[Special Feature: Rethinking Japan's Living Environment] Takeo Ogawa: The Springs of the Nijo Family—Residences and Culture in the Muromachi Period

2021/12/06

Section 55 of "Tsurezuregusa" (Essays in Idleness) discusses housing. The opening passage states, "A house should be built with the summer in mind. In winter, one can live anywhere. In hot weather, a bad dwelling is unbearable." In the high heat and humidity of Kyoto, one must admit this makes sense. It continues, "Deep water does not look cool. Shallow, flowing water is far cooler." This suggests letting a murmuring spring flow through the garden. Indeed, in Kyoto's famous mansions, an Izumi-dono (Spring Pavilion or Fishing Pavilion) was often built facing running water to seek a moment of coolness during the sweltering heat. The opening of the "Tokonatsu" (Wild Carnation) chapter of "The Tale of Genji" also says, "On a very hot day, he went out to the eastern Fishing Pavilion to cool off." So, what were actual residences like?

Karasuma Oike Station on the Kyoto City Subway is the intersection of Karasuma-dori and Oike-dori, and the neighborhood is called "Oike-no-cho." Although no pond water is visible anywhere today, a plentiful spring once gushed from a corner of the former Tatsuike Elementary School playground to the northwest, forming a large pond. Since natural springs are rare within the capital (Rakuchu), it served as the palace for Empresses and Retired Emperors since the Heian period. This was the Oshikoji Karasuma-dono, so famous that the term "Izumi-tei" (Spring Pavilion) referred specifically to this place.

The number of powerful figures who loved this spring is too many to count. One of them was Retired Emperor Go-Toba. On August 3, 1209 (Jogen 3), he established his Sento (Retired Emperor's Palace) here (according to the "Sento Gounshi Buruiki").

Go-Toba was a sovereign who favored places with clear, running water, where he enjoyed various pastimes with his close retainers, such as horse racing, swimming, archery contests, and gambling. The Oshikoji Karasuma-dono was no exception. Fujiwara no Teika wrote bitterly in his diary, "Lately, it is nothing but sumo again. In this unlucky year (age 33), July, he should be most prudent, yet this happens every day at the spring of that wicked place; I am filled with fear and lamentation" (Entry for July 19, 1212, in "Meigetsuki"). Perhaps because they were being so rowdy, the spring was harshly called a "wicked place." However, this fact also clearly shows that springs and garden ponds often allowed people to feel momentarily liberated.

In the late Kamakura period, Oshikoji Karasuma-dono became the main residence of the Nijo family, a house of regents and advisors (note: this Nijo family is one of the five regent houses descended directly from Fujiwara no Michinaga and Yorimichi, and is distinct from the Nijo family of poetic masters). From this house soon emerged the famous politician and man of culture, Yoshimoto (Regent Gofukoon-in, 1320–1388). This residence was the stage for the diverse activities of Yoshimoto, who is best known for his love of and contribution to the perfection of Renga (linked verse).

Yoshimoto loved his historic residence and strove to maintain the gardens. According to recent excavation results, at least five renovations have been identified in the garden. Particularly during the Nanboku-cho period, the ground was excavated to create an artificial slope from east to west, a pond spread toward the southwest, and there was a waterfall. Furthermore, it was confirmed that a shingle beach (suhama) covered with small stones showed beautiful curves, and several pavilions were built facing the water. In the "Rakuchu Rakugai-zu" (Scenes in and around the Capital) from the Sengoku period (Uesugi version, right screen, fifth panel), two Izumi-dono buildings with board-roofing and cypress-bark roofing are depicted, showing young men playing Go inside, a host standing on the veranda guiding guests, and a pond filled to the brim with water.

This Oshikoji Karasuma-dono is not merely the former residence of a famous court noble; it is a symbol of Muromachi culture and a very interesting example of how a residence incorporates its surroundings. I would like to elaborate on this.

When considering the housing and culture of the Muromachi period, the emergence of the "Kaisho" (meeting place) has long drawn attention. A Kaisho was a venue for performing arts such as Renga, Wakan Renku (Japanese-Chinese linked verse), tea drinking, flower arrangement, and incense smelling. During this period, they began to be built as independent pavilions within the estate. For example, Renga is often called the "literature of the seat (za)," and indeed, the interior of a Kaisho has a flat floor without partitions or steps, making it suitable as a place where people of different ranks and classes sit together. This is because in traditional Shinden architecture, the areas for sitting—the main room (moya), aisles (hisashi), outer aisles, and the garden—were strictly determined and visualized according to rank. While Muromachi culture often emphasizes the influence of Zen Buddhism and the power of the warrior class, the "Kaisho" was actually accepted into conservative court noble residences, becoming the womb for vibrant new cultural activities.

Nijo Yoshimoto developed the Izumi-dono into a "Kaisho." As mentioned earlier, the Izumi-dono had been famous since ancient times, and Yoshimoto seems to have actively used it as a Kaisho. The garden was an ideal environment for entertaining guests.

In April 1380 (Koryaku 2), Gido Shushin, a Zen monk of the Muso school of Rinzai Zen and a master of Five Mountains Literature, arrived in Kyoto from Kamakura. Attracted by his literary reputation, Yoshimoto desired a meeting. According to Gido's diary, "Kuga Nichiyo Kufu Ryakushu," he first visited Oshikoji Karasuma-dono on August 8. After meeting Yoshimoto at the Izumi-dono (Water Pavilion), he was guided to the Gyotokaku (Water Tower) to enjoy Wakan Renku. Wakan Renku involves alternating five-character Chinese verses with Japanese verses of 5-7-5 or 7-7 syllables in the manner of Renga; Yoshimoto formalized the rules (shikimoku) in his later years. It was the literary art most suited to and popular in the Muromachi and Sengoku societies where court nobles, warriors, and Zen monks sat together, and the existence of the Kaisho provided the physical setting for it.

I went to the Wakan Renku gathering at the Nijo Palace, entering through the west gate and inspecting the springs, gardens, ponds, pavilions, water, and stones. Their beauty is beyond words. Naming the pond "Ryutaku" (Leaping Dragon) records the truth; recently at midday, there was a miracle of a dragon leaping under the rain. The place called "Gyotokaku" contains the "to" (seat) where the Emperor sat. It is called Senshotei, Choshotei, Zoshunkaku, Ryokuyokyo, Seihesuui, Kangyodai, Koreisen, Suimeiro, and Baikoken. Presently, the Jun-go (Yoshimoto) appeared and received me at the Water Pavilion. We expressed our long-held mutual desires to meet and were drawn into the Gyotokaku. For the hundred-verse Wakan Renku, those present were Sanzan of Ankoku-ji, Gyokuka of Doshun-ji, Kishi of Dairyu-ji, and the attendant Bonsho, the son of the Regent Yoshimoto. (Notes and glosses by the author)

Yoshimoto selected ten scenic spots from the pavilions, gardens, and garden facilities, naming them Baikoken (Shinden), Senshotei (Izumi-dono/Water Pavilion), Gyotokaku (Water Tower), Zoshunkaku, Suimeiro, Ryutakuchi, Seihesuui, Koreisen, Ryokuyokyo, and Kangyodai. These are known as the "Ten Views of the Nijo Palace" (Nijo-dono Jikkyo). "Ten Views" is a practice in Zen temples where symbolic names are given to the scenery within the grounds to serve as subjects for poetry. While Ten Views became common everywhere later, the "Ten Views of the Nijo Palace" is one of the earliest examples for a layman.

The names Gyotokaku and Zoshunkaku appear here. Since the "kaku" in "Suikaku" (Water Tower) refers to a multi-story building, it means he newly built two-story garden facilities facing the pond water.

"Gyotokaku" was named to commemorate a visit by Retired Emperor Go-Kogon, and "Suimeiro" is also said to have been named by Go-Kogon. (Note: "Ryutakuchi" is named after a miracle where a white dragon ascended to heaven from the pond. Tatsuike Elementary School is named after this pond.)

"Zoshunkaku" was a beloved Kaisho for viewing wisteria flowers from late spring to early summer. Its existence as early as 1347 (Jowa 3) is noted in the "Tsukubashu." The wisteria flowers casting shadows on the pond and swaying like waves were a famous feature of Oshikoji Karasuma-dono. This was based on the theme of an old poem: "The wisteria waves in the pond of my home have bloomed; I wonder when the mountain cuckoo will come to sing" (Kokinshu, Summer, 135, Anonymous). It was also a metaphor for the head of the Fujiwara clan (Toshi no Choja), and Yoshimoto's emotional attachment to it seems to have been particularly strong. It was also in mid-April 1375 (Eiwa 1) that the thirteen-year-old boy Zeami was summoned by Yoshimoto, showing talent not only in Sarugaku but also in Renga and Kemari. The place where the impressed Yoshimoto granted him the name "Fujiwaka" was the Water Tower where the wisteria flowers were in full bloom.

Yoshimoto himself described the scenery of the garden dotted with Water Towers as follows:

"Since stairs were built over the water, the water between the stones flowing through the middle of the seating area is enough to soak one's sleeves. The appearance of the pond at the end of the stream, the state of the inlets and islands, is very interesting. At the end of the western stream, across a mountain, a waterfall of about five feet falls. The appearance of the two-story building built above the waterfall looks very charming, like a mountain village." ("Omoi no Mama no Nikki")

This description matches the excavation results and is likely a true representation. With multiple "two-story" Water Towers scattered about, and a sense of three-dimensionality created by the pine mountain to the east and the waterfall to the west, it was a garden that succeeded in the production of feeling "like a mountain village" while being located right in the city.

From the Water Towers and pavilions, one could naturally enjoy the view. Moreover, unlike traditional Izumi-dono, the interiors were decorated with "Karamono"—imported goods from the Song and Yuan dynasties—creating an atmosphere for artistic pastimes. Originally, such multi-story buildings did not exist in the residences of court nobles or warriors. (For example, "Nikaido" in Kamakura refers to the former Yofuku-ji temple, so named because it had a rare two-story Buddhist hall.) People would climb to the second floor of the Water Tower facing the pond to view the landscape and find coolness.

It was considered ideal for a Renga gathering to be accompanied by a view. While Renga could be performed outdoors—on boats, under blossoms, or even on the battlefield—during this era when it was being formalized as a literary art, environments suitable for deepening the poetic mood were sought. In his first treatise on Renga, Yoshimoto stated:

"If you intend to hold a session, you should first choose the time and seek a view (chobo). Looking at the appearance of snow and moon, or the greenery by the doorstep as it changes with the seasons, the heart is moved and words appear. For a view, one should also seek a flower pavilion. Facing the mountains and looking upon the water to concentrate one's poetic spirit is most beneficial." ("Hekirensho")

"Katei" (flower pavilion) literally refers to a stylish and elegant residence.

In retrospect, traditional events such as Chinese poetry composition, Waka, and music were held in the aisles (hisashi) of the Shinden. For example, in the Seiryoden of the Imperial Palace, it was the eastern aisle. This faced a small courtyard surrounded by other buildings, offering no view. The Denjo-no-ma was also favored for miscellaneous arts in the Seiryoden, but located at the southern end of the Seiryoden, it was an even more enclosed space. Here we can see a major difference from the "Kaisho." As characteristics of the "Kaisho," we can add the element of a view to the flat structure and the decoration with Karamono.

Yoshimoto was also a rare producer, arranging not only his own residence but even the residences of others in this way. It is well known that when the third Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu became the first warrior to frequent the Imperial Court, Yoshimoto proactively assisted him. When welcoming the 22-year-old Yoshimitsu to the Imperial Palace on April 28, 1379 (Koryaku 1), Yoshimoto turned the Izumi-dono of the palace into an "O-kaisho," and a banquet was held throughout the night.

A fragment of Yoshimoto's kana account of that event survives ("Udaisho Yoshimitsu Sandai Kyoen Kanaki"), according to which the interior of the Izumi-dono was decorated with Karamono such as hanging scrolls, incense burners, and tables. These were familiar items placed on the built-in desks (oshibata) of a Kaisho, and we know that the fixed forms seen in the famous manual for room decoration, "Kundaikan Sau Choki," were established early on. The act of tailoring an Izumi-dono into a Kaisho through decoration was based on Yoshimoto's plan. At that time, Yoshimitsu was building the Muromachi-dono, and he seems to have immediately added a Kaisho; upon its completion, he invited Yoshimoto to unveil it (Entry for May 20, 1380, in "Koyoki").

As a result of being maintained over many years, Oshikoji Karasuma-dono formed a refined space where the master Yoshimoto's taste reached every corner.

However, writing this might make it seem like the hobby of a top-ranking court noble, a product of garden and pond interests left to power and wealth. Nevertheless, the era in which Yoshimoto lived was one of unprecedented turmoil. As the Chancellor (Kanpaku) of the Northern Court, Yoshimoto was in the midst of the Kanno Disturbance and the resulting chaos; between 1352 and 1361, he experienced his residence being seized several times by the Southern Court forces that invaded Kyoto. Although he reclaimed it each time after a short period, the pavilions and gardens could not have been completely unscathed. Public order in Kyoto was at its worst, and robbers often targeted this residence. Furthermore, the Nijo family had meager estates, and their household finances were always tight. The scale of the Shinden, the main hall of Oshikoji Karasuma-dono, was rather small and shabby, and other regent families even insulted it as being the height of desolation.

Despite this, it was counted among the best gardens in the capital and fascinated people from the court, the warrior class, and Zen circles because it overflowed with enough creativity and ingenuity in its garden aesthetics to hide the physical defects of the residence. This could be called the power of culture, but it was an artificial "world within a jar," set apart from the chaotic state of society.

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