Muromachi period

The Muromachi period was a major era in Japanese history. It lasted from approximately 1336 to 1573. During this time, the Ashikaga shogunate ruled the country. A shogunate is a type of military government.

This government was named after the Muromachi district in Kyoto. That is where the leaders kept their headquarters. The first leader was Ashikaga Takauji. He became the first Muromachi shōgun in 1338. He took power after the Kenmu Restoration ended.

Political power was often divided during these years. From 1336 to 1392, Japan had two competing courts. These were known as the Northern and Southern Courts. Supporters of Emperor Go-Daigo fought to keep his power. The Ashikaga shogunate eventually took over the remnants of the imperial government. This was different from the previous Kamakura period. In the Kamakura period, the court and the military lived in equilibrium. Under the Ashikaga, the shogunate became more dominant.

Order emerged during the rule of the third shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. He ruled from 1368 to 1394. He also served as chancellor until 1408. Yoshimitsu allowed regional constables to become powerful rulers called shugo. A balance of power developed between the shōgun and these shugo. In 1392, Yoshimitsu successfully reunified the Northern and Southern courts. However, the Northern Court kept control over the throne. Over time, the Ashikaga shoguns lost their influence to the shugo. This decline led to the Ōnin War from 1467 to 1477. This war devastated Kyoto and caused a century of anarchy.

Economic life changed through new contact with the Ming dynasty. This contact with China began because of Japanese pirates called wokou. The Chinese wanted help to stop these pirates in coastal areas. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu accepted a relationship with China to fix this. He restarted the tribute system in 1401. He even wrote to the Chinese Emperor calling himself a subject.

Japan traded wood, sulfur, copper ore, swords, and folding fans. In return, they received Chinese silk, porcelain, books, and coins. This was a very profitable way to trade.

Culture was deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism. This religion helped spread new art and religious practices. It also brought influences from Chinese dynasties like the Song and Ming. Zen monks and imperial courtiers often met and shared ideas. A central text for this era was the Blue Cliff Record.

This period also saw a renewed interest in Shinto. For a long time, Shinto had been absorbed by Buddhism. This was called Ryōbu Shinto, or Dual Shinto. However, the Mongol invasions in the late thirteenth century changed this. People began to focus more on the divine nature of the Japanese people. This idea was written about in the Jinnō Shōtōki.

Art and music reached new heights during this time. Monks traveled to share Chinese-style ink wash painting. A famous painter from this era was Sesshū Tōyō. He used fluid lines and dry brushes to create beautiful works.

In music, the styles of sarugaku and dengaku became very popular. These styles eventually developed into Noh theatre. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu provided financial support to famous actors like Zeami.

Other arts like the tea ceremony and landscape gardening also flourished.

Education became very important for the ruling class. Local lords needed to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. They needed these skills to manage their lands. The Ashikaga Gakko was the oldest surviving academic institution. It was a famous academy where priests and warriors gathered to learn.

Even common peasants became more literate. Many peasants began to write their own land deeds. This shows that education was spreading to many levels of society. The Muromachi period eventually ended in 1573. It was followed by the Azuchi–Momoyama period.