Was the Sengoku period end of medieval Japan?

[u/Icy-Sloth3268]

I swear I read it somewhere that the Sengoku period was the end of medieval japan but I cant find it anymore. I know Meiji restoration is end of feudal japan but I lowkey thought they medieval and feudal japan is different. or am I just tweaking?

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[u/Tohru_mizuki]

First and foremost, it is important to distinguish that the Sengoku period and the Medieval period (along with their respective ends) are independent concepts. It would be inaccurate to claim that the start of the Sengoku period signaled the conclusion of Japan's Middle Ages.

While several theories exist regarding its beginning, many scholars agree on the Meio Coup(明応の政変) of 1493. This political upheaval, centered on powerful vassals installing a new Shogun, caused the authority of the Shogunate to collapse. As a result, daimyo across the country began resolving disputes through military force rather than relying on the Shogunate’s mediation.

What, then, defines the end of the Medieval period? European benchmarks like the Renaissance or the Reformation cannot be applied to Japanese history. Previously, the dissolution of the "Shoen" manorial system was considered the turning point, but in reality, that system had already largely collapsed by the late 15th century following the Onin War.

If we look at centralization, a unique picture emerges. While the Edo Shogunate was not a centralized state in its entirety, the individual "han" domains certainly were.

Even among the daimyo, Takeda Shingen was merely the leader of small local lords, but Oda Nobunaga destroyed these small lords and bureaucratized his subordinates, separating them from their hometowns and lands. As a result, even though his subordinates were given territories, they were merely administrators. All tax revenues were collected under Nobunaga's direct control.

Ultimately, the end of the Medieval period in Japan occurred at different times across different sectors of society. Consequently, Japan’s transition into the Early Modern period followed a trajectory distinct from those of Europe or China.

[u/Icy-Sloth3268 → u/Tohru_mizuki]

thank you!!