The Ashikaga clan (足利氏, Ashikaga-shi) is an important Japanese samurai clan that established the Ashikaga shogunate and ruled Japan for over two centuries, from 1336 to 15731.

The Ashikaga descended from a branch of the Minamoto clan, originating from the town of Ashikaga in Shimotsuke province, nowadays Tochigi prefecture.

For nearly a century, the clan was divided into two rival branches, the Kantō kubō Ashikaga who ruled from Kamakura, and the Ashikaga of Kyoto, the masters of Japan.

The rivalry ended with the defeat of the former in 1439. The clan had many branches, including the Hosokawa, Imagawa, Hatakeyama (after 1205), Kira, Shiba and Hachisuka clans.

After the head of the family of Minamoto clan passed away in the early Kamakura period, the Ashikagas presented themselves as the heads of Minamoto clan, securing the prestige associated with this name.

There was another Ashikaga clan without any blood relation but from Fujiwara clan.

Ashikaga Clan leaders

1. Ashikaga Yoshiyasu
2. Ashikaga Yoshikane
3. Ashikaga Yoshiuji
4. Ashikaga Yasuuji
5. Ashikaga Yoriuji
6. Ashikaga Ietoki
7. Ashikaga Sadauji
8. Ashikaga Takauji

Shoguns

1. Ashikaga Takauji
2. Ashikaga Yoshiakira
3. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu
4. Ashikaga Yoshimochi
5. Ashikaga Yoshikazu
6. Ashikaga Yoshinori
7. Ashikaga Yoshikatsu
8. Ashikaga Yoshimasa
9. Ashikaga Yoshihisa
10. Ashikaga Yoshitane
11. Ashikaga Yoshizumi
12. Ashikaga Yoshiharu
13. Ashikaga Yoshiteru
14. Ashikaga Yoshihide
15. Ashikaga Yoshiaki

Ashikaga Clan Notable personalities

• Ashikaga Chachamaru
• Ashikaga Masatomo
• Ashikaga Mitsukane
• Ashikaga Mochiuji
• Ashikaga Motouji
• Ashikaga Satouji
• Ashikaga Shigeuji
• Ashikaga Tadafuyu
• Ashikaga Tadayoshi
• Ashikaga Ujimitsu
• Ashikaga Yoshimi