Genroku

Genroku (元禄) was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name") after Jōkyō and before Hōei. This period started in September 1688 and ended in March 1704.[1] During this time, the emperor was Higashiyama-tennō (東山天皇).[2]

Map of Kyoto published in the Genroku era.

The years of Genroku are generally considered to be the Golden Age of the Edo period. A century of peace and seclusion created good economic conditions[1] and cultural growth.[1]

The nengō Genroku means "Origin of Good Fortune"[3]

Events of the Genroku era

In the 16th day of Genroku, Ōishi Yoshio killed himself in a public ceremony.
  • 1688 (Genroku 1): Tokugawa shogunate published a code of conduct for funerals (Fuku-kiju-ryō) and for mourning.[4]
  • 16 September 1689 (Genroku 2, 3rd day of the 7th month): Engelbert Kaempfer arrived at Dejima.[5]
  • 1693 (Genroku 6, 12th month): Arai Hakuseki became the tutor of Tokugawa Ienobu.
  • 1693 (Genroku 6): The code of conduct for funerals and mourning was changed.[6]
  • 1695 (Genroku 8, 8th month): The shogunate placed the Japanese character gen (元) on copper coins.[7]
  • 4 December 1696: Former-Empress Meishō died at age 74.[8]
  • 1697 (Genroku 10): The 4th official map of Japan was made.[9]
  • 1697 (Genroku 10): Great fire in Edo.[7]
  • 1698 (Genroku 11): Another great fire in Edo.[7]
  • 1703 (Genroku 16, 3rd month): Ōishi Yoshio commits seppuku.[10]
  • 1703 (Genroku 16, 5th month): First performance of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's play The Love Suicides at Sonezaki (Sonezaki shinjū).[11]
  • 31 December 1703 (Genroku 16, 23rd day of the 11th month): The Great Genroku Earthquake shook Edo.[12] Fire spread in the city.[7] The coast of Honshū was hit by tsunami.[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
  2. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 310. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
  3. ↑ Jenkins, Donald. (1971). Ukiyo-e Prints and Paintings: the Primitive Period, 1680-1745, p. 21.
  4. ↑ Smith, Robert et al. (2004). Japanese Culture: Its Development And Characteristics, p. 28.
  5. ↑ Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822, p. 73.
  6. ↑ Smith, p. 28.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Klaproth, Julius von (1834). Nipon o dai itsi ran: ou Annales des empereurs du Japon. Oriental Translation Fund. p. 415.
  8. ↑ Meyer, Eva-Maria (1999). Japans Kaiserhof in der Edo-Zeit: unter besonderer Berucksichtigung der Jahre 1846 bis 1867. Lit. p. 186. ISBN 978-3-8258-3939-0.
  9. ↑ Traganeou, Jilly. (2004). The Tokaido Road: Traveling and Representation in Edo and Meiji Japan, p. 230.
  10. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 742. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
  11. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Hammer, Joshua (2006). Yokohama Burning: The Deadly 1923 Earthquake and Fire that Helped Forge the Path to World War II. Simon and Schuster. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-7432-6465-5.

Other websites

Genroku 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th
1688 1689 1690 1691 1692 1693 1694 1695 1696 1697 1698 1699 1700 1701 1702 1703 1704
Preceded by:
Jōkyō 		Era or nengō:
Genroku 		Succeeded by:
Hōei