Kyōwa (享和) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, lit. "year name") after Kansei and before Bunka. This period spanned the years from February 1801 through February 1804.[1] The reigning emperor was Kōkaku-tennō (光格天皇).

Change of era

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  • February 5, 1801 (Kyōwa gannen (享和元年)): a new era name was created because of the belief that the 58th year of every cycle of the Chinese zodiac brings great changes. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in Kansei 13.

The new era name was drawn from an hortatory aphorism: "Follow Heaven and take your destiny, unite all people and perfect your righteousness" (順乎天而其運、応乎人而其義).

Events of the Kyōwa era

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  • December 9, 1802 (Kyōwa 2, 15th day of the 11th month): Earthquake in northwest Honshū and Sado Island (Latitude: 37.700/Longitude: 138.300), 6.6 magnitude on the Richter Scale.[2]
  • December 28, 1802 (Kyōwa 2, 4th day of the 12th month): Earthquake on Sado Island (Latitude: 38.000/Longitude: 138.000).[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kyōwa" Japan Encyclopedia, p. 587, p. 587, at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File Archived 2012-05-24 at archive.today.
  2. ^ a b NOAA/Japan "Significant Earthquake Database" -- U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)

References

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  • Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 48943301
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Preceded by
Kansei (寛政)
Era or nengō
Kyōwa (享和)

1801–1804
Succeeded by
Bunka (文化)