Hello and welcome to the History of Japan podcast.

Episode 7.

Descent Into Chaos.

First, before we get started, a quick programming note.

I had some technical issues with my first run-through of this podcast, and as a result, I had to re-record parts of it.

However, I'm also suffering from a pretty nasty cold right now, so the parts I had to re-record

feature scratchy-voiced Isaac rather than my usual dulcid tones.

I apologize for the variance and quality that results from this.

Unfortunately, since all my fancy sound equipment is very immobile, I won't be able to take

it with me to New York, so I'm going to have to record everything in advance, so the next couple of podcasts are going to feature my scratchy voice.

I hope it's not too intolerable, and hopefully it will go away soon. Now then, let's get started.

This week, we're going to concentrate mostly on the political narrative of the rise and fall of

the Ashkaga family, since it's

very complex and, to my mind, one of the most interesting stories in Japanese history.

Before we get started on that, though, I'd like to take a short detour into the cultural scene

of the Muramachi period.

Muramachi high culture was essentially Chinese-derived.

A revitalized China ruled by the Ming Dynasty produced a massive flourishing of Chinese culture,

and a lot of that influence leaked over to Japan.

The importation of Chinese culture attained its zenith under the third Ashkaga Shogun, Yoshimitsu.

He may remember him from last week as the man who brokered the peace deal between the

northern and southern courts.

...