Partly because the Ashikaga Family gave sanctuary to the Zen sect, Zen culture and Gozan-bungaku (a Chinese literature of Zen temples) were in their prime and Shokoku-ji Temple in Kyoto, the temple of Ashikaga Family, produced many artist-monks such as Josetsu, Shubun and Sesshu.
足利家が禅宗を庇護したこともあり、禅文化や五山文学が栄え、足利家の寺である京都の相国寺からは如拙、周文、雪舟をはじめとする画僧を輩出した。