Keichō

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Keichō (慶長?) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō,?, lit. "year name") after Bunroku and before Genna. This period spanned from 1596 to 1615. The reigning emperors were Go-Yōzei-tennō (後陽成天皇?) and Go-Mizunoo-tennō (後水尾天皇?).[1]

Contents

[edit] Change of era

  • Keichō gannen (慶長元年?); 1596: The era name was changed to Keichō to mark the passing of various natural disasters. The preceding era ended and a new one commenced on October 27th of the 5th Bunroku.

[edit] Events of the Keichō era

Temple bell at Hōkō-ji.
Temple bell at Hōkō-ji.
Inscription on bell at Hokoji in Kyoto
Inscription on bell at Hokoji in Kyoto
  • Keichō 1 (1596): Keichō Invasion (invasion of Korea)
  • Keichō 3, on the 18th day of the 8th month (1598): Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Taiko died in his Fushimi Castle at the age of 63.[2]
  • Keichō 5, in the 9th month (1600): Battle of Sekigahara. The Tokugawa clan and its allies decisively vanquish all opposition.[2]
  • Keichō 7 (January 15, 1602): A fire at the Hōkō-ji temple complex in Kyoto was caused by careless workmen; and the great image of the buddha and the structure housing the statue (the Daibutsu-den) were consumed by the flames.[3]
  • Keichō 8 (1603): Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun, which effectively becomes the beginning of what will become the Edo bakufu. Toyotomi Hideyori was elevated to Naidaijin in Miyako Daijō-kan.[4]
  • Keichō 10 (1605): Tokugawa Hidetada was named successor Shogun after his father "retires" from the position of Shogun.
  • Keichō 10 (1605): The first official map of Japan was ordered in this year and completed in 1639 at a scale of 1:280,000.[5]
  • Keichō 10, on the 15th day of the 12th month (1605): A new volcanic island, Hachijōko-jima, arose from the sea at the side of Hachijō Island (八丈島, Hachijō-jima?) in the Izu Islands (伊豆諸島, Izu-shotō?) which stretch south and east from the Izu Peninsula.[4]
  • Keichō 11 (1606): Construction began on Edo Castle.[4]
  • Keichō 12 (1607): Construction began on Suruga Castle; and an ambassador from China arrived with greetings for the emperor of Japan.[4]
  • Keichō 14 (1609): Invasion of Ryukyu by Shimazu daimyo of Satsuma.[4]
  • Keichō 15 (November 15, 1610): Toyotomi Hideyori sponsors work which is begun to rebuild the Hōkō-ji in line with the plans which his father had supported; and this will include recreating the Daibutsu of Kyoto in bronze to replace the wooden image which had been burned. At this time, Hideyori also decides to order a great bell cast in bronze.[6]
  • Keichō 15, the 27th day of the 3rd month (1610): Hideyori came to Miyako to visit the former-Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu; and the same day, the emperor resigns in favor of his son Masahito.[4] Emperor Go-Yozei abdicates; and his son receives the succession (senso).
  • Keichō 16 (1611): Emperor Go-Mizunoo formally accedes to the throne (sokui).
  • Keichō 18 (1613): In the years 1613 through 1620, Hasekura Tsunenaga headed a diplomatic mission to the Vatican in Rome, traveling through New Spain (arriving in Acapulco and departing from Veracruz) and visiting various ports-of-call in Europe. This historic mission is called the Keichō Embassy, 慶長使節).[7] On the return trip, Hasekura and his companions re-traced their route across Mexico in 1619, sailing from Acapulco for Manilla, and then sailing north to Japan in 1620.[8] This is conventionally considered the first Japanese ambassador in the Americas and in Europe.[9]
  • Keichō 19 (1614): Siege of Osaka. The Shogun vanquished Hideyori and set fire to Osaka Castle, and then he returned for the winter to Edo.[10]
  • Keichō 19 (August 24, 1614): A new bronze bell for the Hōkō-ji was cast successfully -- see 19th century photo of Hōkō-ji bell, and see old photo of bell; but despite dedication ceremony planning, Ieyasu forbade any further actions concerning the great bell:
"[T}he tablet over the Daibatsu-den and the bell bore the inscription "Kokka ankō" (meaning "the country and the house, peace and tranquility"), and at this Tokugawa Ieyasu affect to take umbrage, alleging that it was intended as a curse on him for the character 安 (an, "peace") was placed between the two characters composing his own name 家康 ("ka-kō", "house tranquility") [suggesting subtly perhaps that peace could only be attained by Ieyasu's dismemberment?] ... This incident of the inscription was, of course, a mere pretext, but Ieyasu realized that he could not enjoy the power he had usurped as long as Hideyori lived, and consequently, although the latter more than once dispatched his kerei Katagiri Kastumoto to Sunpu Castle with profuse apologies, Ieyasu refused to be placated."[11]
  • Keichō 19, on the 25th day of the 10th month (1614): A strong earthquake shook Miyako.[10]
  • Keichō 20 (1615): Osaka Summer Battle begins

[edit] References

  1. ^ Tittsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, pp. 402-409.
  2. ^ a b Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 405.
  3. ^ Ponsonby-Fane, R. (1956). Kyoto, the Old Capital of Japan, p. 290; Titsingh, p. 409.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Titisngh, p. 409.
  5. ^ Traganeou, Jilly. (2004). The Tokaido Road: Traveling and Representation in EDO and Meiji Japan, p. 230.
  6. ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 292; Titsingh, p. 409.
  7. ^ In the name "Keichō Embassy," the noun "Keichō" refers to the nengō (Japanese era name) after "Bunroku" and before "Genna." In other words, the Keichō Embassy commenced during Keichō, which was a time period spanning the years from 1596 through 1615.
  8. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Japan-Mexico Relations.
  9. ^ The Keichō Embassy was, in fact, preceded by a Sengoku period mission headed by Mancio Ito with Alessandro Valignano in 1582–1590. Although less well-known and less well-documented, this historic mission is sometimes referred to as the "Tenshō Embassy" because it was initiated in the Tenshō era. This venture was organized by three daimyo of Western Japan -- Omura Sumitada, Otomo Sorin and Arima Harunobu.
  10. ^ a b Titsingh, p. 410.
  11. ^ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 292; Titsingh, p. 410.


[edit] External links


Keichō 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
Gregorian 1596 1597 1598 1599 1600 1601 1602 1603 1604 1605 1606 1607 1608 1609 1610 1611 1612 1613 1614 1615

Preceded by:
Bunroku

Era or nengō:
Keichō

Succeeded by:
Genna


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