Beauty blooming in tranquility: Ashikaga Yoshimasa and Higashiyama culture

by kataokatetsuya September 26, 2025

1. Shogun and artist: Ashikaga Yoshimasa

In the second half of the 15th century, Japan was in the midst of an unprecedented civil war known as the Onin War. Triggered by a struggle for the succession of the Shogun family, the city of Kyoto was reduced to ashes, samurai fought over interests, and the common people struggled to make ends meet. During this chaotic time, there was one man who, despite being a Shogun, distanced himself from the political scene and devoted himself to the world of beauty: Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the eighth Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate.

Yoshimasa is sometimes described as "incompetent" politically. He was indecisive, procrastinating on decisions, and as a result was unable to stop the Onin War - this reputation has dogged his name. But was he really "incompetent"? Or perhaps he wasn't "indecisive," but rather "listened so intently to the complexity of the world that he was unable to make a decision."

Yoshimasa's aesthetic sense becomes even clearer when compared to the "Golden Pavilion" built by his grandfather, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. While Yoshimitsu's lavishly gold-leafed Kinkaku-ji symbolized power and splendor, Yoshimasa built a simple mountain villa in Higashiyama known as the "Silver Pavilion." Without any silver leaf, the exterior, left bare with bare wood, exudes a tranquil atmosphere, as if blending into the moonlight. What resides there is not splendor, but the spirit of wabi-sabi - a uniquely Japanese aesthetic that finds beauty in imperfection and transience.

2. Higashiyama Culture: The Beauty of Quietness that Grown in the Midst of War

A unique culture flourished around the Higashiyama villa (later Ginkakuji Temple) built by Yoshimasa. This was known as "Higashiyama culture." Noh, tea ceremony, flower arranging, ink painting, shoin-zukuri (traditional Japanese architecture), and dry landscape gardens—all of these arts valued tranquility, introspection, and harmony with nature, rather than flashy decoration or displays of authority.

This culture contrasts with the "Kitayama culture" that flourished during the reign of Yoshimasa's grandfather, Yoshimitsu. While Kitayama culture was influenced by China's Ming Dynasty and characterized by gold leaf and luxurious decoration, Higashiyama culture, influenced by Zen philosophy, pursued a simple, spiritual beauty. From splendor to tranquility, from the exterior to the interior - this shift seems to reflect the changing times and Yoshimasa's own state of mind.

The stonework known as "Tiger Cub Crossing" in the garden of Ginkakuji Temple is a symbolic example. Three stones are placed on white sand and are said to represent a mother tiger and her cub crossing a river. This is not merely decorative; it is a philosophical expression that symbolizes the laws of nature and the cycle of life, and poses a quiet question to the viewer.

The architectural style known as shoin-zukuri was also established during this period. Elements that would become the prototypes of later Japanese architecture, such as alcoves, staggered shelves, shoji screens, and fusuma sliding doors, were established. These were devices that created "white space" in the space, calmed the minds of the occupants, and fostered a sense of unity with nature.

3. Yoshimasa as a patron of beauty: Resonance with artists

Yoshimasa attracted the greatest artists of his time. Murata Juko, the founder of the tea ceremony, established "wabicha" (wabi tea), incorporating the spirit of Zen, and elevated the tea ceremony from a mere ritual to a place of spiritual cultivation. Sesshu, a master of ink painting, depicted the depths of nature through white space and shades of ink, opening up new horizons in Japanese painting. And Kano Masanobu, founder of the Kano school, established a style of painting that would have a profound influence on Japanese art to come.

The reason they gathered under Yoshimasa was not simply because they sought the protection of the shogun. It was because Yoshimasa himself was a "sympathizer" with a deep aesthetic sense and sensitivity, and he understood and supported the artists' creative endeavors. He did not give orders, but rather consistently maintained an attitude of feeling, thinking, and creating together.

Dojinsai, a room in Ginkakuji Temple, is said to be where Yoshimasa spent his time, enjoying calligraphy, preparing tea, and gazing at the garden. He seemed more like a solitary artist than a shogun. Perhaps he distanced himself from the hustle and bustle of politics, searching for eternal beauty in the silence.

4. The Heritage of Higashiyama Culture: The Aesthetics of "Silence" Living in the Modern Age

The influence of Higashiyama culture on the modern world is immeasurable. Tea ceremony, flower arrangement, ink painting, and garden art remain at the core of Japanese culture and continue to fascinate people around the world. This is because they are not simply techniques or forms, but embodied philosophies about "how to live" and "how to be."

For example, the small size and simple layout of a tea room are not physical constraints, but a deliberate choice to pacify the mind. The arrangement of stones and sand in a dry landscape garden abstracts the essence of nature and brings tranquility and awareness to the viewer's inner self. The aesthetic sense that "less is more" permeates this.

Higashiyama culture also valued the beauty of "white space." Not putting things into words, not drawing, not embellishing—these things actually awaken deep imagination and sensitivity. This reminds us of the "power of silence," something we tend to forget in today's information-overloaded society.

Afterword: Silence transcends time

Ashikaga Yoshimasa's legacy goes beyond tangible things like architecture and gardens. His greatest legacy was the very essence of beauty. In an age of chaos and destruction, he believed that true beauty resided in tranquility, and he sought to give form to this belief.

Higashiyama culture was a flame of beauty that quietly burned deep in the heart, even in the midst of war. It shows that no matter how turbulent the outside world may be, people have the inner strength to seek serenity and beauty.

We who live in the modern age are also being asked what to discard and what to listen to amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In an age where information is overflowing and speed is emphasized, perhaps the attitude of "stopping and listening" as Yoshimasa did is even more meaningful.

Like the moon reflected on the white sands of Ginkakuji Temple
It is in silence that true beauty lies.

This is not mere nostalgia. Higashiyama culture speaks to us by asking how we should perceive the "quietness that exists here and now." Quietness stands out all the more amidst the hustle and bustle. In today's world, where information is overflowing and speed is valued, Yoshimasa's attitude of "listening to beauty" may actually be a cutting-edge way of life.

How much "white space" do we have in our daily lives? In our days of packed schedules, staring at screens, and endless conversation, do we have time to stop and listen to the sound of the wind? The moon Yoshimasa gazed at from Ginkakuji Temple, the chirps of insects he heard, the cup of tea he tasted -- these things are still with us today, unchanged. The question is whether we can find the inner stillness to notice them.

Higashiyama culture was not simply an art movement, but a "proposal of a way of life." It was about being in harmony with nature, finding richness in simplicity, and above all, living by trusting one's own sensibilities. Ashikaga Yoshimasa may not have been able to fulfill his role as shogun, but the philosophy of beauty he left behind continues to speak quietly to our hearts, transcending the ages.

When you visit Ginkakuji Temple, you naturally hushed your voice. The sunlight filtering through the trees onto the white sand, the moss-covered stones, the bamboo leaves swaying in the wind—these things convey the existence of a beauty that transcends words. It was precisely this "beauty without words" that Yoshimasa sought.

Silence is never empty. It is a place of contented silence and deep resonance. This is what Ashikaga Yoshimasa's way of life and Higashiyama culture tell us.

"Beauty is not something to see, it's something to feel.
Not to talk, but to listen.
And it's not something you own, it's something you have with you..."

Now, as we listen to this silence,
There, you can certainly hear the voice of beauty that resonates across the ages.