Jōkyō facts for kids

Jōkyō (貞享) was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name") after Tenna and before Genroku. This period started in February 1684 and ended in September 1688. During this time, the emperors were Reigen-tennō (霊元天皇) and Higashiyama-tennō (東山天皇).

Events of the Jōkyō era

The new era of Jōkyō gannen (貞享元年) was created by the Imperial court. After 1684, the power to create a calendar shifted to the shogunate. The Tokugawa astrology bureau developed a calendar which was independent of Chinese almanacs.

• 1684 (Jōkyō 1): A fire burned the Imperial palace to ashes; and the reconstruction took a year.

In the 1st year of Jōkyō, Chikamatsu Monzaemon began writing plays

• 1684 (Jōkyō 1): Chikamatsu Monzaemon began to write plays for the kabuki audience in Heian-kyō.

• 26 March 1685 (Jōkyō 2, 22nd day of the 2nd month): The former Emperor Go-Sai died; and a large comet appeared in the night sky.

• 13 April 1686 (Jōkyō 3, 21st day of the 3rd month): Emperor Reigen abdicated; and his younger brother received the succession (senso). Soon after, Emperor Higashiyama's role as monarch was confirmed by ceremonies (sokui).

• 1689 (Jōkyō 6'): Calendar with seven-day week.

Related pages

• Edo period
• Jōkyō calendar

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