujo ("the low overthrowing the high"), allowed ambitious individuals to rise through merit rather than birthright.

The weakening Muromachi Shogunate lost control over the country, and ambitious warlords such as Miyoshi Nagayoshi and Matsunaga Hisahide openly defied the shogunate.

- Miyoshi Nagayoshi

 

- Matsunaga Hisahide

 

The chaos of the onin War had unintentionally birthed a new era—one dominated by warlords who ruled their territories independently, without relying on the shogunate.

This age of bloodshed and ambition would eventually give rise to three of Japan’s greatest historical figures:
Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

However, until their emergence, Japan would continue to experience endless battles, betrayals, and shifting alliances, as countless warriors fought for supremacy.

 

Next Episode: "The Sengoku Period – The Warlords Who Fought for Supremacy"