Kan'en

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

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

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

Kan'en (寛延) was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name") after Enkyō and before Hōreki. This period spanned the years from July 1748 to October 1751.^[1] The reigning emperor was Momozono-tennō (桃園天皇).^[2]

Change of Era

1748 Kan'en gannen (寛延元年): The era name was changed to Kan'en (meaning "Prolonging Lenience") to mark the enthronement of Emperor Momozono. The previous era ended and the new era commenced in Enkyō 5, on the 12th day of the 7th month.

Events of the Kan'en Era

1748 (Kan'en 1): The first performance of the eleven-act puppet play Kanadehon Chushingura (A copybook of the treasury of loyal retainers), depicting the classic story of samurai revenge, the 1702 vendetta of the 47 rōnin.^[3]
1748 (Kan'en 1): Ambassadors from Korea and from the Ryukyu Islands were received at court in Heian-kyō.^[2]
October 7, 1749 (Kan'en 2, 26th day of the 8th month): A terrific storm of wind and rain strikes Kyoto; and the keep of Nijō Castle is burnt after it was struck by lightning.^[4]

Notes

^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kan'en" Japan Encyclopedia, p. 469, p. 469, at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File.
^ ^a ^b Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 418.
^ Hall, John. (1988). The Cambridge History of Japan, p. xxiii.
^ Ponsonby-Fane, R. (1959). Kyoto: the Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869, p. 321; Titsingh, p. 418.

References

Hall, John Whitney. (1988). Early Modern Japan (The Cambridge History of Japan, Vol. 4). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521223553; OCLC 489633115
Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 48943301
Ponsonby-Fane, Richard A.B. (1956). Kyoto: the Old Capital, 794-1869. Kyoto: Ponsonby-Fane Memorial. OCLC 36644
Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822. London: RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 978-0-203-09985-8; OCLC 65177072
Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Odai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691.

External links

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

Preceded by Enkyō	Era or nengō Kan'en 1748–1751	Succeeded by Hōreki

[1] Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kan'en" Japan Encyclopedia, p. 469, p. 469, at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File.

[t418-2] Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 418.

[3] Hall, John. (1988). The Cambridge History of Japan, p. xxiii.

[4] Ponsonby-Fane, R. (1959). Kyoto: the Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869, p. 321; Titsingh, p. 418.

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