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Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
(1358 - 1408) Japan

Ashikaga

Shogun (military and political leader)

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Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was 10 years old when he succeeded his father, Yoshiakira, in 1368, to become the third of the fifteen Ashikaga shoguns of the Muromachi period. During his rule, he would preside over an age that would see the height of Ashikaga political power as well as a time of flourishing culture.

Yoshimitsu was not only concerned with political matters. He maintained close contact with the Zen community and was active in funding the construction of temples. An active patron of the arts, in 1374 Yoshimitsu attended a noh theater performance where he saw the young Zeami. He became enthralled by the spectacle and remained an avid supporter of Zeami and noh theater ever since.

Zeami, was born in 1363 in Iga, and from there they moved on to Youzaki, joining a sarugaku troupe from the temple of Hase. In time, Zeami moved from Nara to the capital at Kyoto. At that time, Zeami was still known by his childhood name of Fujiwaka, and if the records are truthful, he was a beautiful youth. This was what drew the attention of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu who soon made Zeami his favorite.

AshikagaIn more direct terms, affection in this case must refer to a homosexual relationship. Although this may appear tangential, it is a subject not unrelated to performance. Zeami, as we have already mentioned, was a beautiful youth. In his day, the social environment was such that someone with power could easily take something beautiful for his own, supported by the customs of a stratified society. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu chose Zeami as the object of his sexual favors.

Possibly Zeami was not a homosexual, but his experience of a homosexual relationship allowed him to discover a certain androgyneity within himself, both physically and emotionally. By this discovery, and because he did not negate it, he was able to apply his experience to his advantage in theater performance of noh.

In 1395, Yoshimitsu relinquished the shogunal office to his son Yoshimochi and entered the Zen priesthood at Kinkaku-ji, but he remained in firm control.

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