Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 2.djvu/50

 in his nominal retirement a three-storeyed edifice, the Kinkaku-ji, or " golden pavilion," which is still one of the sights of Kyoto. The great territorial nobles had to contribute materials for its construction; the whole interior was a blaze of gold, and sumptuous banquets were given there with accompaniment of music and dancing.

From the days of Yoshimitsu the Ashikaga ceased to exercise administrative power. That was done by the Wardens (Kwanryō) at Kamakura whom they had themselves created. In Kyōtō the Regents had held the reins of government, in Kamakura the Vicegerents, and now the same procedure was followed by the Wardens, while the Shōguns themselves lived a life of ease and indolence in Kyoto. But neither among the Wardens nor the Shōguns was there found a genius capable of controlling the elements of disturbance that grew out of the system of local autonomy established by Yoshimitsu. The country was gradually converted into an arena where every one fought for his own hand. Any man that deemed himself strong enough to win a prize in the shape of estates and power, stepped into the lists and turned his lance against the weakest adversary he could discern. Finally, a dispute about the succession to the Shōgunate furnished a line of general division, and there ensued a contest known in history as the "eleven years' war."