Medieval Japan continued the Heian period and covered the years from 1185 to 1600. In contrast to the relatively peaceful times of the Heian period, medieval Japan was characterized by changes in the system of government to feudal structures and war, although the culture of the capital and the imperial court still continued to exist. Political factions, such as the feud between the Taira and Minamoto clans, and the emergence of the warrior class of the medieval period clashed with the elegant imperial court of the Heian period, resulting in the gradual shift of political power to the military and samurai classes. This era of great turmoil and change was reflected in the literature of the time. New topics never mentioned before emerged in the prose, such as physical descriptions of bodies and grotesque and bloody war scenes. In Heian literature, the closest physical descriptions were only of women's long black hair and pale complexion; detailed characteristics, especially those of unpleasant taste, did not appear. However, in the medieval feudal period, writers describe war scenes where warriors are beheaded and people commit seppuku, painting pictures of vivid crimson blood for the reader. Such descriptions appear in works such as Heike monogatari and Kamo mo Chōmei's Hōjōki. However, the world of poetry in this period showed many distinct and interesting changes and innovations compared to those of previous times, which can be analyzed in more detailed aspects. Poetry is how Japan initially gained recognition and respect in the literary world; was and continued to be the cornerstone of classical Japanese literature for many centuries, which is why the focus of this article will be Kokinshū's poetic anthologies...... middle of paper ......s, it also demonstrates changes and innovations, such as the sources from which the poems were collected, the poems' topics, poetic devices, and evaluative notions. Shinkokinshū is not completely separate from Kokinshū; it's a different anthology, broader in scope with many new and different aspects and is thought to be a better collection than Kokinshū, which I have to agree with. Works Cited "Introduction to Medieval Japan." Asia for educators | Columbia University. Network. 16 June 2011. .2. Keene, Donald. Anthology of Japanese literature, from the early to the mid-19th century. New York: Grove, 1955.3. Reading: Shinkokinshū Shirane4. Reading: Huey “Medievalization of poetic practice”5. Reading: introduction by Huey “The making of SKKS”6. Reading: Heike monogatari7. Handout 10 in the classroom.