Japanese Year Periods
It should be borne in mind that the Japanese year periods do not regularly correspond with the reigns of the Emperors, because “a new one was chosen whenever it was deemed necessary to commemorate an auspicious or ward off a malign event.” But hereafter the era will correspond with the reign of an Emperor. The names of some of these eras are quite famous, like the Elizabethan or the Victorian Era in English history. As the first era was a time of great reforms, it is known as the Taikwa Reformation; the Engi Era, in the tenth century, is celebrated for important legislation; the Genroku Era, in the seventeenth century, was “a period of great activity in various arts”; and the Tempō Era, of recent days, was “the last brilliant period of feudalism before its fall.” This name was also given to the large 8 rin piece coined in that era. The Wadō Era, in the fourteenth century, was so named on account of the discovery of copper; and the second era, Hakuchi, commemorates a “white pheasant,” presented to the Emperor.
LIST OF JAPANESE YEAR PERIODS.[210]
| Name. | Japanese Era.[211] | Christian Era. |
|---|---|---|
| Taikwa | 1305 | 645 |
| Hakuchi | 1310 | 650 |
| (Blank) | 1315-1331 | 655-671 |
| Sujaku | 1332 | 672 |
| Hakuhō | 1332 | 672 |
| Shuchō | 1346 | 686 |
| (Blank) | 1347-1360 | 687-700 |
| Daihō [Taihō] | 1361 | 701 |
| Keiun | 1364 | 704 |
| Wadō | 1368 | 708 |
| Reiki | 1375 | 715 |
| Yōrō | 1377 | 717 |
| Jinki [Shinki] | 1384 | 724 |
| Tembiō | 1389 | 729 |
| Tembiō shōhō | 1409 | 749 |
| Tembiō hoji | 1417 | 757 |
| Tembiō jingo | 1425 | 765 |
| Jingo keiun | 1427 | 767 |
| Hōki | 1430 | 770 |
| Tenō | 1441 | 781 |
| Enriaku | 1442 | 782 |
| Daidō | 1466 | 806 |
| Kōnin | 1470 | 810 |
| Tenchō | 1484 | 824 |
| Jōwa [Shōwa] | 1494 | 834 |
| Kajō [Kashō] | 1508 | 848 |
| Ninju | 1511 | 851 |
| Saikō | 1514 | 854 |
| Tenan | 1517 | 857 |
| Jōgwan [Jōkwan] | 1519 | 859 |
| Gwangiō [Genkei] | 1537 | 877 |
| Ninna [Ninwa] | 1545 | 885 |
| Kwampei | 1549 | 889 |
| Shōtai | 1558 | 898 |
| Engi | 1561 | 901 |
| Enchō | 1583 | 923 |
| Jōhei [Shōhei] | 1591 | 931 |
| Tengiō [Tenkei] | 1598 | 938 |
| Tenriaku | 1607 | 947 |
| Tentoku | 1617 | 957 |
| Ōwa | 1621 | 961 |
| Kōhō | 1624 | 964 |
| Anna | 1628 | 968 |
| Tenroku | 1630 | 970 |
| Ten-en | 1633 | 973 |
| Jōgen | 1636 | 976 |
| Tengen | 1638 | 978 |
| Eikwan | 1643 | 983 |
| Kwanna | 1645 | 985 |
| Eien | 1647 | 987 |
| Eiso [Eisho] | 1649 | 989 |
| Shōriaku | 1650 | 990 |
| Chōtoku | 1655 | 995 |
| Chōhō | 1659 | 999 |
| Kwankō | 1664 | 1004 |
| Chōwa | 1672 | 1012 |
| Kwannin | 1677 | 1017 |
| Ji-an | 1681 | 1021 |
| Manju | 1684 | 1024 |
| Chōgen | 1688 | 1028 |
| Chōriaku | 1697 | 1037 |
| Chōkiū | 1700 | 1040 |
| Kwantoku | 1704 | 1044 |
| Eijō [Eishō] | 1706 | 1046 |
| Tengi [Tenki] | 1713 | 1053 |
| Kōhei | 1718 | 1058 |
| Jiriaku | 1725 | 1065 |
| Enkiū | 1729 | 1069 |
| Jōhō [Shōhō] | 1734 | 1074 |
| Jōriaku [Shōreki] | 1737 | 1077 |
| Eiho | 1741 | 1081 |
| Otoku | 1744 | 1084 |
| Kwanji | 1747 | 1087 |
| Kahō | 1754 | 1094 |
| Eichō | 1756 | 1096 |
| Jōtoku [Shōtoku] | 1757 | 1097 |
| Kōwa | 1759 | 1099 |
| Chōji | 1764 | 1104 |
| Kajō [Kashō] | 1766 | 1106 |
| Tennin | 1768 | 1108 |
| Tenei | 1770 | 1110 |
| Eikiū | 1773 | 1113 |
| Genei | 1778 | 1118 |
| Hōan | 1780 | 1120 |
| Tenji | 1784 | 1124 |
| Daiji | 1786 | 1126 |
| Tenjō [Tenshō] | 1791 | 1131 |
| Chōjō [Chōshō] | 1792 | 1132 |
| Hōen | 1795 | 1135 |
| Eiji | 1801 | 1141 |
| Kōji | 1802 | 1142 |
| Tenyō | 1804 | 1144 |
| Kiū-an | 1805 | 1145 |
| Nimbiō | 1811 | 1151 |
| Kiūju | 1814 | 1154 |
| Hōgen | 1816 | 1156 |
| Heiji | 1819 | 1159 |
| Eiriaku | 1820 | 1160 |
| Ōhō | 1821 | 1161 |
| Chōkwan | 1823 | 1163 |
| Eiman | 1825 | 1165 |
| Ninan | 1826 | 1166 |
| Ka-ō | 1829 | 1169 |
| Jō-an [Shōan] | 1831 | 1171 |
| Angen | 1835 | 1175 |
| Jishō | 1837 | 1177 |
| Yōwa | 1841 | 1181 |
| Ju-ei | 1842 | 1182 |
| Genriaku | 1844 | 1184 |
| Bunji | 1845 | 1185 |
| Kenkiū | 1850 | 1190 |
| Shōji | 1859 | 1199 |
| Kennin | 1861 | 1201 |
| Genkiū | 1864 | 1204 |
| Kenei | 1866 | 1206 |
| Jōgen [Shōgen] | 1867 | 1207 |
| Kenriaku | 1871 | 1211 |
| Kempō | 1873 | 1213 |
| Jōkiū [Shōkiū] | 1879 | 1219 |
| Jō-ō | 1882 | 1222 |
| Gennin | 1884 | 1224 |
| Karoku | 1885 | 1225 |
| Antei | 1887 | 1227 |
| Kwangi | 1889 | 1229 |
| Jō-ei | 1892 | 1232 |
| Tempuku | 1893 | 1233 |
| Bunriaku | 1894 | 1234 |
| Katei | 1895 | 1235 |
| Riakunin | 1898 | 1238 |
| En-o | 1899 | 1239 |
| Ninji | 1900 | 1240 |
| Kwangen | 1903 | 1243 |
| Hōji | 1907 | 1247 |
| Kenchō | 1909 | 1249 |
| Kōgen | 1916 | 1256 |
| Shōka | 1917 | 1257 |
| Shōgen | 1919 | 1259 |
| Bunō | 1920 | 1260 |
| Kōchō | 1921 | 1261 |
| Bunei | 1924 | 1264 |
| Kenji | 1935 | 1275 |
| Kōan | 1938 | 1278 |
| Shō-ō | 1948 | 1288 |
| Einin | 1953 | 1293 |
| Shōan | 1959 | 1299 |
| Kengen | 1962 | 1302 |
| Kagen | 1963 | 1303 |
| Tokuji | 1966 | 1306 |
| Enkiō [En-kei] | 1968 | 1308 |
| Ōchō | 1971 | 1311 |
| Shōwa | 1972 | 1312 |
| Bumpō | 1977 | 1317 |
| Gen-ō | 1979 | 1319 |
| Genkō | 1981 | 1321 |
| Shōchū | 1984 | 1324 |
| Kariaku | 1986 | 1326 |
| Gentoku | 1989 | 1329 |
| Shōkiō [Shōkei] | 1992 | 1332 |
| Kemmu | 1994 | 1334 |
| Rekiō | 1998 | 1338[212] |
| Kōei | 2002 | 1342[212] |
| Jōwa | 2005 | 1345[212] |
| Kwanō | 2010 | 1350[212] |
| Bunna | 2012 | 1352[212] |
| Embun | 2016 | 1356[212] |
| Kōan | 2021 | 1361[212] |
| Jōji | 2022 | 1362[212] |
| Ōan | 2028 | 1368[212] |
| Eiwa | 2035 | 1375[212] |
| Kōreki | 2039 | 1379[212] |
| Eitoku | 2041 | 1381[212] |
| Shitoku | 2044 | 1384[212] |
| Kakei | 2047 | 1387[212] |
| Koō | 2049 | 1389[212] |
| Engen | 1996 | 1336[213] |
| Kōkoku | 2000 | 1340[213] |
| Shōhei | 2006 | 1346[213] |
| Kentoku | 2030 | 1370[213] |
| Bunchū | 2032 | 1372[213] |
| Tenju | 2035 | 1375[213] |
| Kōwa | 2041 | 1381[213] |
| Genchū | 2044 | 1384[213] |
| Meitoku | 2050 | 1390 |
| Ō-ei | 2054 | 1394 |
| Shōchō | 2088 | 1428 |
| Eikiō | 2089 | 1429 |
| Kakitsu | 2101 | 1441 |
| Bunan | 2104 | 1444 |
| Hōtoku | 2109 | 1449 |
| Kōtoku | 2112 | 1452 |
| Kōshō | 2115 | 1455 |
| Chōroku | 2117 | 1457 |
| Kwanshō | 2120 | 1460 |
| Bunshō | 2126 | 1466 |
| Ōnin | 2127 | 1467 |
| Bummei | 2129 | 1469 |
| Chōkō | 2147 | 1487 |
| Entoku | 2149 | 1489 |
| Mei-ō | 2152 | 1492 |
| Bunki | 2161 | 1501 |
| Eishō | 2164 | 1504 |
| Dai-ei [Taiei] | 2181 | 1521 |
| Kōroku | 2188 | 1528 |
| Tembun | 2192 | 1532 |
| Kōji | 2215 | 1555 |
| Eiroku | 2218 | 1558 |
| Genki | 2230 | 1570 |
| Tenshō | 2233 | 1573 |
| Bunroku | 2252 | 1592 |
| Keichō | 2256 | 1596 |
| Genna | 2275 | 1615 |
| Kwanei | 2284 | 1624 |
| Shōhō | 2304 | 1644 |
| Kei-an | 2308 | 1648 |
| Jō-ō [Shō-ō] | 2312 | 1652 |
| Meireki | 2315 | 1655 |
| Manji | 2318 | 1658 |
| Kwambun | 2321 | 1661 |
| Empō | 2333 | 1673 |
| Tenna | 2341 | 1681 |
| Jōkiō | 2344 | 1684 |
| Genroku | 2348 | 1688 |
| Hō-ei | 2364 | 1704 |
| Shōtōku | 2371 | 1711 |
| Kiōhō | 2376 | 1716 |
| Gembun | 2396 | 1736 |
| Kwampō | 2401 | 1741 |
| Enkiō | 2404 | 1744 |
| Kwannen | 2408 | 1748 |
| Hōreki | 2411 | 1751 |
| Meiwa | 2424 | 1764 |
| Anei | 2432 | 1772 |
| Temmei | 2441 | 1781 |
| Kwansei | 2449 | 1789 |
| Kiōwa | 2461 | 1801 |
| Bunkwa | 2464 | 1804 |
| Bunsei | 2478 | 1818 |
| Tempō | 2490 | 1830 |
| Kōkwa | 2504 | 1844 |
| Ka-ei | 2508 | 1848 |
| Ansei | 2514 | 1854 |
| Manen | 2520 | 1860 |
| Bunkiū | 2521 | 1861 |
| Genji | 2524 | 1864 |
| Kei-ō | 2525 | 1865 |
| Meiji | 2528 | 1868 |
| Taishō | 2572 | 1912 |
The names of these periods are made by the various combinations of68 Chinese words of good omen. | ||
There are, moreover, other expressions which more closely resemble such common Occidental phrases as the Victorian Era, the Elizabethan Era, the Age of Pericles, except that in the impersonal Orient such expressions are named more often from places. In Japanese history, for instance, it is very common to read of the Nara Epoch, the Heian Epoch, the Muromachi Period, the Kamakura Period, the Yedo Era, the Tōkyō Period (Modern Japan). Personal names are applied, however, in such cases as the Hōjō Era, the Ashikaga Period, the Tokugawa Era, the Fujiwara Period.
Chronological Table of Emperors and Empresses.[214]
| 1. | Jimmu (660-585 B. C.) |
|---|---|
| 2. | Suizei (581-549) |
| 3. | Annei (548-511) |
| 4. | Itoku (510-477) |
| 5. | Kōshō (475-393) |
| 6. | Kōan (392-291) |
| 7. | Kōrei (290-215) |
| 8. | Kōgen (214-158) |
| 9. | Kaikwa (157-98) |
| 10. | Sujin (97-30) |
| 11. | Suinin (29 B. C.-70 A. D.) |
| 12. | Keikō (71-130 A. D.) |
| 13. | Seimu (131-190) |
| 14. | Chūai-(192-200) |
| [15. | Jingō[214] (201-269)] |
| 16. | Ōjin (270-310) |
| 17. | Nintoku (313-399) |
| 18. | Richū (400-405) |
| 19. | Hanzei (406-411) |
| 20. | Ingyō (412-453) |
| 21. | Ankō (454-456) |
| 22. | Yūryaku (457-479) |
| 23. | Seinei (480-484) |
| 24. | Kensō (485-487) |
| 25. | Ninken (488-498) |
| 26. | Muretsu (499-506) |
| 27. | Keitai (507-531) |
| 28. | Ankan (534-535) |
| 29. | Senkwa (536-539) |
| 30. | Kimmei (540-571) |
| 31. | Bidatsu (572-585) |
| 32. | Yōmei (586-587) |
| 33. | Sujun (588-592) |
| 34. | Suiko (593-628) |
| 35. | Jomei (629-641) |
| 36. | Kōgyoku (642-645) |
| 37. | Kōtoku (645-654) |
| 38. | Saimei (655-661) |
| 39. | Tenchi (668-671) |
| 40. | Kōbun (672) |
| 41. | Temmu (673-686) |
| 42. | Jitō (690-696) |
| 43. | Mommu (697-707) |
| 44. | Gemmyō (708-715) |
| 45. | Genshō (715-723) |
| 46. | Shōmu (724-748) |
| 47. | Kōken (749-758) |
| 48. | Junnin (758-764) |
| 49. | Shōtoku (765-770) |
| 50. | Kōnin (770-781) |
| 51. | Kwammu (782-806) |
| 52. | Heizei (806-809) |
| 53. | Saga (809-823) |
| 54. | Junna (823-833) |
| 55. | Nimmyō (833-850) |
| 56. | Montoku (850-858) |
| 57. | Seiwa (859-876) |
| 58. | Yōzei (877-884) |
| 59. | Kōkō (884-887) |
| 60. | Uda (888-897) |
| 61. | Daigo (897-930) |
| 62. | Sujaku (931-946) |
| 63. | Murakami (946-967) |
| 64. | Reizei (968-969) |
| 65. | Enyū (970-984) |
| 66. | Kwazan (985-986) |
| 67. | Ichijō (987-1011) |
| 68. | Sanjō (1012-1016) |
| 69. | Go-Ichijō[215] (1016-1036) |
| 70. | Go-Sujaku (1037-1045) |
| 71. | Go-Reizei (1045-1068) |
| 72. | Go-Sanjō (1068-1072) |
| 73. | Shirakawa (1073-10861 |
| 74. | Horikawa (1087-1107) |
| 75. | Toba (1108-1123) |
| 76. | Sutoku (1123-1141) |
| 77. | Konoye (1142-1155) |
| 78. | Go-Shirakawa (1155-1158) |
| 79. | Nijō (1159-1165) |
| 80. | Rokujō (1165-1168) |
| 81. | Takakura (1168-1180) |
| 82. | Antoku (1180-1185) |
| 83. | Go-Toba (1186-1198) |
| 84. | Tsuchimikado (1198-1210) |
| 85. | Juntoku (1211-1221) |
| 86. | Chūkyō (1221) |
| 87. | Go-Horikawa (1221-1232) |
| 88. | Shijō (1233-1242) |
| 89. | Go-Saga (1242-1246) |
| 90. | Go-Fukakusa (1246-1259) |
| 91. | Kameyama (1260-1274) |
| 92. | Go-Uda (1274-1287) |
| 93. | Fushimi (1288-1298) |
| 94. | Go-Fushimi (1298-1301) |
| 95. | Go-Nijo (1301-1308) |
| 96. | Hanazono (1308-1318) |
| 97. | Go-Daigo (1318-1338) |
| 98. | Go-Murakami (1339-1368) |
| [99. | Chōkei (1368-1372)] |
| 100. | Go-Kameyama (1373-1392) |
| 101. | Go-Komatsu (1392-1412) |
| 102. | Shōkō (1412-1428) |
| 103. | Go-Hanazono (1428-1464) |
| 104. | Go-Tsuchimikado (1464-1500) |
| 105. | Go-Kashiwabara (1500-1526) |
| 106. | Go-Nara (1526-1557) |
| 107. | Ogimachi (1567-1586) |
| 108. | Go-Yōzei (1587-1611) |
| 109. | Go-Mizuno-o (1612-1629) |
| 110. | Myōshō (1630-1643) |
| 111. | Go-Kōmyō (1643-1654) |
| 112. | Go-Saiin (1655-1663) |
| 113. | Reigen (1663-1687) |
| 114. | Higashiyama (1687-1709) |
| 115. | Nakano-mikado (1709-1735) |
| 116. | Sakuramachi (1735-1747) |
| 117. | Momozono (1747-1762) |
| 118. | Go-Sakuramachi (1762-1770) |
| 119. | Go-Momozono (1771-1779) |
| 120. | Kōkaku (1779-1817) |
| 121. | Ninkō (1817-1846) |
| 122. | Kōmei (1846-1867) |
| 123. | Mutsuhito (1867-1912) |
| 124. | Yoshihito (1912- ) |
N.B.—Nos. 36 and 38 were the same empress; likewise Nos. 47 and 49.
We append also a list of the sovereigns of the “Northern Court” during the separation, as follows:
| 1. | Kōgon (1331-1333) |
|---|---|
| 2. | Kōmyō (1336-1348) |
| 3. | Sukō (1349-1352) |
| 4. | Go-Kōgon (1352-1371) |
| 5. | Go-Enyu (1371-1382) |
| 6. | Go-Komatsu (1383-1392) |
In 1392 Go-Komatsu became emperor over the reunited empire.