Juei facts for kids

The Juei (pronounced Joo-ay) was a special time period in Japanese history, like how we have years today. It was a 'Japanese era name' or nengō. This era came after the Yōwa period and before Genryaku. The Juei era lasted from May 1182 to March 1184. During this time, two emperors ruled: Emperor Antoku and Emperor Go-Toba.

Key Events of the Juei Era

A Time of Hardship and Change

The Juei era was a challenging time for Japan, marked by a severe famine and important political changes.

• 1182 (Juei 1): The entire country faced a terrible famine. This meant there wasn't enough food for everyone, causing great hardship.

Two Emperors Rule at Once

During the Juei era, Japan had a very unusual situation: two emperors at the same time! This happened because of a big conflict between two powerful families, the Taira (also called the Heike) and the Minamoto (also called the Genji).

• August 14, 1183 (Juei 2): The Taira family, who were in power, had to leave the capital city (Heian-kyō, now Kyoto). They took young Emperor Antoku with them as they fled.

• September 8, 1183 (Juei 2): Even though Emperor Antoku was still alive, a former emperor named Go-Shirakawa decided to name a new emperor. This new emperor was a young child named Go-Toba. Go-Toba was officially given the role of emperor, even without the special items (like a sword and jewel) that usually belong to the emperor.

• 1183 (Juei 2): So, in the same year, Japan had two emperors:
  • One was Emperor Antoku, who was traveling south with the Taira family.
  • The other was Emperor Go-Toba, who was in the capital city, Heian-kyō.

This situation showed how divided Japan was during this time of war between the Taira and Minamoto families.

Juei Era Calendar

This table shows how the Juei era years match up with the Gregorian calendar we use today.

Learn More

• You can find more historical information and pictures about the Japanese calendar at the National Diet Library's website: The Japanese Calendar