Eishō (Heian period) facts for kids

The Eishō (永承) was a special time period in Japanese history. It was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name"). Think of it like a way to count years, similar to how we use BC or AD, but specific to an emperor's reign or a significant event. The Eishō era came after the Kantoku era and before the Tengi era. It lasted from April 1046 to January 1053. During this time, the emperor of Japan was Go-Reizei-tennō (後冷泉天皇).

Important Events of the Eishō Era

What Happened in Eishō?

• 1046 (Eishō 1): A famous warrior named Minamoto no Yorinobu wrote about the spirit of Emperor Ojin and the Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū shrine. This shrine was very important for warriors in Japan.
• 1048 (Eishō 3): Yorinobu, the warrior who wrote about the shrine, passed away at the age of 81.
• 1051 (Eishō 6): In a region called Michinoku, Minamoto no Yoriyoshi was given an important job. He became the governor of the area and was also named chinjufu shōgun. This title meant he was the chief military commander in charge of defending the northern parts of Japan.

Building and Restoration

During the Eishō era, the Kasuga Shrine in Nara was rebuilt for the eleventh time. This was a big project to keep the important shrine in good condition.

Related Pages

• Heian period

External Links

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