Bunpō facts for kids

Bunpō (文保), also known as Bumpō, was a special name for a period of time in Japanese history, like how we have different years today. This era was part of the Kamakura period in Japan. It began in February 1317 and ended in April 1319. During this time, two emperors ruled Japan: Emperor Hanazono-tennō (花園天皇) and Go-Daigo-tennō (後醍醐天皇).

Important Events of the Bunpō Era

• 1317 (Bunpō 1, 9th month): In the first year of the Bunpō era, a former emperor named Fushimi passed away. He was 53 years old.
• 1318 (Bunpō 2, 2nd month): In the 11th year of Emperor Hanazono's rule, he decided to step down from being emperor. His cousin, who was the second son of a former emperor named Go-Uda, then took over. This process of one emperor passing the role to another is called senso. Soon after, Emperor Go-Daigo's new role as the leader was officially confirmed with special ceremonies, known as sokui.
• 1319 (Bunpō 3, 4th month): Emperor Go-Daigo decided to change the era name from Bunpō to Gen'ō. This change marked the official start of his own reign as emperor.

Related Information

• Kamakura period
• You can learn more about the Japanese calendar and its history from the National Diet Library: The Japanese Calendar