Reconsidering the Use of Japanese Gardens in the Late Kamakura and Early Muromachi Periods: Focusing on the Upper Class of Kyoto

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06118
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39070:Landscape science-related
• Research Institution: Minami Kyusyu University
• Principal Investigator: Sekinishi Takayasu 南九州大学, 環境園芸学部, 教授 (80461656)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 日本庭園 / 庭園 / 庭園利用 / 天皇家 / 足利将軍家 / 禅宗 / 室町文化 / 南北朝文化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The following findings have been revealed regarding the utilization of gardens by the imperial family, shogunate family, and Zen Buddhist monks in Kyoto during the late Kamakura and early Muromachi periods.
Initially, Ashikaga Takauji and his younger brother Tadayoshi held gatherings in their own residence gardens along with the imperial family and Zen Buddhist monks, where they organized poetry gatherings and events. However, the active use of gardens by all three parties was still limited. Nevertheless, during the same period, Takauji and Tadayoshi visited other gardens and through interactions with the imperial family and Zen Buddhist monks, they absorbed the culture of the imperial court and Zen Buddhism. It was further discovered that through poetry gatherings, garden appreciation, and other activities in their own and other gardens, Takauji and Tadayoshi deepened their exchanges with the imperial family and Zen Buddhist monks, enhancing their cultural assimilation.

Free Research Field

造園学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

公武政権が交代して鎌倉時代から室町時代となり、大きく庭園文化の担い手は変容していった。そもそも鎌倉時代の庭園文化の担い手は、主に伝統的な平安文化からの継承者である天皇家と、中国文化の影響を受けていた禅宗や他の仏教寺院であって、新たに台頭した武士の文化水準はそれほど高くはなかった。それが室町時代には、南北朝争乱によって伝統文化の継承者であった天皇家の地位は下がり、逆に足利将軍家の室町幕府体制による地位確立から将軍家独自の庭園文化が栄えていった。その変遷を足利尊氏とその弟直義の交流関係から、どのように王朝や禅宗文化を吸収して発展していったかについての研究は、庭園史の発展に有意義であると考える。