Jōwa (Muromachi period) facts for kids

Jōwa (貞和) was a special time period, or "era name" (called nengō in Japanese), in Japan. It was used by the Northern Court, which was one of two rival governments during the Nanboku-chō period. This period lasted from October 1345 to February 1350.

During the Jōwa era, the Northern Court had two emperors in Kyoto: Emperor Kōmyō and Emperor Sukō. At the same time, their rival, the Southern Court, had its own emperor, Emperor Go-Murakami, who was based in Yoshino.

Key Events During Jōwa

This era saw some important changes in the government and leadership of the Northern Court.

Changes in Government Roles

• 1346 (Jōwa 2): Takatsukasa Morohira was a high-ranking official called the Chancellor (kampaku). He was removed from his position, and Nijō Yoshimoto took his place.
• 1347 (Jōwa 3): Nijō Yoshimoto, who had just become Chancellor, was given a different role. He became the Minister of the Left (sadaijin).

Important Deaths and Movements

• December 2, 1348 (Jōwa 4): The former Emperor Hanazono passed away.
• 1349 (Jōwa 5): Emperor Go-Murakami, the leader of the Southern Court, had to move from his base and fled to a place called A'no.
• 1349 (Jōwa 5): Ashikaga Motouji was given an important job. He was appointed as the Kamakura Kanrei, which was a high-ranking official who helped govern the Kanto region.

Southern Court Eras

While the Northern Court used the Jōwa era name, the Southern Court used different era names during this time:

• Kōkoku (1340–1346)
• Shōhei (1346–1370)

Related Pages

• Muromachi period

Further Reading

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