The Muromachi Period: Ashikaga Shoguns, Zen Gardens and Noh

Japan's Muromachi era brought political change and a flowering of arts, giving the world Noh, tea culture, ink painting and Kyoto's famous pavilions.

Published October 21, 2026 at 9:19 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: The Muromachi period (1336 to 1573) was the era of the Ashikaga shogunate, named after the Muromachi district of Kyoto where the shoguns made their base. Politically it ended in the turbulence of the Onin War, but culturally it was a golden age: Noh theater, tea ceremony, flower arranging, ink painting, Zen gardens and the pavilions Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji all flourished.

Many of the things visitors enjoy in Kyoto today, from rock gardens to tea rooms to the stage art of Noh, took their familiar shape in the Muromachi period. It is sometimes treated as a bridge between the courtly Heian era and the castle-building world of the Edo period, but it deserves attention in its own right. This guide explains how the Ashikaga shoguns ruled, how Zen influenced the arts, and where travelers can see the period's legacy today.

How the Ashikaga shogunate began

The Muromachi period began after the Kamakura shogunate fell and the short Kenmu Restoration, when Emperor Go-Daigo tried to take direct control. Ashikaga Takauji, a warrior leader, turned against the restoration and set up a new government in Kyoto in 1336. He was named shogun around 1338, which began the Ashikaga shogunate that lasted until 1573.

A split in the imperial court followed. A Northern Court sat in Kyoto and a Southern Court in Yoshino, and for decades each side had its own supporters. The third shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, finally merged the two courts in 1392, bringing a degree of order to the country.

Why it is called Muromachi

The name comes from Muromachi Street in Kyoto, where Yoshimitsu built a grand residence known as the Flower Palace, or Hana no Gosho, in the late 1370s. The shogunate's headquarters moved to this district, and the era took its name from it. Placing the government in Kyoto, close to the imperial court, was a major difference from the Kamakura period, when the shoguns ruled from the east.

Because the shogunate owned relatively little land of its own, it depended on the loyalty of regional lords called shugo and daimyo. These lords gained legal, economic and tax powers over their areas, and over time they became more independent. This shift in power explains why the later part of the era turned into the Warring States period.

Kinkakuji and the Kitayama culture

Yoshimitsu was a great patron of the arts. In 1397 he built a villa in northern Kyoto whose glittering pavilion became Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion. The style of art and architecture that flourished around him is called Kitayama culture, after the northern hills of Kyoto, and it blended the refinement of the court with the austere spirit of Zen Buddhism.

Yoshimitsu also restarted official trade with Ming China in 1401. Japanese goods such as swords and sulfur were exchanged for Chinese silk, porcelain and coins, and this exchange brought new ideas, paintings and objects into Japan. Those imports influenced collectors, tea gatherings and ink painters in the decades that followed.

Noh theater takes shape

One of the era's greatest achievements is Noh, which grew out of earlier entertainment called sarugaku. Kan'ami and his son Zeami developed it into a refined stage art with Yoshimitsu's support. Zeami, who lived from about 1363 to about 1443, also wrote influential treatises on Noh, including Fushikaden, often translated as The Transmission of the Flower.

Noh uses masks, slow movement, chanting and music to tell stories that often involve spirits, memory and beauty. Zeami's writings mention yugen, a word for mysterious, quiet elegance that became central to Japanese aesthetics. Short comic plays called kyogen, performed between Noh pieces, also developed during this period. Today Noh remains a living tradition that visitors can attend in Kyoto and Tokyo.

The Onin War and the Higashiyama culture

In 1467, a dispute over succession and power among the shogun's leading supporters led to the Onin War, which lasted until 1477. Much of Kyoto was damaged, and the shogunate's authority weakened. Historians often point to this war as the beginning of a century of fragmentation that merged into the Sengoku, or Warring States, period.

Amid this turmoil, the eighth shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, became a major patron of art. He began work on Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion, in 1482, and the refined style associated with him is called Higashiyama culture, after the eastern hills of Kyoto. This culture favored quiet beauty, simplicity and a sense of calm, and it influenced tea, flower arranging and garden design for generations.

Zen gardens, tea and ink painting

Zen Buddhism strongly shaped Muromachi art. Ink painting in black and gray tones, tea gatherings in simple rooms and flower arranging, or ikebana, all grew during this period, and they share a taste for restraint and careful attention. Gardens also developed new forms, including the dry landscape style known as karesansui, which uses stones and raked gravel instead of water.

Ryoanji in Kyoto is the most famous example. The temple was founded in 1450 by the warlord Hosokawa Katsumoto, and its rock garden contains fifteen stones arranged in five groups on white gravel that monks rake. Who designed the garden is not certain, and scholars have suggested several possibilities, which adds to its mystery. Visitors often sit quietly on the veranda and find different meanings in the arrangement.

Seeing the Muromachi legacy in Kyoto

Kyoto is the best place to feel this period. Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji and Ryoanji can be visited in one or two days, and many of Kyoto's historic temples and gardens are part of the UNESCO listing Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, inscribed in 1994 with seventeen component parts. Opening hours and fees change, so check official temple sites before visiting.

Noh performances are held in cities such as Kyoto and Tokyo, and theater websites are the best place to check schedules and any help offered to first-time viewers. Tea ceremony and ikebana experiences are another gentle way to connect with Muromachi ideas. Arriving early or on a weekday often makes garden visits more peaceful.

How the era ended

The Ashikaga shogunate lasted for fifteen shoguns, from Takauji to Yoshiaki. Oda Nobunaga installed Yoshiaki as shogun in 1568 and later drove him out of Kyoto, which ended the shogunate in 1573. By then, power had passed to regional lords who built castles and expanded their lands.

Even so, the Muromachi era left a lasting stamp. Many traditions now seen as typically Japanese, including Noh, tea culture and dry gardens, reached maturity under Ashikaga patronage. Looking at them with this background in mind makes a visit to Kyoto feel richer, and it opens the door to the Sengoku era and the Edo period that followed.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Manga-Style Japanese History: Shoguns, Samurai & Sake is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What years was the Muromachi period?

The Muromachi period ran from 1336 to 1573. It began when Ashikaga Takauji established a new government in Kyoto and ended when Oda Nobunaga drove the last Ashikaga shogun, Yoshiaki, out of the capital. It is also called the Ashikaga period.

Why is the Muromachi period famous?

It is famous for the arts that developed under the Ashikaga shoguns. Noh theater, tea culture, ikebana, ink painting, dry rock gardens and Kyoto's Golden and Silver Pavilions all belong to this era, and Zen Buddhism influenced much of this refined culture.

Is Ryoanji a Muromachi temple?

Yes. Ryoanji was founded in 1450 by Hosokawa Katsumoto, during the Muromachi period. Its rock garden of fifteen stones is famous worldwide, though the exact designer and date of the garden are not certain. Check the temple's official site for current visiting information.

Further Reading

To explore further, see Muromachi period, Ashikaga shogunate and Ryoanji.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji: Kyoto's Golden and Silver Pavilions, Noh Theater: Slow, Masked and Beautiful and Karesansui: The Zen Rock Gardens of Kyoto.