Bunroku

Bunroku (文禄) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, "year name") after Tenshō and before Keichō. This period spanned the years from December 1592 to October 1596.^[1] The reigning emperor was Go-Yōzei-tennō (後陽成天皇).^[2]

Change of era

• 1592 Bunroku gannen (文禄元年): The era name was changed. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in Tenshō 20.

Events of the Bunroku era

• 1592 (Bunroku 1): Toyotomi Hideyoshi invades Korea (Bunroku no Eki),^[3] also known as Bunroku Keichō no Eki.^[1]
• 1592 (Bunroku 1): Ogasawara Sadayori claims to have discovered the Bonin Islands; and the territory was granted to him as a fief by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.^[4]
• 1592 (Bunroku 1): Silver coins called Bunroku-tsūhō were minted to pay Hideyoshi's troops. The 23.25 mm diameter coins weighed 1 momme (approximately 3.75 g). Copper coins were issued at the same time, but none are known to have survived.^[1]
• 1593 (Bunroku 2): Toyotomi Hideyori is born to Hideyoshi's mistress Yodo-Dono—an infant son and possible heir.^[5]
• 1595 (Bunroku 4): Toyotomi Hidetsugu loses his position and power.^[6]

• 1589-1595: An agrarian reform (Bunroku no Kenchi) initiated by Hideyoshi; a general census of the population and a national survey.^[1]

Notes

1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Bunroku" in Japan encyclopedia, p. 92; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File.
2. Tittsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, pp. 402–405.
3. Titsingh, p. 405.
4. Cholmondeley, Lionel Berners (1915). The History of the Bonin Islands from the Year 1827 to the Year 1876. London: Constable & Co.
5. Sansom, George. (1961). A History of Japan, 1334-1615, p. 364.
6. Sansom, p. 366.

References

• Cholmondeley, Lionel Berners (1915). The History of the Bonin Islands from the Year 1827 to the Year 1876. London: Constable & Co.
• Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 48943301
• Sansom, George Bailey. (1958). A History of Japan, ISBN 9780804705257; ISBN 9780804705240; OCLC 16859819
• 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

• National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection

Preceded by Tenshō (天正)	Era or nengō Bunroku (文禄) 1592–1596	Succeeded by Keichō (慶長)