Hanging scroll, ink on paper
Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436–1490), the 8th shōgun of the Muromachi shogunate (1338–1573), made outstanding achievements in art. During this time, traditional Japanese art such as Noh dramas, flower arrangement, garden designs, architecture, Japanese tea ceremonies, and waka poetry flourished significantly. These cultural developments, collectively known as “Higashiyama Culture,” extended beyond the aristocracy and gradually influenced the lives of commoners. However, artistic refinement alone could not sustain effective governance. Political missteps and succession disputes during Yoshimasa’s rule led to the Ōnin War, a decade-long conflict that divided the shugo daimyō into opposing factions. This war marked the beginning of Japan’s Sengoku (Warring States) period, which lasted nearly a century.