Kōan (Muromachi period) facts for kids
Kōan (pronounced Koh-ahn) was a special time period in Japanese history. It was a "Japanese era name" or nengō (nen-goh). Think of it like how we have years, but in old Japan, they also named groups of years.
The Kōan era lasted from March 1361 to September 1362. It happened during a time called the Nanboku-chō period. This was a confusing time when Japan had two different emperors!
One emperor, Emperor Go-Kōgon, was in Kyoto. His court was called the Northern Court. At the same time, another emperor, Emperor Go-Murakami, was in Yoshino. His court was known as the Southern Court. The Kōan era was used by the Northern Court. The Southern Court used a different era name called Shōhei during this time.
Contents
Events During the Kōan Era
This short period saw some interesting events in Japan.
1361: Weather and Disasters
- 1361 (Kōan 1, 6th month): There was a lot of snow, which was unusual for that time of year.
- 1361 (Kōan 1): A big fire caused damage in Kyoto.
- 1361 (Kōan 1): A strong earthquake also hit during this year.
1361: Founding of Eigen-ji Temple
- 1361 (Kōan 1): A famous Zen Buddhist temple called Eigen-ji was started. It is located in what is now Shiga Prefecture.
1362: Attack on Kyoto
- 1362 (Kōan 2): Two important military leaders, Hosokawa Kiyouji and Kusunoki Masanori, attacked Kyoto.
- 1362 (Kōan 2): Because of the attack, Ashikaga Yoshiakira, a powerful leader of the Northern Court, had to leave Kyoto.
Related Pages
- National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar"
