Turnbull, Stephen The Onin War 1467-77. A Turning Point in Samurai History

The story of the terrible Onin War has now been told. In this groundbreaking book the author has drawn on previously untranslated primary sources to set the famous yet misunderstood conflict in its true context. Its history begins with the glory days of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu who made the position of shogun into something that was admired and respected, and left a legacy symbolized by his famous Golden Pavilion. Within decades all that he had achieved seemed to have been lost. In 1441 the reigning shogun Yoshinori, Yoshimitsus son, had been murdered by a jealous rival. The Bakufu (shogunate) had somehow survived, but Yoshinori was succeeded first by a son who never reached manhood and then by another young son called Yoshimasa. He was to reign for 49 years in a turbulent age. Not only did Yoshimasa have to face up to his background of family tragedy; unprecedented waves of rioting by farmers shook the ruling classes as much as any wars could have done, and all this happened to a background of famines, droughts and floods that killed more people than any of the battles ever did. Yoshimasa had several armed conflicts to contend with, which culminated in a succession dispute over his own choice of heir. This launched the Onin War. There had been conflicts before, but what made the Onin War unique was the fierce street-fighting that went on within Kyoto itself. The battles were conducted from fortified mansions, which were surrounded by stout wooden walls and ditches and sported tall observation towers. In one such fight in the summer of 1467 eight cart-loads of heads were taken as trophies, but within months the conflict deteriorated into a stalemate where night raids were launched and large stones were flung by catapult. At the same time huge areas of Kyoto were needlessly burned out by careless attacks from irregular troops called ashigaru, whose looting and destruction went far beyond the enemy positions and took in temples, mansions and commoners dwellings. The greatest loss of all was the disappearance of loyalty to the shogun. Instead his former deputies in the provinces seized power in their local areas. This was the beginning of the Sengoku Period: Japans "Age of Warring States". The book ends with one of these sengoku daimyo (lords of the warring states) called Hojo Soun, whose family would control much of Eastern Japan for the next century, owing nothing to the authority of the shogun, whose powers had been taken away by the terrible Onin War.

In 1441, the reigning shogun Yoshinori, Yoshimitsu's son, was assassinated by a jealous rival. The bakufu (shogunate) had somehow survived, but Yoshinori was succeeded first by a son who never reached adulthood, and then by another young son named Yoshimasa. He was to rule for 49 years during a turbulent period. Yoshimasa had to deal not only with family tragedy, but also with unprecedented peasant uprisings that shook the ruling classes as well as wars, all against a backdrop of famines, droughts and floods that killed more people than any battle. Yoshimasa had to contend with several armed conflicts, culminating in a succession dispute over his own choice of heir. This was the catalyst for the Onin War. There had been conflicts before, but what made the Onin War unique was the fierce street fighting that took place in Kyoto itself. The battles were fought from fortified mansions surrounded by sturdy wooden walls and moats, with high observation towers. In one of these battles in the summer of 1467, eight cartloads of heads were captured as trophies, but within a few months the conflict descended into a stalemate, with nightly attacks and large stones being hurled with catapults. At the same time, huge areas of Kyoto were needlessly burned to the ground by careless attacks by irregular troops known as ashigaru, whose looting and destruction extended far beyond the enemy positions to temples, mansions and citizens' homes. The greatest loss of all was the disappearance of the Loyalit. Instead, his former deputies in the provinces took power in their respective areas. This was the beginning of the Sengoku period: Japan's "Age of Warring States". The book ends with one of these sengoku daimyo (rulers of the Warring States) named Hojo Soun, whose family would control much of eastern Japan for the next century without the authority of the shogun, who had been disempowered by the terrible Onin War.