Ashikaga Yoshiteru

Ashikaga Yoshiteru (Jp. 足利 義輝; March 31, 1536–June 17, 1565) was the 13th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1546 to 1565 during the late Muromachi period of Japan. He was the eldest son of the 12th shogun Ashikaga Yoshiharu. His mother is a daughter of Konoe Taneie who would later be come to called Keijuin(慶寿院). His younger brother Ashikaga Yoshiaki became 15th shogun.

Yoshiteru's Legacy

From his inner strength and skills of katana that he was known to have practiced regulary, Yoshiteru was called Kengo Shogun(剣豪将軍) and was as close to a samurai and a warlord as a shogun since Ashikaga Takauji had been. His governance was highly credited but to have been killed despite all actions completely destroyed what little recognition and authority Yoshiteru built up.

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The waka Yoshiteru was said to have left on his death shows how far he had dreamed and how short his archievement had been.

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:五月雨は　露か涙か　不如帰

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:我が名をあげよ　雲の上まで

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:Samidare ha Tsuyu ka Namida ka Hototogisu

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:Wagana wo ageyo Kumo no Ue made

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(translation)

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:The rain falls, and is it my tears or the mist that surround me?

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:Hototogisu(a name of bird, kanji comes out as never to return) take my name and soar above clouds

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