Ashikaga Yoshimasa

The Onin War broke out in Kyoto during Yoshimasa's shogunate, triggered by a succession dispute. The war devastated Kyoto and marked the beginning of the Sengoku period, as Yoshimasa proved unable to control the warring factions.

Yoshimasa retired as shogun, handing power to his son Yoshihisa. His retirement was partly an attempt to end the Onin War, but the conflict continued, and Yoshimasa's withdrawal from politics weakened the Ashikaga shogunate.

Yoshimasa patronized the arts, fostering the development of the tea ceremony, flower arranging, Noh theater, and ink painting. His retreat from politics to cultural pursuits defined the Higashiyama period of Japanese aesthetics.

Yoshimasa began construction of the Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji) in Kyoto. Though intended to be covered in silver foil, the project was never completed, but the pavilion became a symbol of Higashiyama culture and Japanese aesthetics.