Chōji facts for kids

Chōji (長治) was a special name given to a period of time in Japanese history. Think of it like how we have years, but in old Japan, they also had these "era names" called nengō. The Chōji era came right after an era called Kōwa and before an era called Kashō.

This Chōji period started in February of the year 1104 and finished in April of 1106. During this time, the ruler of Japan was Emperor Horikawa.

What Happened During the Chōji Era?

Even though the Chōji era was quite short, a couple of interesting things happened.

Emperor's Visit in 1104

• 1104 (Chōji 1, 3rd month): Emperor Horikawa made a special trip. He visited a place called Sonshō-ji. This temple was located in the northeastern part of Kyoto, which was the capital city back then. It was a significant event for the emperor to visit such a place.

Mysterious Red Snow in 1105

• 1105 (Chōji 2, 6th month): Something very unusual was reported across Japan. People saw red snow falling in many different areas! We don't know exactly why the snow was red, but it must have been a strange sight for everyone living at that time.

Understanding Japanese Eras

In ancient Japan, emperors would often choose a new era name to mark a fresh start. This could be for a happy event, like a new emperor taking the throne, or sometimes after a disaster, hoping for better times. The Chōji era is just one example of these many historical periods.

More to Explore

• Heian period: This was a very long and important time in Japanese history, and the Chōji era was a small part of it. Learning about the Heian period can help you understand more about what life was like when Chōji was the era name.

• You can also learn more about how the Japanese calendar worked by visiting the National Diet Library's website. They have a section called "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection which shows how these eras fit into history.