Note: The following is intended to provide a quick reference to basic historical events and related vocabulary. The information is drawn from a wide variety of sources (mostly basic) and may contain significant errors, so please cross-consult.
Muromachi Period (1338-1573) Ashikaga
Shogunate rules from Muromachi in Kyoto
*associated with aesthetics
of bushido, restraint, simplicity,
1330s Emp. Godaigo makes unsuccessful
coup attempt against Kamakura bakufu.
Ashikaga Takauji seizes control;
goes to Muromachi;
gets puppet emp.; gets sh™gun
title.
gives daimy™ titles to regional
barons in return for their support.
rise of kokujin: men of power,
of various backgrounds, who control areas...
venture capitalists fund brisk
trade with China (c.f., Columbus funding?)
broad increase in market towns;
itinerant peddlers, artists;
tea and renga; elite aesthetic
of rustic elegance;
Hasegawa T™haku: sumi-e
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
Travel Diaries:
1180 Takakura-in Itsukushima
gok™ ki:
1186 T™daiji shuto sankei ise
Daijing˛ ki:
1225 Shinsh™ H™shi nikki:
Priest Shinsh™ served Sanetomo
until 1219 assassination, then became hermit
1280 Abutsu, Izayoi nikki:
1352 S™ky˛, Miyako no tsuto:
1389 Imagawa Ry™shun (1326-1420),
Rokuonin dono Itsukushima m™de no ki: Yoshimitsu to Itsukushima.
1418 Sh™tetsu, Nagusamegusa:
travel diary, after death of his teacher Reizei Tametada
1432 Fuji kik™:
1433 Ise kik™:
1465 Gy™e, Zenk™ji kik™:
Gy™e was affiliated with Haku-san
group of yamabushi (mountain ascetics)
1473 Sh™k™, Sh™k™ nikki:
Sh™k™ was a student of Sh™tetsu
(d.1459)
1534 Gy™k˛, K™ya sankei nikki:
1553 Sanj™nishi Kin'eda, Yoshino
m™de no ki: (patterned on 1534 Gy™k˛ journal)
Kin'eda (1487-1563): son of
Gy™k˛
also: T™kan kik™,, Tosa nikki,
Towazugatari,, Tsukushi michi no ki. Ise Daijing˛ sankeiki
N™ Theater: sponsored by Ashikaga
shogunate
Kan'ami (1333-1384):
Eguchi, Sotoba Komachi,
Zeami (1364-1443): son of Kan'ami;
1376 patronized, from the
age of 12, by the shogun, Yoshimitsu
1400-1402 F˛shi kaden
1408 Yoshimitsu dies: Zeami
does not receive continued support from bakufu.
1418 Kash˛: Learning the flower
1420 Shikad™: The way to the
highest flower
1423 N™sakusho: Writing of
the n™
1424 Hana no kagami: The mirror
of the flower
1428 Ky˛i
1428 Sh˛gyoku tokka
1430 Sarugaku dangi
14300 Go'on'gyoku: Five types
of n™ singing
1433 Kyakuraika: The flower
of sublime simplicity
1429 banished from the court
1433 eldest son, Motomasa,
dies
1434 exiled to Sado Island
Plays: lots...
K™waka-mai: dance accompanied by recitation.
Warrior Tales: 1370s-1470s Age of
Heikyoku: Biwa hoshi (blind lutists) perform Heike monogatari
1340 Kakuichi, blind, joins
T™d™za guild
1371 Kakuichi has his own version
of Heike written down
Age of Taiheiki: katariso (narrator-monks)
perform
Sengoku Period
1467 Oonin no Ran (Oonin Wars)
rivalries escalate into turmoil;
gekokuj™ (little eats big);
better records; more effective
organization over larger territories;
continued rise in patronage
system of artists, merchants, etc.
1560s-70s Temple-led congregations
(ikk™) challenged warlords, but were subdued.
Renga Practitioners:
Nij™ Yoshimoto (1320-1388):
born into nobility
1336 successfully remained
in office despite dispute on imperial succession
1349 Renri hish™: Secret Treatise
on linked verse
1356?-57? Tsukubash˛: anthology
of linked verse
1372 Renga shinshiki: new
ruled of linked verse
1372 Tsukuba mond™: Conversations
with a man of Tsukuba
1383 J˛mon Saihish™: Ten most
important questions on linked verse.
Sh™tetsu (-1459):
1418 Nagusamegusa: travel
diary, after death of his teacher Reizei Tametada
Shinkei ():
S™gi (-1502):
1468 Shirakawa kik™: journey
to Shirakawa barrier.
S™ch™ (1448-1532): pupil of
S™gi
1509 Azumaji no tsuto: journey
to Shirakawa barrier (patterned after S™gi's journey).
1530s? Inu-Tsukubash˛: compiled?
by Yamazaki S™kan (d.1539?)
Satomura J™ha
Ky™gen Drama: develops as comic interludes for N™ drama.
Sengoku also results in flourishing
Azuchi-Momoyama culture (1570-1599)
= conspicuous consumption on
grand scale; great castles;
= built on prior tradition
of importing capital culture to daimyo castle towns
1586-87 Hideyoshi builds Jurakudai
manion; art by Eitoku
1595 tears it down after falling
out with first heir
1586 Hideyoshi starts Hokoji
w/ Buddha using metal from sword-hunt
1596 H™k™ji burns; 1602 rebuilt;
burned; 1608-14 rebuilt
1980s burned; turned into
parking lot
Nanban art
Azuchi-Momoyama artists:
Sen no Riky˛: tea (wabicha)
Popular Culture
taue-uta; sarugaku; samisen;
matsuri
1587 Hideyoshi sponsors Kitano
celebration, open to all
j™ruri?: dramatic recital accompanied
by musical instrument
1338-1573 Muromachi Period:
Ashikaga Shogunate rules from Muromachi in Kyoto
*associated with aesthetics of bushido, restraint, simplicity,
1370s-1470s Age of Heikyoku: Biwa
hoshi (blind lutists) perform Heike monogatari
1340 Kakuichi, blind, joins Toodooza guild
1371 Kakuichi has his own version of Heike written down
1467 Oonin no Ran (Oonin Wars)
Age of Taiheiki: katariso (narrator-monks)
perform
Age of Noh Drama:
Age of Kyogen Drama:
Muromachi Bakufu
1330s Emp. Godaigo makes unsuccessful coup attempt against Kamakura bakufu.
Ashikaga Takauji seizes control; goes to Muromachi;
gets puppet emp.; gets shoogun title.
gives daimyoo titles to regional barons in return for their support.
rise of kokujin: men of power, of various backgrounds, who control areas...
venture capitalists fund brisk trade with China (c.f., Columbus funding?)
broad increase in market towns; itinerant peddlers, artists;
tea and renga; elite aesthetic of rustic elegance;
Hasegawa Toohaku: sumi-e
Sengoku Period
1467 rivalries escalate into turmoil; gekokujoo (little eats big);
better records; more effective organization over larger territories;
continued rise in patronage system of artists, merchants, etc.
1560s-70s Temple-led congregations (ikkoo) challenged warlords, but were
subdued.
1570-1599 Azuchi-Momoyama Period
===Azuchi-Momoyama Architecture
and Art========
= conspicuous
consumption on grand scale; great castles;
= built
on prior tradition of importing capital culture to daimyo castle towns
1586-87
Jurakudai
Mansion built by Hideyoshi; art by Eitoku
1595 tears it down after falling out with first heir
1586 Hokoji
Temple started by Hideyoshi, w/ Buddha using metal from sword-hunt
1596 Hookooji burns; 1602 rebuilt; burned; 1608-14 rebuilt
1980s burned; turned into parking lot
Nanban art
===Azuchi-Momoyama Artists================================
Satomura
Jooha: renga
Sen no Rikyuu:
tea (wabicha)
===Popular Culture===================================
taue-uta; sarugaku;
samisen; matsuri
1587 Hideyoshi sponsors Kitano celebration,
open to all
===Contact with outside================================
Portugese and other Westerners arrive:
1543 Portugese shipwreck at
Tanegashima yields arquebuses (cannons),
= soon replicated, used by
Oda in 1560
Noted Westerners:
Lois Frois (1532-1597): Jesuit:
calls Benkei the "Hercules of Japan"
1580a ~200,000 Jesuit converts
in Ky˛sh˛.
1587 Hideyoshi tries to suppress
Jesuits but maintain outside trade: little heed paid.
1590s Spanish missionaries
etc. arrive and vie with Portugese.
1596 Hideyoshi initiates crackdown
on Jesuits, but no resolution in sight.
Nanban art, products, firearms
1543 Portugese shipwreck at Tanegashima
yields arquebuses (cannons),
= arquebuses
soon replicated, used by Oda in 1560
~1550s wak™ pirates had forced drop
in Ch. and Korean maritime trade.
1557 Ming renounced trade with Japan;
but continued, muted;
1560s-1580s Seafarers move south;
substantial trade w/ Philippines, etc.
= trade
in basic food goods; also many specialty items, clothing, etc. (Iwao)
1580a ~200,000 Jesuit converts in
Kyuushuu.
1587 Hideyoshi secures Kyushu; cracks
down on pirates;
1587 Hideyoshi tries to suppress
Jesuits but maintain outside trade: little heed paid.
1590s Spanish missionaries etc. arrive
and vie with Portugese.
=
Nanban art flourishes; Western products; firearms
1592 Hideyoshi sends out armada,
planning to conquer Peking.
= encounters
resistance at many points; retreats to Pusan while negotiating truce.
1596 Hideyoshi initiates crackdown
on Jesuits, but no resolution in sight.
1596 attacks resumed
1599 Japanese troops withdraw from
peninsula
===Political Figures of Momoyama
Period=====================
1534-1582
Oda Nobunaga: gains
comprehensive control of nation
= disdained
shogun title; relied on daimyoo system;
1560 Sunpu
lord Imagawa Yoshimoto leads large force: Oda routs him in rainy ambush.
1568 Oda
has Emp. Ogimachi name Ashikaga Yoshiaki as shoogun.
1569 Oda
has all-stone castle built in Kyoto; takes only 70 days;
?? Yoshiaki
schemes against Oda; Oda ousts him, ends Ashikaga shogunate.
1571 Oda
attacks Mt. Hiei temples; kill and destroy everything;
1573 Muromachi
Government falls: Oda Nobunaga takes over.
1574 Oda
conquers ikkoo opposition near Ise; 20,000 massacred
1576-79
Oda builds grand castle at Azuchi near L.Biwa.
1582 Oda
murdered by vassal
1536-1598 Toyotomi Hideyoshi
=
like Oda, did not aspire to shogun title; relied on daimyoo; but supported
court.
=
respected Ieyasu for his competence, even though Ieyasu lacked cultural
refinement.
=
issued many rules; but allowed daimyoo a degree of power;left establishments
intact.
=
gave villages autonomy while denying them political autonomy;
=
played key role in establishing standards of measurement;
1588 law
to collect weapons from peasants;
1590 Toyotomi
Hideyoshi unifies country
1592 Hideyoshi
launches first invasion of Korea: repelled by Korean, Chinese resistance
1597 Hideyoshi
launches second invasion of Korea: repelled...
??=
law to prevent peasants from becoming samurai and v.v.
1598 Hideyoshi
dies in bed.