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1336 to 1550
This was the "toughening" period for Japan. Up until now, nobles had been effeminate and laid back, feeling quiet despair and drinking tea. Because of the fighting in this period, nobles now became strong, powerful warriors that also had a cultural side.
It was also a time where, instead of an effeminate Emperor ordering around the lowly soldiers, instead a Shogun - or military ruler - held most control in the land. Yoshimitsu was the 3rd Ashikaga shogun, ruling from 1358 to 1408. He built a great tea house, called Kinkaku, and sent missions back and forth to China. HE loved all things Chinese and wore Chinese robes.
Concerned about the flood of cheap, inferior items, Yoshimitsu set up an authentication system to control what came in to the country. He focussed on silk fabrics, drugs, books and porcelain. In some cases he thought the Chinese were unnecessarily complex - he would adapt the Chinese arches, doors and window styles to a more Japanese style of simplicity.
In the 1400s, Yoshimasa build a silver tea pavilion, called Ginkaku-ji, in Kyoto. He inspired a cultural renaissance, bringing in more attention to the tea ceremony and Chinese style paintings. He created a famous sand garden modelled on the West Lake in China.
From the 1550s to 1600 was a period of fierce fighting, where most focus was simply on staying alive and keeping your lands safe.
