Life and Culture During the Warring States Period

Culture and daily life continued even in an age of warfare. Indeed, it was also a time when new culture, religions, and commercial and industrial activities emerged amid the upheaval.

Basic Knowledge

Evolution of castles: Castles changed from medieval mountain castles (focused on defense) to hirayamajo in the late Warring States period and hirajiro in the early modern period. Azuchi Castle (1576-) was the origin of early-modern castles with keeps. Castle towns became political and economic centers by bringing retainers and merchants together.
Town leaders and the Gion Festival: Kyoto was burned during the Onin War, but town leaders (merchants and artisans) led its reconstruction. The Gion Festival resumed in 1500, establishing its present form, in which each neighborhood prepares a festival float.
Self-governing cities: Cities such as Sakai (Naya-shu, or Kaigosh u), Hakata (Nen-Gyoji), Kyoto (town leaders), and Hirano (Settsu) developed self-government amid the wars. The missionary Luis Frois praised Sakai as the “Venice of the East.”
Renga, tea ceremony, and Noh: Renga spread under the leadership of So gi. In the tea ceremony, Takeno Jo-o developed wabi tea, and his disciple Sen no Rikyu (from Sakai) completed it. Noh continued to be popular in warrior society.
Buddhist movements: Jodo Shinshu (Honganji school) expanded explosively through Rennyo’s preaching. He spread the teachings in simple language through the Ofumi. In the Kaga Ikko uprising (1488), followers defeated the Togashi clan and established the “province owned by its peasants” for about 100 years.
Christian culture: Christian editions (movable-type printing), colleges, and elementary schools were established, and Western music, painting, and science were introduced. Arima Harunobu’s elementary school and Otomo Sorin’s college in Funai are well known.

In Depth (Background and Effects)

The Warring States period was a period of maturity for the people and culture, despite political disorder. Town leaders, townspeople, and farmers tried to protect their lives and culture through their own efforts. The reconstruction of Kyoto’s Gion Festival by town leaders is symbolic. “Cultural creation from below” had begun.
In commerce, mining advanced at the Iwami Silver Mine (Shimane), Sado Gold Mine (Niigata), and Ikuno Silver Mine (Hyogo). Japan’s silver production came to account for about one-third of the world’s production in the late 16th century. This silver became an export in Nanban trade and provided the basis for importing raw silk, silk, firearms, and gunpowder.
Rennyo’s Honganji organization was Japan’s largest religious force at the time and competed with the Warring States daimyos. The Ishiyama War (1570-1580) against Nobunaga lasted ten years, and Nobunaga paid a heavy price to attack Honganji directly.
Christian culture was recorded through the missionary Luis Frois’s History of Japan and Valignano’s activities, making it valuable historical material even today.

Points to Note (Easily Confused)

① Distinguish Kyoto’s town leaders, Sakai’s Naya-shu/Kaigoshu, and Hakata’s Nen-Gyoji. All were leadership groups in self-governing cities.
② Sen no Rikyu began during the Warring States period as Takeno Jo-o’s disciple and reached his peak in the Azuchi-Momoyama period as Hideyoshi’s tea master. In 1591, Hideyoshi ordered him to commit suicide.
③ Do not confuse Rennyo (Honganji school of Jodo Shinshu, Warring States period) with Shinran (Kamakura period, founder of Jodo Shinshu).
④ The Gion Festival is a festival of Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto. It was interrupted by the Onin War and revived by town leaders in 1500. The float procession took its present form.

Practice

1. State the name of the festival revived by Kyoto’s town leaders after the Onin War.
2. State the name of the tea master from Sakai who was Takeno Jo-o’s disciple and developed wabi tea.
3. State the name of the silver mine in Shimane that accounted for about one-third of world silver production during the Warring States period.