Tenshō (Momoyama period)

Period of Japanese history (1573–1592)

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| 1926–1989

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| 1989–2019

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Tenshō (天正) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, "year" name) after Genki and before Bunroku. This period spanned the years from July 1573 through December 1592 during the Senguoku era.[1] The reigning emperors were Ōgimachi-tennō (正親町天皇) and Go-Yōzei-tennō (後陽成天皇).[2]

## Change of era

[edit]

* 1573 Tenshō gannen (天正元年): The new era name was created to mark a number of regional wars. The era name was inspired by a passage from the Chinese classic Tao Te Ching by Laozi:  :"Those who are at peace with nature bring all under Heaven into its correct pattern" (清静者為天下正).

The era name Tenshō was suggested by Oda Nobunaga. The previous era ended, and a new one commenced in Genki 4, the 28th day of the 7th month.

## Events of the Tenshō era

[edit]

European dates up to October 4, 1582 are given in the Julian calendar. Dates since October 15, 1582 are given in the Gregorian calendar.

* 1573 (Tenshō 1, 7th month): Ashikaga Yoshiaki lost his position as shōgun. He shaved his head, becoming a Buddhist priest. Initially, he took the priestly name Sho-san, but he eventually came to be known as Rei-o In.[3]
* 1574 (Tenshō 2, 1st month): Sectarian rebellion in Echizen Province.
* 1574 (Tenshō 2, 9th month): Suppression of sectarian rebellion in Nagashima.
* 1575 (Tenshō 3, 5th month): Takeda Katsuyori led an army into Tōtōmi Province where he lay siege to Nagashino Castle. The Tokugawa defended the castle; and Tokugawa Ieayasu sought assistance from his ally Oda Nobunaga. In response, Nobunaga and his son Nobutada arrived at Nagashino with a large force. In the ensuing Battle of Nagashino, the Takeda attackers were forced to retreat.[4]
* 1576 (Tenshō 4): Takeda Katsuyori ordered the rebuilding of the Asama Shrine at the base of Mount Fuji in Suruga Province.[5] Construction of Azuchi Castle begins.
* 1579 (Tenshō 7, 5th month): Azuchi Sect Debates at Azuchi Castle.
* 1579 (Tenshō 7, 6th month): Akechi Mitsuhide makes himself master of Tanba Province.[6]
* 1579 (Tenshō 7, 10th month): Oda Nobukatsu launches first Tenshō Iga War, ending with his defeat.
* 1580 (Tenshō 8, 11th month): Kaga sectarian rebellion suppressed.[6]
* 1581 (Tenshō 9, 9th month): Oda Nobunaga relaunches the second Tenshō Iga War, ending with victory and Iga left under Nobukatsu's control.
* 1582 (Tenshō 10): Takeda Katsuyori utter defeat by the forces of Oda Nobunaga led to the destruction of Takeda-built structures at the Asama Shrine.[5]
* 1582 (Tenshō 10, 3rd month): Battle of Tenmokuzan.[7]
* 1582 (Tenshō 10, 6th month): Incident at Honnō-ji,[8] Battle of Yamazaki,[9] Council of Kiyosu.
* February 20, 1582 (Tenshō 10, 28th day of the 1st month): A Japanese mission or embassy to Europe (Tenshō Ken'ō Shisetsu) sailed from Nagasaki, and its members would not return until 1590.[1] It headed by Mancio Itō and organized on the initiative of Alessandro Valignano. Although less well-known and less well-documented than Hasekura Tsunenaga's diplomatic mission to the Vatican (known as the "Keichō Embassy") in 1613–1620,[10] this historic diplomatic initiative remains a noteworthy accomplishment. The mission is sometimes referred to as the "Tenshō Embassy" because it was initiated in the Tenshō era. This venture was organized by three daimyōs of Western Japan – Ōmura Sumitada, Ōtomo Sōrin and Arima Harunobu.[11]
* 1583 (Tenshō 11, 4th month): Battle of Shizugatake.[12]
* 1584 (Tenshō 12, 4th month): Battle of Komaki and Nagakute.[13]
* August 10, 1584 (Tenshō 12, 15th day of the 7th month): The Japanese mission to the West (Tenshō Ken'ō Shisetsu) arrived in Lisbon.[1]
* 1585 (Tenshō 13, 7th month): Toyotomi Hideyoshi is given the position of kampaku by Emperor Ōgimachi.[14]
* December 17, 1586 (Tenshō 14, 7th day of the 11th month): Ogimachi gave over the reins of civil government to his grandson, who would become Emperor Go-Yozei. There had been no such Imperial since Emperor Go-Hanazono abdicated in Kanshō 5\. The dearth of abdications is attributable to the disturbed state of the country and to the fact that there was neither any dwelling in which an ex-emperor could live nor any excess funds in the treasury to support him.[15]
* 1586 (Tenshō 14, 12th month): A political marriage is arranged between the youngest sister of Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.[16]
* 1586 (Tenshō 14, 12th month): The kampaku, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was nominated to be Daijō-daijin.[16]
* 1586 (Tenshō 14, 12th month): An earthquake strikes the Chubu region, killing 8,000 people.[17]
* 1587 (Tenshō 15): Gold or silver coins called Tenshō-tsūhō were minted. The gold coins (Tenshō-ōban) weighed 165 grams; and these oval shaped coins were worth 10 ryō.[1]
* 1588 (Tenshō 16, 7th month): Emperor Go-Yōzei visits Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mansion, sword hunt decree
* 1590 (Tenshō 18, 7th month): Hideyoshi led an army to the Kantō where he lay siege to Odawara Castle in Sagami province. When the fortress fell, Hōjō Ujimasa died and his brother, Hōjō Ujinao submitted to Hideyoshi's power, thus effectively ending a period of serial internal warfare , which had continued uninterrupted since the Ōnin era (1467).[18]
* 1592 (Tenshō 20, 4th month): The Imjin War begins with the Siege of Busanjin.

In 1589–1590 (in the 23rd year of the reign of King Seonjo of Joseon), a diplomatic mission led by Hwang Yun-gil was sent to Japan.[19] The Joseon ambassador was received by Hideyoshi.[20]

## In popular culture

[edit]

The fictional plot of the classic Akira Kurosawa film Seven Samurai takes place in the 15th year of Tenshō.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tenshō" in Japan encyclopedia, p. 961; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File Archived 2012-05-24 at archive.today.
2. ^ Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon, pp. 382–405.
3. ^ Titsingh, p. 389.
4. ^ Titsingh, p. 391.
5. ^ a b Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines, p.462.
6. ^ a b Titsingh, p. 394.
7. ^ Titsingh, p. 395.
8. ^ Titsingh, p. 396.
9. ^ Titsingh, p. 397.
10. ^ 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.
11. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Japan-Mexico Relations."
12. ^ Titsingh, p. 398.
13. ^ Titsingh, p. 399.
14. ^ Titsingh, p. 401.
15. ^ Titsingh, p. 402; Ponsonby-Fane, Richard A. B. (1956). Kyoto: The Old Capital of Japan, 794–1869, pp. 340–341.
16. ^ a b Titsingh, p. 402.
17. ^ National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) (1972), Significant Earthquake Database (Data Set), National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
18. ^ Titsingh, p. 405.
19. ^ Rutt, Richard et al. (2003). Korea: a Historical and Cultural Dictionary, p. 190.
20. ^ Kang, Diplomacy and Ideology, p. 275.

## References

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* Kang, Etsuko Hae-jin. (1997). Diplomacy and Ideology in Japanese-Korean Relations: from the Fifteenth to the Eighteenth Century. Basingstoke, Hampshire; Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-17370-8; OCLC 243874305
* Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 48943301
* Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 194887
* ____________. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 3994492
* Rutt, Richard and James Hoare. (2003). Korea: a Historical and Cultural Dictionary. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-700-70464-4
* Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Ōdai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691

## External links

[edit]

* National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" \-- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection

Preceded by

Genki (元亀)

|  Era or nengō
Tenshō (天正)
1573–1592  | Succeeded by

Bunroku (文禄)

|
|

* v
* t
* e

Japanese era names (nengō) by period

538–1264

| Asuka| Heian| Heian (cont'd)| Heian (cont'd)| Heian (cont'd)| Heian (cont'd)| Kamakura (cont'd)

|
|
|
|
|
|

| 645–650| Taika

|

650–654| Hakuchi
686–686| Shuchō
701–704| Taihō
704–708| Keiun
708–715| Wadō
Nara
715–717| Reiki
717–724| Yōrō
724–729| Jinki
729–749| Tenpyō
749| Tenpyō-kanpō
749–757| Tenpyō-shōhō
757–765| Tenpyō-hōji
765–767| Tenpyō-jingo
767–770| Jingo-keiun
770–781| Hōki
781–782| Ten'ō
782–806| Enryaku

| 806–810| Daidō

|

810–824| Kōnin
824–834| Tenchō
834–848| Jōwa
848–851| Kashō
851–854| Ninju
854–857| Saikō
857–859| Ten'an
859–877| Jōgan
877–885| Gangyō
885–889| Ninna
889–898| Kanpyō
898–901| Shōtai
901–923| Engi
923–931| Enchō
931–938| Jōhei
938–947| Tengyō
947–957| Tenryaku
957–961| Tentoku
961–964| Ōwa

| 964–968| Kōhō

|

968–970| Anna
970–973| Tenroku
973–976| Ten'en
976–978| Jōgen
978–983| Tengen
983–985| Eikan
985–987| Kanna
987–988| Eien
988–990| Eiso
990–995| Shōryaku
995–999| Chōtoku
999–1004| Chōhō
1004–1012| Kankō
1012–1017| Chōwa
1017–1021| Kannin
1021–1024| Jian
1024–1028| Manju
1028–1037| Chōgen
1037–1040| Chōryaku

| 1040–1044| Chōkyū

|

1044–1046| Kantoku
1046–1053| Eishō
1053–1058| Tengi
1058–1065| Kōhei
1065–1069| Jiryaku
1069–1074| Enkyū
1074–1077| Jōhō
1077–1081| Jōryaku
1081–1084| Eihō
1084–1087| Ōtoku
1087–1094| Kanji
1094–1096| Kahō
1096–1097| Eichō
1097–1099| Jōtoku
1099–1104| Kōwa
1104–1106| Chōji
1106–1108| Kajō
1108–1110| Tennin
1110–1113| Ten'ei

| 1113–1118| Eikyū

|

1118–1120| Gen'ei
1120–1124| Hōan
1124–1126| Tenji
1126–1131| Daiji
1131–1132| Tenshō
1132–1135| Chōshō
1135–1141| Hōen
1141–1142| Eiji
1142–1144| Kōji
1144–1145| Ten'yō
1145–1151| Kyūan
1151–1154| Ninpei
1154–1156| Kyūju
1156–1159| Hōgen
1159–1160| Heiji
1160–1161| Eiryaku
1161–1163| Ōhō
1163–1165| Chōkan
1165–1166| Eiman

| 1166–1169| Nin'an

|

1169–1171| Kaō
1171–1175| Jōan
1175–1177| Angen
1177–1181| Jishō
1181–1182| Yōwa
1182–1184| Juei
1184–1185| Genryaku
Kamakura
1185–1190| Bunji
1190–1199| Kenkyū
1199–1201| Shōji
1201–1204| Kennin
1204–1206| Genkyū
1206–1207| Ken'ei
1207–1211| Jōgen
1211–1213| Kenryaku
1213–1219| Kempo
1219–1222| Jōkyū

| 1222–1224| Jōō

|

1224–1225| Gennin
1225–1227| Karoku
1227–1229| Antei
1229–1232| Kangi
1232–1233| Jōei
1233–1234| Tenpuku
1234–1235| Bunryaku
1235–1238| Katei
1238–1239| Ryakunin
1239–1240| En'ō
1240–1243| Ninji
1243–1247| Kangen
1247–1249| Hōji
1249–1256| Kenchō
1256–1257| Kōgen
1257–1259| Shōka
1259–1260| Shōgen
1260–1261| Bun'ō
1261–1264| Kōchō

1264–present

| Kamakura (cont'd)| Nanboku-chō| Nanboku-chō| Muromachi (cont'd)| Momoyama| Edo (cont'd)| Modern Japan

|
|
|
|
|
|

| 1264–1275| Bun'ei

|

1275–1278| Kenji
1278–1288| Kōan
1288–1293| Shōō
1293–1299| Einin
1299–1302| Shōan
1302–1303| Kengen
1303–1306| Kagen
1306–1308| Tokuji
1308–1311| Enkyō
1311–1312| Ōchō
1312–1317| Shōwa
1317–1319| Bunpō
1319–1321| Gen'ō
1321–1324| Genkō
1324–1326| Shōchū
1326–1329| Karyaku
1329–1331| Gentoku
1331–1334| Genkōa
1332–1333| Shōkyōb

| Northern Court

1334–1338| Kenmu
1338–1342| Ryakuō
1342–1345| Kōei
1345–1350| Jōwa
1350–1352| Kannō
1352–1356| Bunna
1356–1361| Enbun
1361–1362| Kōan
1362–1368| Jōji
1368–1375| Ōan
1375–1379| Eiwa
1379–1381| Kōryaku
1381–1384| Eitoku
1384–1387| Shitoku
1387–1389| Kakei
1389–1390| Kōō
1390–1394| Meitokuc

| Southern Court

1334–1336| Kenmu
1336–1340| Engen
1340–1346| Kōkoku
1346–1370| Shōhei
1370–1372| Kentoku
1372–1375| Bunchū
1375–1381| Tenju
1381–1384| Kōwa
1384–1392| Genchūc
Muromachi
1394–1428| Ōei
1428–1429| Shōchō
1429–1441| Eikyō
1441–1444| Kakitsu
1444–1449| Bun'an
1449–1452| Hōtoku

| 1452–1455| Kyōtoku

|

1455–1457| Kōshō
1457–1460| Chōroku
1460–1466| Kanshō
1466–1467| Bunshō
1467–1469| Ōnin
1469–1487| Bunmei
1487–1489| Chōkyō
1489–1492| Entoku
1492–1501| Meiō
1501–1521| Bunki
1504–1521| Eishō
1521–1528| Daiei
1528–1532| Kyōroku
1532–1555| Tenbun
1555–1558| Kōji
1558–1570| Eiroku
1570–1573| Genki

| 1573–1592| Tenshō

|

1592–1596| Bunroku
1596–1615| Keichō
Edo
1615–1624| Genna
1624–1644| Kan'ei
1644–1648| Shōhō
1648–1652| Keian
1652–1655| Jōō
1655–1658| Meireki
1658–1661| Manji
1661–1673| Kanbun
1673–1681| Enpō
1681–1684| Tenna
1684–1688| Jōkyō
1688–1704| Genroku
1704–1711| Hōei
1711–1716| Shōtoku
1716–1736| Kyōhō

| 1736–1741| Genbun

|

1741–1744| Kanpō
1744–1748| Enkyō
1748–1751| Kan'en
1751–1764| Hōreki
1764–1772| Meiwa
1772–1781| An'ei
1781–1789| Tenmei
1789–1801| Kansei
1801–1804| Kyōwa
1804–1818| Bunka
1818–1830| Bunsei
1830–1844| Tenpō
1844–1848| Kōka
1848–1854| Kaei
1854–1860| Ansei
1860–1861| Man'en
1861–1864| Bunkyū
1864–1865| Genji
1865–1868| Keiō

| 1868–1912| Meiji

|

1912–1926| Taishō
1926–1989| Shōwa
1989–2019| Heisei
2019–present| Reiwa

* a Not recognized by the Northern Court, which retained Gentoku until 1332.
* b Not recognized by the Southern Court.
* c Genchū discontinued upon reunification of the Northern and Southern Courts in 1392 and Meitoku retained until 1394.

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