Muromachi shogunate
Quick Summary
The Muromachi shogunate, also known as the Ashikaga shogunate, ruled Japan from 1338 to 1573. Named after a district in Kyoto where the first Ashikaga shogun established his headquarters, this period saw significant cultural development, particularly influenced by Zen Buddhism.1
Key aspects of the Muromachi period include:
* Political Instability: While the third shogun, Yoshimitsu, achieved a period of stability, succession disputes later led to the Onin War and a century of conflict known as the "age of the country at war" (sengoku jidai).1
* Cultural Flourishing: Despite political turmoil, the arts thrived. The tea ceremony, flower arranging, and Noh drama developed, and Japanese ink painting reached its peak. Architectural styles emphasized simplicity and austerity, exemplified by the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji).1
* Religious Influence: Zen Buddhism became a semi-official state religion, with the Rinzai sect receiving significant support from the Ashikaga clan. However, the period also saw conflicts among various Buddhist groups and the introduction of Roman Catholicism by missionaries like Francis Xavier.2
* Government Structure: The Muromachi bakufu inherited much of its structure from the preceding Kamakura period. However, the role of the provincial military governors (shugo) became increasingly powerful, leading to a delicate balance of power and eventual weakening of the shogun's authority.3
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Ashikaga Takauji…and statesman who founded the Ashikaga shogunate (hereditary military dictatorship) that dominated Japan from 1338 to 1573.
Read More…and statesman who founded the Ashikaga shogunate (hereditary military dictatorship) that dominated Japan from 1338 to 1573.
Read More- shogun
…in 1338 and established the Ashikaga shogunate (see Muromachi period), but his successors enjoyed even less control over Japan than had the Kamakura shoguns, and the country gradually fell into civil war (see Ōnin War). Tokugawa Ieyasu’s shogunate (see Tokugawa period)
Read More…in 1338 and established the Ashikaga shogunate (see Muromachi period), but his successors enjoyed even less control over Japan than had the Kamakura shoguns, and the country gradually fell into civil war (see Ōnin War). Tokugawa Ieyasu’s shogunate (see Tokugawa period)
Read More - shogunate
The Ashikaga shogunate’s capital was the imperial city of Kyōto. But the increasingly independent shugo, virtual warlords, who by the 16th century were known as daimyo, eventually undermined the power of the Ashikaga shogunate.
Read MoreThe Ashikaga shogunate’s capital was the imperial city of Kyōto. But the increasingly independent shugo, virtual warlords, who by the 16th century were known as daimyo, eventually undermined the power of the Ashikaga shogunate.
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