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Ending 60 Years of Division — Yoshimitsu and the Unification of the Courts

The split between the Northern and Southern Courts, lasting 60 years since Takauji's day, was ended by his grandson Yoshimitsu in 1392. He reunited the divided imperial house and traded with Ming China as 'King of Japan.'

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Yoshimitsu ended the 60-year split between the Northern and Southern Courts in 1392 by persuading the Southern Emperor Go-Kameyama to return the imperial regalia to the Northern court. He also opened formal trade with Ming China in 1401, accepting the title ‘King of Japan’ for the lucrative tally trade — a controversial but pragmatic move that funded the shogunate.

Kinkakuji — the pavilion symbolizing the immense power of Yoshimitsu, who unified the courts and opened trade with Ming China

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Portrait of Emperor Go-Daigo — who founded the Southern Court; Yoshimitsu ended that division about 60 years later

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Teahouse at Rokuonji — the profits of unification and Ming trade supported the flourishing of Yoshimitsu's Kitayama culture

Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Key Figures

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu