Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the son of the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori, was originally known as Miharu in his childhood. His official wife was Hino Tomiko.
On August 16, 1443, the 10-year-old shogun Yoshikatsu tragically passed away due to injuries sustained in a fall from a horse. He had held the position for only three years. In response, the bakufu promptly appointed Yoshikatsu's even younger brother, Yoshinari, as the new shogun. After a few years, Yoshinari changed his name to Yoshimasa, a name by which he is better known.
By 1464, Yoshimasa faced a succession challenge as he had no heir. To preempt any conflicts that might arise at the end of his shogunate, he adopted his younger brother, Ashikaga Yoshimi. However, the following year brought an unexpected development: the birth of a son, Ashikaga Yoshihisa. This event ignited a dispute between the two brothers over who would succeed Yoshimasa as shogun. Yoshimasa's wife, Hino Tomiko, sought support from Yamana Sozen for the infant's claim to the shogunate.
By 1467, this simmering conflict had escalated, causing a division among powerful daimyos and clan factions. The ensuing armed conflict, known as the Onin War, marked the onset of the tumultuous Sengoku period in Japanese history, characterized by prolonged military conflicts spanning over a century.
Amidst the ongoing hostilities, Yoshimasa retired in 1473. He officially passed on the title of Sei-i Taishogun to his young son, who became the ninth shogun Ashikaga Yoshihisa. Nevertheless, Yoshimasa retained significant influence. With the leaders of the warring factions deceased and the ostensible succession dispute settled, the impetus for continued fighting waned. The fatigued armies disbanded, and by 1477, open warfare had ceased.
When Yoshimasa initially declared Yoshihisa as the next shogun upon his own retirement, he expected his son to outlive him. However, Yoshihisa's premature death led Yoshimasa to reassume power and responsibility, which he had intended to relinquish. Subsequently, he adopted his brother Yoshimi's son. In 1489, Yoshitane assumed the position of shogun, and Yoshimasa retired once again.
Before Yoshimasa's passing in 1490, he once more adopted a nephew as his heir, this time the son of his brother Masatomo. While Yoshitane did outlive Yoshimasa, his shogunate proved to be short-lived, ending in 1493.
Prior to marrying Hino Tomiko, who was the sister of Hino Katsumitsu, Yoshimasa had a concubine named Lady Oima. Tragically, when Tomiko pushed Lady Oima down a flight of stairs, she was eight months pregnant, resulting in a miscarriage.
Shogun Yoshimasa's succession saw shogun Yoshihisa (his natural son), followed by shogun Yoshitane (his first adopted son), and then shogun Yoshizumi (his second adopted son). Yoshizumi's descendants would directly follow him as leaders of the shogunate. Additionally, external power struggles within the clan would later result in a brief period during which Yoshitane's great-grandson would be installed as a figurehead leader of the Ashikaga shogunate.
The reign of Yoshimasa witnessed the flourishing of Higashiyama culture, renowned for its contributions to the tea ceremony (Sado), flower arrangement (Kado or Ikebana), Noh drama, and Indian ink painting. This cultural movement was profoundly influenced by Zen Buddhism and saw the emergence of Japanese aesthetic principles like Wabi-sabi, along with the integration of imperial court (Kuge) and samurai (Bushi) culture.
See also
-
Uesugi Kagetora
Uesugi Kagetora (1552 – April 19, 1579) was the seventh son of Hojo Ujiyasu and was originally known as Hojo Saburo. He was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin and intended to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his Otate Castle by Uesugi Kagekatsu, his brother-in-law, and was ultimately defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following year at Samegao Castle.
-
Hojo Ujinao
Hojo Ujinao (1562 – December 19, 1591) was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period and the last leader of the Later Hojo clan. An important figure in Azuchi-Momoyama politics, he lost his entire domain following the Siege of Odawara (1590). Despite this, he survived, and his family continued as minor daimyo during the Edo period.
-
Takeda Katsuyori
Takeda Katsuyori (1546 – April 3, 1582) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, renowned as the head of the Takeda clan and successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was also the son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu. Katsuyori was born to Shingen and the daughter of Suwa Yorishige, known posthumously as Suwa-goryonin and by her real name, Koihime. His children included Takeda Nobukatsu and Takeda Katsuchika.
-
Yasuke
Yasuke, an African page, arrived in Japan in 1579 as the attendant of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Before the arrival of the Englishman William Adams, it is thought that Yasuke was possibly the inaugural non-Japanese samurai, arriving about twenty years earlier.
-
Yamanami Keisuke
Yamanami Keisuke, the second in command of the Shinsengumi, a special police force during the late Edo period, shocked many when he performed seppuku on March 20, 1865, at the age of 32.
-
Yamamoto Kansuke
Yamamoto Kansuke, renowned as a samurai strategist and one of Takeda Shingen's esteemed 24 Generals, hailed from the Mikawa region, known for breeding formidable warriors. Despite physical challenges—blindness in one eye, lameness in one leg, and a malformed hand—Kansuke embarked on a warrior's pilgrimage in his twenties. Traveling across the land, he honed his skills in strategy, tactics, castle construction, and warfare, engaging in various swordsmanship schools and forms.
-
Yamaga Soko
Yamaga Soko was a multifaceted figure in Japanese history, renowned as a strategist, philosopher, and scholar. Later in life, he became a ronin, leaving a significant mark on the understanding of the Tokugawa period samurai.
-
William Adams - Miura Anjin
William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, holds the distinction of being one of the few non-Japanese individuals granted samurai status. Born in Gillingham, Kent, England in 1564, Adams embarked on a remarkable journey that led him to become an influential figure in Japanese history.
