Ōan facts for kids

The Ōan (応安) period was a special name for a group of years in Japan. It was like a unique name for an era, similar to how we might name a decade or a historical period. This era happened during a time called the Nanboku-chō period, which was when Japan had two different emperors ruling at the same time!

The Ōan era started in February 1368 and ended in February 1375. During this time, the emperors of the Northern Court in Kyoto were Emperor Go-Kōgon and later Emperor Go-En'yū. Meanwhile, the emperors of the Southern Court in Yoshino were Emperor Go-Murakami and then Emperor Chōkei. It was a time of two rival courts, each with its own leader and way of counting years.

Key Events of the Ōan Era

• 1368: On March 29, Emperor Go-Murakami of the Southern Court passed away. His oldest son then became the new emperor, taking over the leadership of the Southern Court. This is called the succession.
• 1370: A powerful general named Imagawa Sadayo was sent by the Northern Court. His mission was to bring the region of Kyūshū under control. This was part of the ongoing conflict between the two courts.
• 1373-1406: During this time, there were many official visits and communications between Japan and China. These were like important meetings between the two countries to discuss trade and other matters.
• 1374: Emperor Go-En'yū officially became the main leader of the Northern Court. This meant he was the most important emperor in Kyoto at that time.

Southern Court's Era Names

While the Northern Court used the name Ōan, the Southern Court used different era names during the same period. Here are some of them:

• Shōhei (1346–1370)
• Kentoku (1370–1372)
• Bunchū (1372–1375)

Related pages

• Muromachi period

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