Japanese era name
Encyclopedia
The Japanese era calendar scheme is a common calendar
scheme used in Japan
, which identifies a year by the combination of the and the year number within the era. For example, the year is Heisei
.
As elsewhere in East Asia
, the use of nengō, also known as , was originally derived from Chinese Imperial practice
, although the Japanese system is independent of the Chinese
, Korean
and Vietnamese
era-naming systems. Unlike some of these other similar systems, Japanese era names are still in use. Government offices usually require era names and years for official papers.
The four era names used since the end of the Edo period
in 1868 can be abbreviated by taking the first letter of their romanized
names. For example, S55 means Shōwa 55 (i.e. AD 1980), and H22 stands for Heisei 22 (AD 2010). At 64 years, Shōwa
is the longest era to date.
in 140 BC, and was adopted by Japan in AD 645, during the reign of Emperor Kōtoku
.
The first era name to be assigned was , celebrating the political and organizational changes which were to flow from the great . Although the regular practice of proclaiming successive era names was interrupted in the late seventh century, it was permanently re-adopted in 701 during the reign of Emperor Mommu (697–707). Since then, era names have been used continuously up through the present day.
, era names were decided by court officials and were subjected to frequent change. A new era name was usually proclaimed within a year or two after the ascension of a new emperor. A new era name was also often designated on the first, fifth and 58th years of the sexagenary cycle
, because they were inauspicious years in Onmyōdō
. These three years are respectively known as kakurei, kakuun, and kakumei, and collectively known as sankaku. Era names were also changed due to other felicitous events or natural disasters.
In historical practice, starts whenever the emperor chooses; and the first year continues until the next lunar new year, which is understood to be the start of the nengō's second year.
Era names indicate the various reasons for their adoption. For instance, the nengō , during the Nara period was declared due to the discovery of copper deposits in Chichibu
. Most nengō are composed of two kanji
, except for a short time during the Nara period
when four-kanji names were sometimes adopted to follow the Chinese trend. , , and are some famous nengō names that use four characters. Since the Heian period
, Confucian thoughts and ideas have been reflected in era names, such as , and . Although there currently exist a total of 247 Japanese era names, only 72 kanji have been used in composing them. Out of these 72 kanji, 30 of them have been used only once, while the rest have been used repeatedly in different combinations.
. The Japanese nengō system differs from Chinese practice, in that in the Chinese system the era name was not updated until the year following the emperor's death.
In modern practice, starts immediately upon the emperor's ascension to the throne and ends on December 31. Subsequent years follow the Gregorian calendar
.
For example, the Meiji era lasted until July 30, 1912, when the emperor died and the era was proclaimed. 1912 is therefore known as both "Meiji 45" and , although Meiji technically ended on July 30 with Mutsuhito's death.
This practice, implemented successfully since the days of Meiji but never formalized, became law in 1979 with the passage of the . Thus, since 1868, there have only been four era names assigned: Meiji, Taishō, Shōwa and Heisei, each corresponding with the rule of only one emperor. Upon death, the emperor is thereafter referred to by the era of his reign. For example, Mutsuhito is posthumously known as .
N.B.: It is protocol in Japan that the reigning emperor should be referred to as or . To call the current emperor by the current era name, i.e. "Heisei", even in English, is a faux pas
, as this is—and will be—his posthumous name. Use of the emperor's given name (i.e., "Akihito") is rare, considered as vulgar behaviour, in Japanese.
was abandoned after his death; no era names were designated between 654 and 686. The system was briefly reinstated by Emperor Temmu
in 686, but was again abandoned upon his death approximately two months later. In 701, Emperor Mommu
once again reinstated the era name system, and it has continued uninterrupted through today.
Although use of the Gregorian calendar
for historical dates became increasingly common in Japan, the traditional Japanese system demands that dates be written in reference to era names. The apparent problem introduced by the lack of era names was resolved by identifying the years of an imperial reign as a period.
Although in modern Japan posthumous imperial names correspond with the eras of their reign, this is a relatively recent concept, introduced in practice during the Meiji period
and instituted by law in 1979. Therefore, the posthumous names of the emperors and empresses who reigned prior to 1868 may not be taken as era names by themselves. For example, the year 572—the year in which Emperor Bidatsu
assumed the Chrysanthemum Throne
— is properly written as "敏達天皇元年" (Bidatsu-Tennō Gannen, lit. "the first year of Emperor Bidatsu"), and not "敏達元年" (Bidatsu Gannen, lit. "the first year of Bidatsu"), although it may be abbreviated as such. By incorporating both proper era names and posthumous imperial names in this manner, it is possible to extend the nengō system to cover all dates from 660 through today.
. Shinengō used prior to the reestablishment of the era name system in 701 are usually called . A list of shinengō and more information can be seen in the Japanese Wikipedia page ja:私年号.
Because official records of shinengō are lacking, the range of dates to which they apply is often unclear. For example, the well-known itsunengō is normally said to refer to AD 650–654; a poetic synonym for the Hakuchi era
. However, alternate interpretations exist. For example, in the Nichūreki, Hakuhō refers to AD 661–683, and in some middle-age temple documents, Hakuhō refers to AD 672–685. Thus, shinengō may be used as an alternative way of dating periods for which there is no official era name.
Other well-known itsunengō and shinengō include (AD 591–621+), (686), (1489–1492), (1506–1507 or 1507–1508) and (1540–1543).
The most recent shinengō is (1904–1905), named for the Russo-Japanese war
.
, should also be considered a form of shinengō. This claim is not generally recognized by the academic community. Lists of the proposed Kyūshū nengō can be seen in the Japanese Wikipedia pages ja:鶴峯戊申 and ja:九州王朝説.
Calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
scheme used in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, which identifies a year by the combination of the and the year number within the era. For example, the year is Heisei
Heisei
is the current era name in Japan. The Heisei era started on 8 January 1989, the first day after the death of the reigning Emperor, Hirohito. His son, Akihito, succeeded to the throne...
.
As elsewhere in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, the use of nengō, also known as , was originally derived from Chinese Imperial practice
Culture of China
Chinese culture is one of the world's oldest and most complex. The area in which the culture is dominant covers a large geographical region in eastern Asia with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and provinces...
, although the Japanese system is independent of the Chinese
Chinese era name
A Chinese era name is the regnal year, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese rulers . Some emperors have several era names, one after another, where each beginning of a new era resets the numbering of the year back...
, Korean
Korean era name
Korean era names were used during the period of Silla, Goguryeo, Balhae, Taebong, Goryeo, Joseon, and the Korean Empire. Dangun-giwon, the era name originating from the foundation of Gojoseon is also widely used in Korea as an indication of long civilisation of Korea.-Goguryeo:#Yeongnak Korean era...
and Vietnamese
Vietnamese era name
-Table:...
era-naming systems. Unlike some of these other similar systems, Japanese era names are still in use. Government offices usually require era names and years for official papers.
The four era names used since the end of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
in 1868 can be abbreviated by taking the first letter of their romanized
Hepburn romanization
The is named after James Curtis Hepburn, who used it to transcribe the sounds of the Japanese language into the Latin alphabet in the third edition of his Japanese–English dictionary, published in 1887. The system was originally proposed by the in 1885...
names. For example, S55 means Shōwa 55 (i.e. AD 1980), and H22 stands for Heisei 22 (AD 2010). At 64 years, Shōwa
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
is the longest era to date.
Overview
The system on which the Japanese era names are based originated in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 140 BC, and was adopted by Japan in AD 645, during the reign of Emperor Kōtoku
Emperor Kotoku
was the 36th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.The years of his reign lasted from 645 through 654.-Traditional narrative:Before Kōtoku ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was or...
.
The first era name to be assigned was , celebrating the political and organizational changes which were to flow from the great . Although the regular practice of proclaiming successive era names was interrupted in the late seventh century, it was permanently re-adopted in 701 during the reign of Emperor Mommu (697–707). Since then, era names have been used continuously up through the present day.
Historical nengō
Prior to the Meiji periodMeiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, era names were decided by court officials and were subjected to frequent change. A new era name was usually proclaimed within a year or two after the ascension of a new emperor. A new era name was also often designated on the first, fifth and 58th years of the sexagenary cycle
Sexagenary cycle
The Chinese sexagenary cycle , also known as the Stems-and-Branches , is a cycle of sixty terms used for recording days or years. It appears, as a means of recording days, in the first Chinese written texts, the Shang dynasty oracle bones from the late second millennium BC. Its use to record years...
, because they were inauspicious years in Onmyōdō
Onmyodo
is a traditional Japanese esoteric cosmology, a mixture of natural science and occultism. It is based on the Chinese philosophies of Wu Xing and Yin and yang, introduced into Japan at the turn of the 6th century, and accepted as a practical system of divination...
. These three years are respectively known as kakurei, kakuun, and kakumei, and collectively known as sankaku. Era names were also changed due to other felicitous events or natural disasters.
In historical practice, starts whenever the emperor chooses; and the first year continues until the next lunar new year, which is understood to be the start of the nengō's second year.
Era names indicate the various reasons for their adoption. For instance, the nengō , during the Nara period was declared due to the discovery of copper deposits in Chichibu
Chichibu
can refer to:*Chichibu, Saitama - a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan*Prince Chichibu - a member of the Japanese imperial family...
. Most nengō are composed of two kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
, except for a short time during the Nara period
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
when four-kanji names were sometimes adopted to follow the Chinese trend. , , and are some famous nengō names that use four characters. Since the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, Confucian thoughts and ideas have been reflected in era names, such as , and . Although there currently exist a total of 247 Japanese era names, only 72 kanji have been used in composing them. Out of these 72 kanji, 30 of them have been used only once, while the rest have been used repeatedly in different combinations.
Nengō in modern Japan
Mutsuhito assumed the throne in 1867, during the third year of the era. On October 23, 1868, the era name was changed to , and a system was adopted, wherein era names would change only upon imperial succession. This system is similar to the now-defunct Chinese system used since the days of the Ming DynastyMing Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
. The Japanese nengō system differs from Chinese practice, in that in the Chinese system the era name was not updated until the year following the emperor's death.
In modern practice, starts immediately upon the emperor's ascension to the throne and ends on December 31. Subsequent years follow the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
.
For example, the Meiji era lasted until July 30, 1912, when the emperor died and the era was proclaimed. 1912 is therefore known as both "Meiji 45" and , although Meiji technically ended on July 30 with Mutsuhito's death.
This practice, implemented successfully since the days of Meiji but never formalized, became law in 1979 with the passage of the . Thus, since 1868, there have only been four era names assigned: Meiji, Taishō, Shōwa and Heisei, each corresponding with the rule of only one emperor. Upon death, the emperor is thereafter referred to by the era of his reign. For example, Mutsuhito is posthumously known as .
N.B.: It is protocol in Japan that the reigning emperor should be referred to as or . To call the current emperor by the current era name, i.e. "Heisei", even in English, is a faux pas
Faux pas
A faux pas is a violation of accepted social norms . Faux pas vary widely from culture to culture, and what is considered good manners in one culture can be considered a faux pas in another...
, as this is—and will be—his posthumous name. Use of the emperor's given name (i.e., "Akihito") is rare, considered as vulgar behaviour, in Japanese.
Periods without era names
The era name system that was introduced by Emperor KōtokuEmperor Kotoku
was the 36th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.The years of his reign lasted from 645 through 654.-Traditional narrative:Before Kōtoku ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was or...
was abandoned after his death; no era names were designated between 654 and 686. The system was briefly reinstated by Emperor Temmu
Emperor Temmu
was the 40th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Temmu's reign lasted from 672 until his death in 686.-Traditional narrative:...
in 686, but was again abandoned upon his death approximately two months later. In 701, Emperor Mommu
Emperor Mommu
was the 42nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Mommu's reign spanned the years from 697 through 707.-Traditional narrative:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Karu-shinnō....
once again reinstated the era name system, and it has continued uninterrupted through today.
Although use of the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
for historical dates became increasingly common in Japan, the traditional Japanese system demands that dates be written in reference to era names. The apparent problem introduced by the lack of era names was resolved by identifying the years of an imperial reign as a period.
Although in modern Japan posthumous imperial names correspond with the eras of their reign, this is a relatively recent concept, introduced in practice during the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
and instituted by law in 1979. Therefore, the posthumous names of the emperors and empresses who reigned prior to 1868 may not be taken as era names by themselves. For example, the year 572—the year in which Emperor Bidatsu
Emperor Bidatsu
was the 30th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Bidastsu's reign spanned the years from 572 through 585.-Traditional narrative:Bidatsu was called in the Nihonshoki....
assumed the Chrysanthemum Throne
Chrysanthemum Throne
The is the English term used to identify the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term can refer to very specific seating, such as the takamikura throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace....
— is properly written as "敏達天皇元年" (Bidatsu-Tennō Gannen, lit. "the first year of Emperor Bidatsu"), and not "敏達元年" (Bidatsu Gannen, lit. "the first year of Bidatsu"), although it may be abbreviated as such. By incorporating both proper era names and posthumous imperial names in this manner, it is possible to extend the nengō system to cover all dates from 660 through today.
Unofficial era name system
In addition to the official era name system, in which the era names are selected by the imperial court, one also observes—primarily in the ancient documents and epigraphs of shrines and temples—unofficial era names called , also known as or . Currently, there are over 40 confirmed shinengō, most of them dating from the middle agesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Shinengō used prior to the reestablishment of the era name system in 701 are usually called . A list of shinengō and more information can be seen in the Japanese Wikipedia page ja:私年号.
Because official records of shinengō are lacking, the range of dates to which they apply is often unclear. For example, the well-known itsunengō is normally said to refer to AD 650–654; a poetic synonym for the Hakuchi era
Hakuchi (era)
was a after the Taika era and before Shuchō. This period spanned the years from February 650 through December 654. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
. However, alternate interpretations exist. For example, in the Nichūreki, Hakuhō refers to AD 661–683, and in some middle-age temple documents, Hakuhō refers to AD 672–685. Thus, shinengō may be used as an alternative way of dating periods for which there is no official era name.
Other well-known itsunengō and shinengō include (AD 591–621+), (686), (1489–1492), (1506–1507 or 1507–1508) and (1540–1543).
The most recent shinengō is (1904–1905), named for the Russo-Japanese war
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
.
Kyūshū nengō
Edo period scholar Tsurumine Shikenobu proposed that , said to have been used in ancient KumasoKumaso
The were a people of ancient Japan, believed to have lived in the south of Kyūshū until at least the Nara period. William George Aston, in his translation of the Nihongi, says Kumaso refers to two separate tribes, Kuma and So...
, should also be considered a form of shinengō. This claim is not generally recognized by the academic community. Lists of the proposed Kyūshū nengō can be seen in the Japanese Wikipedia pages ja:鶴峯戊申 and ja:九州王朝説.
See also
- Japanese calendarJapanese calendarOn January 1, 1873, Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar. Before 1873, the Chinese style lunisolar calendar had been in use since 7th century. Japanese eras are still in use.-System:...
- Jikkan Jūnishi (Sexagenary cycleSexagenary cycleThe Chinese sexagenary cycle , also known as the Stems-and-Branches , is a cycle of sixty terms used for recording days or years. It appears, as a means of recording days, in the first Chinese written texts, the Shang dynasty oracle bones from the late second millennium BC. Its use to record years...
) - Holocene calendarHolocene calendarThe Human Era, also known as the Holocene calendar or Holocene era , is a year numbering system that adds exactly 10,000 years to the currently world-dominant Anno Domini and Common Era system, placing its first year near the beginning of the Holocene epoch and the Neolithic revolution...
(Jōmon Era) - Japanese imperial yearJapanese imperial yearThe is an epoch used before WW2. Kōki 1 is the year when legendary Emperor Jimmu founded Japan, 660 BC according to the Gregorian Calendar. This epoch system was adopted in 1872. In terms of nationalism, Kōki emphasizes the long history of Japan and the imperial family because it is a larger...