Chōkyū facts for kids

Chōkyū (長久) was a special name used for a period of time in Japanese history, like how we have years today. It was called a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name"), which means "year name." This era came after the Chōryaku era and before the Kantoku era. The Chōkyū period lasted from November 1040 to November 1044. During this time, the emperor of Japan was Emperor Go-Suzaku (後朱雀天皇).

Important Events During the Chōkyū Era

1040: Sun and Sacred Mirror

• 1040 (Chōkyū 1, 1st day of the 1st month): People were excited for a partial solar eclipse, which is when the Moon blocks part of the Sun. The astronomers had predicted it would happen around noon. However, it actually happened later in the afternoon. This made some people unhappy because the astronomers weren't perfectly accurate with their timing!
• 1040 (Chōkyū 1, 9th month): A very important item, the Sacred Mirror, was damaged in a fire. This mirror is one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan, which are special treasures that represent the emperor's power.

1041: Palace Fire and Rebuilding

• 1041 (Chōkyū 2): The Sanjo Palace, a grand building, caught fire and was burned down. But don't worry, it was quickly rebuilt so it could be used again.

More to Explore

• Heian period
• To learn more about how Japan kept track of time, you can visit the National Diet Library's page on "The Japanese Calendar" here. It has a history and cool pictures.