Muromachi Samurai 1538

The samurai during the Muromachi Period

  • This period is also known as the Ashikaga period.
  • Towards the end of the Kamakura Shogunate, some clans was resentful that they did not get any benefits after bravely fighting against the Mongols. They wanted to put emperor Go-Daigo back into power.
  • This attempt failed and the Ashikaga clan started ruling Japan.
  • Go-daigo supporters did not give up and fought against the Ashikaga shogunate that represented the North. This conflict, Nanbokucho war, lasted for 60 years: the longest war in Japan’s history.
The Onin war by Utagawa Yoshitora (1852)

The Onin war by Utagawa Yoshitora (1852)

  • This is the era when the influential samurai settled in as a noble class in Kyoto.
  • They engaged in many new kinds of arts and traditions including Tea ceremony, ikebana, poetry, Noh performance, calligraphy, and sumi e.
  • During this period Kinkauji, ginkakuji and Ryoanji in addition to a number of zen gardens were built in Kyoto.
  • Tachi (longer swords with the curve close to the tip) were replaced by katana (shorter swords with the curve in the center) In the Muromachi era.
  • This period ended when Oda Nobunaga entered Kyoto in 1573 and started ruling Japan. The next 30 years are called the Azuchi-Momoyama period.
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