Change of era

• February 10, 1861 : The new era name of Bunkyū (meaning "Literate Story") was created because of a belief drawn from Chinese Astrology
  Chinese astrology
  Chinese astrology is based on the traditional astronomy and calendars. The development of Chinese astrology is tied to that of astronomy, which came to flourish during the Han Dynasty ....
  
   that the 58th year of any zodiacal cycle brings great changes. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in Man'en 2.

Events of the Bunkyū era

• 1861 (Bunkyu 1): Ukai Gyokusen
  Ukai Gyokusen
  was a pioneering Japanese photographer. Although he is much less well known than his contemporaries Shimooka Renjō and Ueno Hikoma, he is important for being the first Japanese professional photographer, having established a photographic studio in Edo in 1860 or 1861.Ukai was born in what is now...
  
   established the first commercial photography studio (Eishin-dō) in Edo
  Edo
  , also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
  
  .
• January 1862 (Bunkyū 1, 12th month): The Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Islands) are re-confirmed as a territory of Japan, following up "discovery" of the islands in Kanbun
  Kanbun (era)
  , also romanized as Kambun, was a after Manji and before Enpō. This period spanned the years from April 1661 to September 1673. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
  
  10 (1670) and a shogunate expedition to the islands in Enpō
  Enpo
  , also Empo, was a after Kanbun and before Tenna. This period spanned the years from September 1673 to September 1681. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
  
  3 (1675).
• 1862 (Bunkyū 2): The Bunkyū Reforms relax restrictions on daimyo which had been imposed by former Tairo
  Tairo
  Tairō was a high-ranking official position in the bakuhan taisei government of Japan. The tairō would preside over the governing Rōjū council in the event of an emergency. A tairō would be nominated from among a group of samurai families who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu...
  
    Ii Naosuke
  Ii Naosuke
  was daimyo of Hikone and also Tairō of Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan, a position he held from April 23, 1858 until his death on March 24, 1860. He is most famous for signing the Harris Treaty with the United States, granting access to ports for trade to American merchants and seamen and...
  
   in the Ansei
  Ansei
  was a after Kaei and before Man'en. This period spanned the years from November 1854 through March 1860. The reigning emperor was .- Change of era :...
  
   era.
• September 14, 1862 (Bunkyū 2, 21st day of the 8th month): Namamugi Incident
  Namamugi Incident
  The was a samurai assault on foreign nationals in Japan on September 14, 1862, which resulted in the August 1863 bombardment of Kagoshima, during the Late Tokugawa shogunate...
  
  . Satsuma retainers kill English merchant Charles Lennox Richardson
  Charles Lennox Richardson
  Charles Lennox Richardson was an English merchant based in Shanghai who was killed in Japan during the Namamugi Incident. His name is properly spelled as “Charles Lenox Richardson” according to the census and family documents.-Merchant:Richardson was born in London in 1834. He relocated to...
  
   at Namamugi on the Tōkaidō road
  Tokaido (road)
  The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
  
  .
• April 22, 1863 (Bunkyū 3, 5th day of the 3rd month): Shogun Iemochi
  Tokugawa Iemochi
  was the 14th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, who held office 1858 to 1866. During his reign there was much internal turmoil as a result of Japan's first major contact with the United States, which occurred under Commodore Perry in 1853 and 1854, and of the subsequent "re-opening" of...
  
   travelled in a great procession to the capital. He had been summoned by the emperor, and had 3,000 retainers as escort. This was the first time that a shogun had visited Heian-kyō since the visit of Iemitsu
  Tokugawa Iemitsu
  Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
  
   in Kan'ei 11 (1634) -- 230 years before.
• April 28, 1863 (Bunkyū 3, 11th day of the 3rd month): Emperor Komei made an Imperial progress to the Kamo Shrines. He was accompanied by the shogun, all the principal officials and many feudal lords. This was the first Imperial progress since Emperor Go-Mizunoo
  Emperor Go-Mizunoo
  was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Seiwa and , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later...
  
   visited Nijo Castle
  Nijo Castle
  is a flatland castle located in Kyoto, Japan. The castle consists of two concentric rings of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens...
  
   more than 230 years before; and no Emperor had visited Kamo since Emperor Go-Daigo
  Emperor Go-Daigo
  Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
  
   honored both shrines in Kemmu
  Kemmu
  was a Japanese era name of the Northern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Shōkei and before Ryakuō. Although Kemmu is understood by the Southern Court as having begun at the same time, the era was construed to have begun after Genkō and before Engen.This period spanned the...
  
  1 (1334).
• April 29, 1863 (Bunkyū 3, 12th day of the 3rd month): In the early morning, Aizu
  Aizu
  is an area comprising the westernmost third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The principal city of the area is Aizuwakamatsu.During the Edo period, Aizu was a feudal domain known as and part of Mutsu Province.-History:...
  
   accepts under its patronage the men of the Rōshigumi, who went on to form Shinsengumi
  Shinsengumi
  The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...
  
  .
• May 2, 1863 (Bunkyū 3, 15th day of the 3rd month): The Rōshigumi men who were taken under Aizu patronage go to Konkaikōmyōji Temple to make their first formal, public appearance, and pay their respects to their new patron, Matsudaira Katamori
  Matsudaira Katamori
  was a samurai who lived in the last days of the Edo period and the early to mid Meiji period. He was the 9th daimyo of the Aizu han and the Military Commissioner of Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period. During the Boshin War, Katamori and the Aizu han fought against the Meiji Government armies, but...
  
  . As Katamori is unavailable, they are instead met by two of his senior retainers.
• August 15-17, 1863 (Bunkyū 3, 2nd-4th of the 7th month ): Bombardment of Kagoshima
  Bombardment of Kagoshima
  The Bombardment of Kagoshima, also known as the , took place on 15–17 August 1863 during the Late Tokugawa shogunate. The British Royal Navy was fired on from the coastal batteries near town of Kagoshima and in retaliation bombarded the town...
  
   in retaliation for the Namamugi Incident
  Namamugi Incident
  The was a samurai assault on foreign nationals in Japan on September 14, 1862, which resulted in the August 1863 bombardment of Kagoshima, during the Late Tokugawa shogunate...
  
  .

External links

• National Diet Library
  National Diet Library
  The is the only national library in Japan. It was established in 1948 for the purpose of assisting members of the in researching matters of public policy. The library is similar in purpose and scope to the U.S...
  
  , The Japanese Calendar -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection
• Bunkyū 3 procession of Shogun towards Kyoto -- link to digitized image of woodblock print by Utagawa Tsuyanaga