Kanshō famine

The Kanshō famine (長禄・寛正の飢饉, Chōroku-kanshō no kikin), was a famine which affected mostly Western Japan during the reign of Emperor Go-Hanazono in Muromachi period. The number of deaths from the starvation was at least 82,000. The ruling shōgun during the famine was Ashikaga Yoshimasa.

Events leading to the famine

The ongoing conflict in Kantō region following Kyōtoku Incident in 1454, plus general incompetence of the administration of Ashikaga Yoshimasa in the lead-up to the Ōnin War has contributed to bad agricultural production and sluggish response to the famine, greatly increasing its death toll.

Events on the famine

The general drought has happened across the Japan, starting from March 1459.[1] It ended in September 1459 with the severe typhoon, flooding Kamo River and causing major damage. Also, rare astronomical phenomenons were reported, including sun dogs and a meteor colliding with the Moon, possibly connected to the Little Ice Age.[2] Taking an opportunity, Tokusei Ikki rebels has got additional footholds in November 1459.

The Ashikaga Yoshimasa did not take any action, completely obsessed by building a new shogunate residence - the Hanano gosho. The Emperor Go-Hanazono request for emergency response were ignored. The drought continued in smaller scale until May 1460, while damage from local floods and in-fighting (particularly between Hatakeyama Masanaga and Hatakeyama Yoshinari), has resulted in the trade disruption in Kyoto. The rice import has ceased, causing a severe shortage of food. In particular, Katsura River flooded while fighting for water in Toyama between temple priests and peasants was reported. In end of May 1460, the period of abnormally low temperatures and heavy rains have started, continuing to the end of June. Even the lake Biwa has flooded, submerging large parts of Ōmi Province, causing population flight and the outbreak of plague among the refugees. Wet conditions has resulted in insects proliferation, and the swarm of Inago locusts took off in autumn of 1460, further devastating rice paddies. By February 1461, the hunger deaths in Kyoto has reached 82,000 and the corpses has dammed the Kamo River.[3]

22 January 1461, the Ashikaga Yoshimasa finally took an action and ordered the monk Gan'ami from Kōfuku-ji to handle the famine. Free kitchen (providing a millet meals) was established in February 1461 at the southern entrance of Rokkaku-dō, using a charity funds from wealthy Kyoto citizens. The funding has exhausted in a month though. Similar action was forbidden by leadership of Enryaku-ji temple, resulting in disobedience of Rennyo from Hongan-ji.

Aftermath of the famine

The destruction of Hongan-ji in 1465 was the continuation of the debate started during Kanshō famine. Also, Ōnin War which broke out in 1467, was partially fueled by the displayed Shogunate ineptness during the Kanshō famine.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "争乱の戦国史40 （室町Ⅱ20）： 長禄・寛正の大飢饉: 風来香". hirohabe.cocolog-nifty.com. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
  2. ↑ 古気候復元データと古文書データを比較する
  3. ↑ "飢餓・飢饉（飢きん）の種類一覧 長禄・寛正の飢饉". ichiranya.com. Retrieved 2017-07-11.

This article incorporates material from the article 長禄・寛正の飢饉 in the Japanese Wikipedia, retrieved on 11 July 2017.

See also

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