Ōnin War

Ōnin War, (May 1467–77). By 1467 the Ashikaga dynasty of shoguns in Japan had grown so weak that a succession dispute provided the trigger for a civil war, the Onin War, and the collapse of central authority. The civil war, largely fought within the imperial capital of Kyōto, was the precursor of the so-called Age of Warring States.

The Onin War was fought between the families of two samurais who were close to the Ashikaga Shogun. Each had a mansion that acted as a military base within Kyōto, where the Shogun was also located. The first was Yamana Sozen, nicknamed the Red Monk. His rival was his son-in- law, Hosokawa Katsumoto. The spark for their conflict was a succession dispute within the Shogun’s own family.

The fighting began when the Hosokawa family attacked the mansion of Isshiki, one of the Yamana generals, that lay across the street. The battle consisted of arrow exchanges, swordplay, and the use of fire. Soon the rivals were facing each other across a charred wasteland. Sporadic fighting took place for about a year.

Britannica Quiz

A History of War

The recently renewed contact with China, severed during the Mongol invasions, allowed several Chinese weapons to appear in Japan. The first were exploding arrows launched by catapult, while in 1468 there is a record of fire-spears being used.

The Onin War dragged on with sporadic attacks as the fighting spread to neighboring province. Where the families had fought, looting mobs moved in, leaving the imperial capital almost in ruins. Yamana and Hosokawa both died in 1473, but by then the cause of their dispute was almost forgotten.

Losses: No reliable figures.