Japanese Chronology
The calendar commonly used in Japan identifies a year by the combination of the Japanese era name (nengô [年号], lit. year name) and the year number within the era. For example, the year 2011 is Heisei 23. The system originated in imperial China in 140 BC, and was adopted by Japan in AD 645, during the reign of Emperor Kôtoku. Japanese era names are still in use for official government papers.
Prior to the Meiji period, era names were decided by court officials and were subjected to frequent change. A new nengô was usually proclaimed within a year or two after the ascension of a new emperor. A new nengô was also often
designated on the first, fifth and 58th years of the 60-year cycle, because they were inauspicious years in traditional Japanese cosmology. Era names were also changed due to other felicitous events or natural disasters. In historical
practice, the first day of a nengô starts whenever the emperor chooses and continues until the next lunar new year, which is understood to be the start of the nengô's second year.
Mutsuhito assumed the throne in 1867, during the third year of the Keiô [慶応] era. On 23 October 1868, the era name was changed to Meiji [明治], and a "one reign, one era name" (issei-ichigen [一世一元]) system was adopted, wherein era names would change only upon imperial succession. In modern practice, the first year of a nengô starts immediately upon the emperor's accession to the throne and ends on 31 December. Subsequent years follow the Gregorian calendar.
Prior to the Meiji period, era names were decided by court officials and were subjected to frequent change. A new nengô was usually proclaimed within a year or two after the ascension of a new emperor. A new nengô was also often
designated on the first, fifth and 58th years of the 60-year cycle, because they were inauspicious years in traditional Japanese cosmology. Era names were also changed due to other felicitous events or natural disasters. In historical
practice, the first day of a nengô starts whenever the emperor chooses and continues until the next lunar new year, which is understood to be the start of the nengô's second year.
Mutsuhito assumed the throne in 1867, during the third year of the Keiô [慶応] era. On 23 October 1868, the era name was changed to Meiji [明治], and a "one reign, one era name" (issei-ichigen [一世一元]) system was adopted, wherein era names would change only upon imperial succession. In modern practice, the first year of a nengô starts immediately upon the emperor's accession to the throne and ends on 31 December. Subsequent years follow the Gregorian calendar.
The table below shows the major historical periods in Japanese history and the nengô eras for the Azuchi-Momoyama, Edo and later periods.
Historical period | Nengô (eras) | Date range or start date |
---|---|---|
Jômon period [縄文時代] | ca 14,000BC to ca 300BC | |
Yayoi period [弥生時代] | ca 300BC to ca 250AD | |
Kofun period [古墳時代] | ca 250 to 538 | |
Asuka period [飛鳥時代] | 538 to 710 | |
Nara period [奈良時代] | 710 to 794 | |
Heian period [平安時代] | 794 to 1185 | |
Kamakura period [鎌倉時代] | 1185 to 1333 | |
Muromachi period [室町時代] | 1333 to 1573 | |
Nanboku-chô period [南北朝時代] | 1336 to 1392 | |
Sengoku period [戦国時代] Warring States period | 1467 to 1573 | |
Azuchi-Momoyama period [安土桃山] | 1568 to 1603 | |
Tenshô [天正] era | 1573 | |
Bunroku [文禄] era | 1592 | |
Keichô [慶長] era | 1596 | |
Edo (Tokugawa) period [江戸時代] | 1603 to 1868 | |
Genna [元和] era | 1615 | |
Kan'ei [寛永] era | 1624 | |
Shôhô [正保] era | 1644 | |
Keian [慶安] era | 1648 | |
Jôô [承応] era | 1652 | |
Meireki [明暦] era | 1655 | |
Manji [万治] era | 1658 | |
Kanbun [寛文] era | 1661 | |
Enpô [延宝] era | 1673 | |
Tenna [天和] era | 1681 | |
Jôkyô [貞享] era | 1684 | |
Genroku [元禄] era | 1688 | |
Hôei [宝永] era | 1704 | |
Shôtoku [正徳] era | 1711 | |
Kyôhô [享保] era | 1716 | |
Genbun [元文] era | 1736 | |
Kanpô [寛保] era | 1741 | |
Enkyô [延享] era | 1744 | |
Kan'en [寛延] era | 1748 | |
Hôreki (also Hôryaku) [宝暦] era | 1751 | |
Meiwa [明和] era | 1764 | |
An'ei [安永] era | 1772 | |
Tenmei [天明] era | 1781 | |
Kansei [寛政] era | 1789 | |
Kyôwa [享和] era | 1801 | |
Bunka [文化] era | 1804 | |
Bunsei [文政] era | 1818 | |
Tenpô [天保] era | 1830 | |
Kôka [弘化] era | 1844 | |
Kaei [嘉永] era | 1848 | |
Ansei [安政] era | 1854 | |
Man'en [万延] era | 1860 | |
Bunkyû [文久] era | 1861 | |
Genji [元治] era | 1864 | |
Keiô [慶応] era | 1865 | |
Modern period | 1868 onwards | |
Meiji [明治] era | 1868 | |
Taishô [大正] era | 1912 | |
Shôwa [Shôwa] era | 1926 | |
Heisei [Heisei] era | 1989 |
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