Kyōwa (享和) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, lit. "year name") after Kansei and before Bunka. This period spanned the years from February 1801 through February 1804.[1] The reigning emperor was Kōkaku-tennō (光格天皇).

Change of era

  • February 5, 1801 (Kyōwa gannen (享和元年)): a new era name was created because of the belief that the 58th year of every cycle of the Chinese zodiac brings great changes. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in Kansei 13.

The new era name was drawn from an hortatory aphorism: "Follow Heaven and take your destiny, unite all people and perfect your righteousness" (順乎天而其運、応乎人而其義).

Events of the Kyōwa era

  • December 9, 1802 (Kyōwa 2, 15th day of the 11th month): Earthquake in northwest Honshū and Sado Island (Latitude: 37.700/Longitude: 138.300), 6.6 magnitude on the Richter Scale.[2]
  • December 28, 1802 (Kyōwa 2, 4th day of the 12th month): Earthquake on Sado Island (Latitude: 38.000/Longitude: 138.000).[2]

Notes

  1. ^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kyōwa" Japan Encyclopedia, p. 587, p. 587, at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File Archived 2012-05-24 at archive.today.
  2. ^ a b NOAA/Japan "Significant Earthquake Database" -- U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)

References

Preceded by
Kansei (寛政)
Era or nengō
Kyōwa (享和)

1801–1804
Succeeded by
Bunka (文化)
No tags for this post.