Meiwa

For other uses, see Meiwa (disambiguation).

Periods

Paleolithic	before 14,000 BC
Jōmon	14,000 – 300 BCE
Yayoi	300 BCE – 250 CE
Kofun	250–538
Asuka	538–710
Nara	710–794
Heian	794–1185

Kamakura	1185–1333
Kenmu Restoration	1333–1336
Muromachi (Ashikaga) Nanboku-chō Sengoku	1336–1573
Azuchi–Momoyama Nanban trade	1568–1603
Edo (Tokugawa) Sakoku Bakumatsu	1603–1868
Meiji Restoration	1868–1912
Taishō World War I	1912–1926
Shōwa Financial crisis Militarism Pacific War Occupation Post-occupation	1926–1989
Heisei Lost Decade	1989–present

Topics

Meiwa (明和) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, "year name") after Hōreki and before An'ei. This period spanned the years from June 1764 through November 1772.^[1] The reigning empress and emperor were Go-Sakuramachi-tennō (後桜町天皇) and Go-Momozono-tennō (後桃園天皇).^[2]

Change of era

1764 Meiwa gannen (明和元年): The era name became Meiwa (meaning "Bright Harmony") because of the enthronement of Empress Go-Sakuramachi.

As a cultural phenomenon, the literature of this period records concerted attempts to distill the aggregate characteristics of the inhabitants of Edo (Edokko) into a generalized thumbnail description. These traits (Edokko katagi) were put into use to draw a contrast between Edokko and those who didn't have this "sophisticated" gloss -— those not from the city, as in merchants from the Kyoto-Osaka region or samurai from distant provinces. Sometimes Edokko katagi was presented with pride; and it was used mockingly.^[3]

Events of the Meiwa Era

1765 (Meiwa 2): Five-momme coin issued.
1766 (Meiwa 3): A planned insurrection to displace the Shogun was thwarted.^[4]
1768 (Meiwa 5): Five-momme usage halted.
1770 (Meiwa 7): A typhoon flattened the newly built Imperial Palace in Kyoto.^[5]
1770 (Meiwa 7): A great comet (Lexell's Comet) with a very long tale lit up the night skies throughout the summer and autumn.^[5]
1770 (Meiwa 7): Although no one could have known it at the time, this was the first of 15 consecutive years of drought in Japan.^[5]
April 1, 1772 (Meiwa 9, 29th day of the 2nd month): "The Great Meiwa Fire"—one of the three greatest Edo fire disasters. Unofficial reports describe a swath of ashes and cinders nearly five miles wide and 15 miles (24 km) long—destroying 178 temples and shrines, 127 daimyo residences, 878 non-official residences, 8705 houses of bannermen, and 628 blocks of merchant dwellings, with estimates of over 6,000 casualties. All this devastation subsequently engendered the staggering costs of reconstruction.^[5]
August 2, 1772 (Meiwa 9, 4th day of the 6th month): A terrible tempest hit the Kantō bringing floods and ruining crops.^[5]
August 17, 1772 (Meiwa 9, 19th day of the 6th month): Another storm with more flooding and winds no less intense blew down an estimated 4000 houses in Edo alone.^[6]
1772 (Meiwa 9): At the time, it was said that "Meiwa 9 is Year of Trouble" because it was marked by an extraordinary succession of natural calamities. The pun was made linking the words "Meiwa" + "ku" (meaning "Meiwa 9") and the sound-alike word "meiwaku" (meaning "misfortune" or "annoyance").^[5]
1772 (Meiwa 9, 11th month): The nengō was changed to Anei (meaning "eternal tranquillity"), but this symbolic act was proved futile.^[7]

Notes

↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Meiwa" Japan Encyclopedia, p. 625, p. 625, at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File.
↑ Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 419.
↑ Nara, Hiroshi. (2004). The Structure of Detachment: the Aesthetic Vision of Kuki Shūzō with a translation of "Iki no kōzō," p. 1.
↑ Screech, T. Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822. pp. 139-145.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Hall, John. (1955). Tanuma Okitsugu, 1719-1788, p. 120.
↑ Hall, p. 120.
↑ Hall, p. 169.

References

Hall, John Whitney. (1955). Tanuma Okitsugu, 1719-1788: Forerunner of Modern Japan. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. OCLC 445621
Nara, Hiroshi. (2004). The Structure of Detachment: the Aesthetic Vision of Kuki Shūzō with a translation of "Iki no kōzō." Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 9780824827359; ISBN 9780824828059; OCLC 644791079
Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 48943301
Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822. London: RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 978-0-203-09985-8; OCLC 65177072
Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Odai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691.

External links

Lexell's Comet: -- Comet ("D/1770 L1") is named after Lexell.
National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection
Toyohara Chikanobu, Mirror of the Ages (Jidai Kagami): Meiwa no koro.

Preceded by Hōreki	Era or nengō Meiwa 1764–1772	Succeeded by An'ei

Japanese era names (nengō) by period

538 – 1264

Asuka

Heian

Heian (cont'd)

Kamakura (cont'd)

Nara
645–650	Taika
650–654	Hakuchi
686–686	Shuchō
701–704	Taihō
704–708	Keiun
708–715	Wadō

715–717	Reiki
717–724	Yōrō
724–729	Jinki
729–749	Tenpyō
749	Tenpyō-kanpō
749–757	Tenpyō-shōhō
757–765	Tenpyō-hōji
765–767	Tenpyō-jingo
767–770	Jingo-keiun
770–781	Hōki
781–782	Ten'ō
782–806	Enryaku

806–810	Daidō
810–824	Kōnin
824–834	Tenchō
834–848	Jōwa
848–851	Kajō
851–854	Ninju
854–857	Saikō
857–859	Ten'an
859–877	Jōgan
877–885	Gangyō
885–889	Ninna
889–898	Kanpyō
898–901	Shōtai
901–923	Engi
923–931	Enchō
931–938	Jōhei
938–947	Tengyō
947–957	Tenryaku
957–961	Tentoku
961–964	Ōwa

964–968	Kōhō
968–970	Anna
970–973	Tenroku
973–976	Ten'en
976–978	Jōgen
978–983	Tengen
983–985	Eikan
985–987	Kanna
987–988	Eien
988–990	Eiso
990–995	Shōryaku
995–999	Chōtoku
999–1004	Chōhō
1004–1012	Kankō
1012–1017	Chōwa
1017–1021	Kannin
1021–1024	Jian
1024–1028	Manju
1028–1037	Chōgen
1037–1040	Chōryaku

1040–1044	Chōkyū
1044–1046	Kantoku
1046–1053	Eishō
1053–1058	Tengi
1058–1065	Kōhei
1065–1069	Jiryaku
1069–1074	Enkyū
1074–1077	Jōhō
1077–1081	Jōryaku
1081–1084	Eihō
1084–1087	Ōtoku
1087–1094	Kanji
1094–1096	Kahō
1096–1097	Eichō
1097–1099	Jōtoku
1099–1104	Kōwa
1104–1106	Chōji
1106–1108	Kajō
1108–1110	Tennin
1110–1113	Ten'ei

1113–1118	Eikyū
1118–1120	Gen'ei
1120–1124	Hōan
1124–1126	Tenji
1126–1131	Daiji
1131–1132	Tenshō
1132–1135	Chōshō
1135–1141	Hōen
1141–1142	Eiji
1142–1144	Kōji
1144–1145	Ten'yō
1145–1151	Kyūan
1151–1154	Ninpei
1154–1156	Kyūju
1156–1159	Hōgen
1159–1160	Heiji
1160–1161	Eiryaku
1161–1163	Ōhō
1163–1165	Chōkan
1165–1166	Eiman

Kamakura
1166–1169	Nin'an
1169–1171	Kaō
1171–1175	Jōan
1175–1177	Angen
1177–1181	Jishō
1181–1182	Yōwa
1182–1184	Juei
1184–1185	Genryaku

1185–1190	Bunji
1190–1199	Kenkyū
1199–1201	Shōji
1201–1204	Kennin
1204–1206	Genkyū
1206–1207	Ken'ei
1207–1211	Jōgen
1211–1213	Kenryaku
1213–1219	Kempo
1219–1222	Jōkyū

1222–1224	Jōō
1224–1225	Gennin
1225–1227	Karoku
1227–1229	Antei
1229–1232	Kangi
1232–1233	Jōei
1233–1234	Tenpuku
1234–1235	Bunryaku
1235–1238	Katei
1238–1239	Ryakunin
1239–1240	En'ō
1240–1243	Ninji
1243–1247	Kangen
1247–1249	Hōji
1249–1256	Kenchō
1256–1257	Kōgen
1257–1259	Shōka
1259–1260	Shōgen
1260–1261	Bun'ō
1261–1264	Kōchō

1264 – present

Kamakura (cont'd)

Nanboku-chō

Muromachi (cont'd)

Momoyama

Edo (cont'd)

Modern Japan

1264–1275	Bun'ei
1275–1278	Kenji
1278–1288	Kōan
1288–1293	Shōō
1293–1299	Einin
1299–1302	Shōan
1302–1303	Kengen
1303–1306	Kagen
1306–1308	Tokuji
1308–1311	Enkyō
1311–1312	Ōchō
1312–1317	Shōwa
1317–1319	Bunpō
1319–1321	Gen'ō
1321–1324	Genkō
1324–1326	Shōchū
1326–1329	Karyaku
1329–1331	Gentoku
1331–1334	Genkō^a
1332–1333	Shōkyō^b

Northern Court
1334–1338	Kemmu
1338–1342	Ryakuō
1342–1345	Kōei
1345–1350	Jōwa
1350–1352	Kannō
1352–1356	Bunna
1356–1361	Enbun
1361–1362	Kōan
1362–1368	Jōji
1368–1375	Ōan
1375–1379	Eiwa
1379–1381	Kōryaku
1381–1384	Eitoku
1384–1387	Shitoku
1387–1389	Kakei
1389–1390	Kōō
1390–1394	Meitoku^c

Southern Court
1334–1336	Kemmu
1336–1340	Engen
1340–1346	Kōkoku
1346–1370	Shōhei
1370–1372	Kentoku
1372–1375	Bunchū
1375–1381	Tenju
1381–1384	Kōwa
1384–1392	Genchū^c

Muromachi
1394–1428	Ōei
1428–1429	Shōchō
1429–1441	Eikyō
1441–1444	Kakitsu
1444–1449	Bun'an
1449–1452	Hōtoku

1452–1455	Kyōtoku
1455–1457	Kōshō
1457–1460	Chōroku
1460–1466	Kanshō
1466–1467	Bunshō
1467–1469	Ōnin
1469–1487	Bunmei
1487–1489	Chōkyō
1489–1492	Entoku
1492–1501	Meiō
1501–1521	Bunki
1504–1521	Eishō
1521–1528	Daiei
1528–1532	Kyōroku
1532–1555	Tenbun
1555–1558	Kōji
1558–1570	Eiroku
1570–1573	Genki

Edo
1573–1592	Tenshō
1592–1596	Bunroku
1596–1615	Keichō

1615–1624	Genna
1624–1644	Kan'ei
1644–1648	Shōhō
1648–1652	Keian
1652–1655	Jōō
1655–1658	Meireki
1658–1661	Manji
1661–1673	Kanbun
1673–1681	Enpō
1681–1684	Tenna
1684–1688	Jōkyō
1688–1704	Genroku
1704–1711	Hōei
1711–1716	Shōtoku
1716–1736	Kyōhō

1736–1741	Genbun
1741–1744	Kanpō
1744–1748	Enkyō
1748–1751	Kan'en
1751–1764	Hōreki
1764–1772	Meiwa
1772–1781	An'ei
1781–1789	Tenmei
1789–1801	Kansei
1801–1804	Kyōwa
1804–1818	Bunka
1818–1830	Bunsei
1830–1844	Tenpō
1844–1848	Kōka
1848–1854	Kaei
1854–1860	Ansei
1860–1861	Man'en
1861–1864	Bunkyū
1864–1865	Genji
1865–1868	Keiō

1868–1912	Meiji
1912–1926	Taishō
1926–1989	Shōwa
1989–present	Heisei

^a Not recognized by the Northern Court, which retained Gentoku until 1332.
^b Not recognized by the Southern Court.
^c Genchū discontinued upon reunification of the Northern and Southern Courts in 1392 and Meitoku retained until 1394.

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