Jōkyō

Jōkyō (貞享) was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name") after Tenna and before Genroku. This period started in February 1684 and ended in September 1688.^[1] During this time, the emperors were Reigen-tennō (霊元天皇)^[2] and Higashiyama-tennō (東山天皇).^[3]

Events of the Jōkyō era

The new era of Jōkyō gannen (貞享元年) was created by the Imperial court. After 1684, the power to create a calendar shifted to the shogunate.^[4] The Tokugawa astrology bureau developed a calendar which was independent of Chinese almanacs.^[5]

• 1684 (Jōkyō 1): A fire burned the Imperial palace to ashes; and the reconstruction took a year.^[6]

In the 1st year of Jōkyō, Chikamatsu Monzaemon began writing plays

• 1684 (Jōkyō 1): Chikamatsu Monzaemon began to write plays for the kabuki audience in Heian-kyō.^[7]

• 26 March 1685 (Jōkyō 2, 22nd day of the 2nd month): The former Emperor Go-Sai died;^[8] and a large comet appeared in the night sky.^[9]

• 13 April 1686 (Jōkyō 3, 21st day of the 3rd month): Emperor Reigen abdicated; and his younger brother received the succession (senso). Soon after, Emperor Higashiyama's role as monarch was confirmed by ceremonies (sokui).^[10]

• 1689 (Jōkyō 6'): Calendar with seven-day week.^[11]

Related pages

• Edo period
• Jōkyō calendar