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In 1541 the country was open toforeign trade, foreign civilization and foreign ideas and these werewelcomed eagerl But, on theother hand, the local revenues continued to pass through the hands ofthe governors, and in the sa Such an arrangement had no elements of stability. Affairs of Statecontinued to be directed by the cloistered sovereign, and he chosefor his grandson's consort Taiken-mon-in, who bore to him a son, thefuture Emperor Sutoku.

Gambling, also, prevailed widely during the Muromachi epochand was carried sometimes to great excesses, so that samurai actuallystaked their arms and armour on a cast of the dice. THE IMAGAWA, THE KITABATAKE, THE SAITO, AND THE ODA FAMILIESThe Imagawa, a branch of the Ashikaga, served as the latter's bulwarkin Suruga province during many generations. ng too much power to potential rivals,whereas the Ashikaga gave away lands so rashly that some families-- Having removed Yoriiye, he extended the same fate to HatakeyamaShigetada, one of the most loyal and trusted servants of Yoritomo.