Tenju facts for kids

The Tenju (天授) era was a special time in Japanese history. It was a period when Japan had two different emperors at the same time! This happened during the Nanboku-chō period, which means "Southern and Northern Courts period."

The Tenju era lasted from May 1375 to February 1381. During this time, the Southern Court's emperor was Emperor Chōkei (長慶天皇, Chōkei-tennō). He lived in a place called Yoshino, Nara. At the same time, the Northern Court had its own emperor, Emperor Go-En'yū (後円融天皇, Go-En'yū-tennō), who lived in Kyoto.

What Happened During the Tenju Era?

Important Events from 1375 to 1381

• 1375: The top military leader, called the Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, visited a famous shrine. This shrine was called Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū. Shoguns were very powerful in Japan back then.
• 1377: A special visitor came from Goryeo, which is now Korea. This diplomat was named Jeong Mongju. He met with a Japanese official in Kyūshū. They talked about how to stop pirates, known as wakō, who were causing trouble.
• 1378: Shogun Yoshimitsu moved into his amazing new home in Muromachi. This luxurious house and its beautiful gardens were called Hana-no-Gosho, which means "Flower Palace."
• 1380: The former Northern Court emperor, Emperor Kōmyō, passed away. He was 60 years old.

Other Eras at the Same Time

Since there were two courts, the Northern Court used different era names (nengō) during the Tenju period:

• Eiwa, from 1375 to 1379
• Kōryaku, from 1379 to 1381

Related Topics

• Muromachi period

More Information

• The National Diet Library has a special section on "The Japanese Calendar." You can find historical overviews and pictures there. -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection

Tenju Era Years