Kōan (弘安) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, lit. "year name") after Kenji and before Shōō. This period spanned the years from February 1278 through April 1288.[1] The reigning emperors were Go-Uda-tennō (後宇多天皇) and Fushimi-tennō (伏見天皇).[2]
1278Kōan gannen (弘安元年): The new era name was created to mark an event or a number of events. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in Kenji 4. The era name comes from the Veritable Records of the Emperor Taizong of Tang and combines the characters 弘 ("broad") and 安 ("peaceful"). It should not be confused with the later Kōan era of 1361–62, which used a different character for kō (康, "peace").
August 15, 1281 (Kōan 4, 7th day of the intercalary 7th month): Battle of Kōan -- The second Mongol invasion of Japan is foiled, as a large typhoon – famously called a kamikaze, or divine wind – destroys much of the combined Chinese and Korean fleet and forces, numbering over 140,000 men and 4,000 ships.
November 27, 1287 (Kōan 10, 21st day of the 10th month): In the 14th year of Go-Uda-tennō's reign (後宇多天皇14年), the emperor abdicated; and the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by his cousin. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Fushimi is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).[3]
^Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon, pp. 262-268; Varley, H. Paul. (1980). Jinnō Shōtōki. pp. 233-237.
^Titsingh, p. 269; Varley, p. 44; a distinct act of senso is unrecognized prior to Emperor Tenji; and all sovereigns except Jitō, Yōzei, Go-Toba, and Fushimi have senso and sokui in the same year until the reign of Emperor Go-Murakami.