Momoyama Period of Japan

Video one is called Momoyama. This is the medieval period in Japan. This video correlates with pages 131 and 132 on handwriting and Japanese feudalism, page 230 on theatre, page 292 on Japanese screens, and page 329 on the tea ceremony.

At the end of the sixteenth century, Japan emerged from two centuries of bloody conflict between dozens of rival warlords. In the next 40 years Japan becomes a unified state. The new leaders will use the arts to glorify their power. The resulting art is the most innovative and exciting in the history of Japanese art.

1460 – 1570 is the period of warfare, civil disorder and social dislocation. The transformation of this period known as the “Age of a Country at War” to Monoyama begins in 1570. In 1570, three rulers of Japan established order.

The ruler, Oda Nobunaga will succeed his father, at the age of 17 as the leader of Japan. During his reign he will welcome the first Europeans to Japan, Portuguese traders and Jesuits priests. Nobunaga will destroy the armies of his enemies and rivals. Within 2 decades he will control most of Japan including the capital city of Kyoto. He will build the first great castle, revive interest in the No theatre and tea ceremony. However, on his gravestone, it reads “rule the empire by force.”

The next ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi was descended from a common foot soldier and became the source of many popular legends. Hideyoshi combined diplomacy with military might to rule all of Japan. Hideyoshi was a dedicated student of the tea ceremony and performed in No dramas written about his exploits. He built fabulous castles filled with art he commissioned from the greatest artists in Japan.

Tokugawa Ieyasu was a brilliant military strategist and politician who established the city of Tokyo as his military center. He will start a rigid social system and isolate Japan from the outside world. Ieyasu and his followers will rule Japan for 250 years. During his rule, the period became known as Momoyama, which means “peach blossom pill.”

The castles built during this period required 10,000 laborers and artists, which awed the population with the warlord’s power and wealth. Few of these castles survived the period of war in Japan. Inside the great audience rooms of the castles, monumental screens demonstrated the ruler’s power over other warlords.

The forceful brushstrokes, lavish uses of gold and sheer size of the screens were to overwhelm the audience with the warlord’s taste and wealth. Subjects included paintings of birds and gardens, which show the influence of Chinese painting.

Artists competed for these commissions, which led to one of the most fruitful periods of Japanese art. Genre scenes were popular showing everyday events such as maple leaf viewing in autumn and cherry blossom viewing in the spring. Views of Kyoto celebrated the sites and entertainments of the city, which was the capital and religious center of Japan.

Also popular were paintings of Namban gagin, which were scenes showing Portuguese traders and Priests. Namban Gagin means “ barbarians from the south.” Fashionable women and men of Japan emulated the western style of dress. Outside the gardens of the castles were built to host lavish entertainments such as the performance of No plays and cherry blossom viewing. The wealth of Momoyama Japan was due to the discovery of new gold and silver mines.

The rulers of Japan built rustic teahouses as well as great castles. The teahouse was to show quiet elegance and simplicity to adhere to the aesthetics of Zen Buddhism. The act of drinking tea placed great importance on each gesture and the utensils to contribute to a bond between host and guest. The unique shapes and personality of the tea bowls and kettles led to some utensils being given names. There was a tea- kettle named “ashia onjoni” in the early 17^th century.

Sen No Rikyu was the great tea master of the Momoyama period. He was the teacher of the first two rulers, as well as a political advisor.

The monumental castles and rustic teahouses, showy audience room paintings and intimate monochromatic paintings, are symbolic of the interval between the period of war and the later years of peace. This interval was Momoyama.