Tengen (era) facts for kids

Tengen (天元) was a special way to count years in Japan, like how we use "AD" or "CE" today. It's called a Japanese era (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name"). The Tengen era came after an era called Jōgen and before Eikan.

This period of time started in November 978 and finished in April 983. During the Tengen era, the ruler of Japan was Emperor En'yu-tennō (円融天皇).

What Happened During the Tengen Era?

• 978 (Tengen 1, 8th month): Emperor En'yu welcomed a new member into his family. She was the daughter of an important leader named Fujiwara no Kaneie. Soon after, they had a son.
• 978 (Tengen 1, 10th month): Important government jobs were given out. Fujiwara no Yoritada became the Prime Minister (daijō-daijin), who was the top advisor to the emperor. Minamoto no Masanobu was made the Minister of the Left (sadaijin), and Fujiwara no Kaneie became the Minister of the Right (udaijin). These roles were very powerful in the government.

Want to Learn More?

• Heian period

• You can learn more about how Japan counted its years at the National Diet Library's "The Japanese Calendar" website: -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection