By Giselle Paulson
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Introduction
One of the most violent conflicts in Japanese history, the Ōnin War (1467-1477) was characterized by an unprecedented level of barbarism that razed the capital, Kyoto, to the ground. The smoldering cinder left behind served as a reminder of how dramatically Japan’s social and political systems had deteriorated. The century-long Sengoku period (1477-1590) followed immediately after and saw an uninterrupted series of wars and battles erupt throughout Japan. Despite this destruction, the two periods gave rise to not only numerous artistic developments but also some of the greatest champions of culture in Japanese history–namely the eccentric young shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490). Historians often characterize the Ōnin War and following Sengoku period by their supposedly mindless chaos, contributing to the era’s unpopular reputation among scholars. However, the Ōnin War and following decades (through 1560) were not exclusively destructive and actually saw the unlikely persistence and evolution of artistic and literary culture due to the efforts of Yoshimasa, the spread of artistic traditions caused by population displacement, and the use of art as a coping mechanism amidst the violence.
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