Changes

*''Japanese:'' 安土桃山時代 ''Azuchi Momoyama Jidai''

[[File:Fushimicastle.jpg|right|thumb|400px|[[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]]'s [[Fushimi castle|Fushimi-Momoyama castle]], as reconstructed in the 1960s.]]

*''Start: 1568 or 1573''

*''Start: [[1568]] or [[1573]]''

*''End: 1600, 1603, or 1615''

*''End: [[1600]], [[1603]], or [[1615]]''

 

Period of rule by [[Oda Nobunaga]], whose seat was [[Azuchi castle]] in [[Omi province|Ômi province]], and by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], whose final seat was [[ Fushimi castle]] in Momoyama, [[Kyoto]].<ref> One occasionally comes across the related term "Shoku-hô" 織豊, a combination of 織田 (Oda) and 豊臣(Toyotomi), in terms such as "Shokuhô daimyô," daimyo who gained power under Nobunaga or Hideyoshi.</ref>This was the period llinking the free-for-all wars of the [[Sengoku Period]], and the very stable [[Edo Period]], the period when Nobunaga gained control of central Japan and Hideyoshi unified all Japan with the destruction of the [[Hojo clan|Hôjô clan]] of Odawara in [[1590]]. It ended with the transfer of power from the [[Toyotomi clan]] to [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].

Period of rule by [[Oda Nobunaga]], whose seat was [[Azuchi castle]] in [[Omi province|Ômi province]], and by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]], whose final seat was [[ Fushimi castle]] in Momoyama, [[Kyoto]].<ref> One occasionally comes across the related term "Shoku-hô" 織豊, a combination of 織田 (Oda) and 豊臣(Toyotomi), in terms such as "Shokuhô daimyô," daimyo who gained power under Nobunaga or Hideyoshi.</ref>This was the period llinking the free-for-all wars of the [[Sengoku Period]], and the very stable [[Edo Period]], the period when Nobunaga gained control of central Japan and Hideyoshi unified all Japan with the destruction of the [[Hojo clan|Hôjô clan]] of Odawara in [[1590]]. It ended with the transfer of power from the [[Toyotomi clan]] to [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].

Europeans first arrived in Japan around [[1542]], and [[Francis Xavier]] in [[1549]], but by the Azuchi Period the arquebus (a type of matchlock musket) was becoming a major combat weapon. (See [[teppo]].) Nobunaga was very interested in things European, and both Hideyoshi and Ieyasu placed high importance on foreign trade. This was also the most flourishing time for [[Christianity in Japan]]. Though Hideyoshi promulgated anti-Christian edits in [[1587]] and [[1596]] it was not seriously repressed until [[1613]].

Europeans first arrived in Japan around [[1542]], and [[Francis Xavier]] in [[1549]], but by the Azuchi Period the arquebus (a type of matchlock musket) was becoming a major combat weapon. (See [[teppo]].) Nobunaga was very interested in things European, and both Hideyoshi and Ieyasu placed high importance on foreign trade. This was also the most flourishing time for [[Christianity in Japan]]. Though Hideyoshi promulgated anti-Christian edits in [[1587]] and [[1596]] it was not seriously repressed until [[1613]].

This period is marked by some flamboyance in dress and architecture. The "keep" ([[tenshu|tenshukaku]] 天守閣) started to be built;　among the keeps from this period, the ones of  [[Matsumoto castle]], [[Hikone castle]], [[Inuyama castle]], [[Himeji castle]], etc. are still standing. Even though defense was important, appearance was also important. Hideyoshi's Fushimi Castle had tiles covered with gold foil, and ones of the same pattern have been found in [[Ueda castle]]. The Chinese-style roof of gates (kara-mon) was used in places as [[Nijo Castle|Nijô Castle]].  In clothing, the large designs that we see in examples and pictures of clothing are in contrast to the subdued Edo-period clothing

This period is marked by some flamboyance in dress and architecture. Roughly one hundred major castles were constructed between [[1596]] and [[1615]];<ref>[[Elizabeth Lillehoj]], comments at panel "From Stone to Gold: Japanese Castles in the Sixteenth Century," Association of Asian Studies annual conference, San Diego, March 23.</ref> following upon the precedents set by the castles at Azuchi and Fushimi-Momoyama, these new structures included numerous novel features today powerfully associated with Japanese "traditional" castle architecture. Extensive stone bases were among these features, along with the fundamental idea of combining military strength and lavish decoration; these castles were not only military structures, but also served as elite residences, their design representing both the wealth and power, and personal cultivation & elite taste, of their lords. Perhaps the most dramatic innovation of this period was the advent of the "tower keep" ([[tenshu|tenshukaku]] 天守閣);　among the keeps from this period, the ones of  [[Matsumoto castle]], [[Hikone castle]], [[Inuyama castle]], [[Himeji castle]], etc. are still standing. Even though defense was important, appearance was also important. Hideyoshi's Fushimi Castle had tiles covered with gold foil, and ones of the same pattern have been found in [[Ueda castle]]. The Chinese-style roof of gates (kara-mon) was used in places as [[Nijo Castle|Nijô Castle]].  In clothing, the large designs that we see in examples and pictures of clothing are in contrast to the subdued Edo-period clothing

Even though the period lasted less than 50 years, it is one of the most popular in Japanese history. For example, of the 47 [[NHK Taiga Drama]]s, in 14 of them, a substantial portion of the action takes place in that period, and 3 more dramas either begin or end in it.

Even though the period lasted less than 50 years, it is one of the most popular in Japanese history. For example, of the 47 [[NHK Taiga Drama]]s, in 14 of them, a substantial portion of the action takes place in that period, and 3 more dramas either begin or end in it.