was a after Genki and before Bunroku. This period spanned the years from July 1573 through December 1592 during the Sengoku era. The reigning emperors were and .

thumb|right | Tenshō noblemen in a German newspaper from 1586

Change of era

  • 1573 : 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

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.
  • 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.
  • 1576 (Tenshō 4): Takeda Katsuyori ordered the rebuilding of the Asama Shrine at the base of Mount Fuji in Suruga Province. 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.
  • 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.
  • 1582 (Tenshō 10, 6th month): Incident at Honnō-ji, Battle of Yamazaki, Council of Kiyosu, Tenshō-Jingo war
  • February 20, 1582 (Tenshō 10, 28th day of the 1st month)<!-- NengoCalc: 天正十年一月二十八日-->: A Japanese mission or embassy to Europe (Tenshō Ken'ō Shisetsu) sailed from Nagasaki, and its members would not return until 1590. 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&nbsp;– Ōmura Sumitada, Ōtomo Sōrin and Arima Harunobu.
  • 1583 (Tenshō 11, 4th month): Battle of Shizugatake.
  • 1584 (Tenshō 12, 4th month): Battle of Komaki and Nagakute.
  • August 10, 1584 (Tenshō 12, 15th day of the 7th month): The Japanese mission to the West (Tenshō Ken'ō Shisetsu) arrived in Lisbon.
  • December 17, 1586 (Tenshō 14, 7th day of the 11th month)<!-- NengoCalc 天正十四年十一月七日 -->: 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.
  • 1586 (Tenshō 14, 12th month): A political marriage is arranged between the youngest sister of Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
  • 1586 (Tenshō 14, 12th month): The kampaku, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was nominated to be Daijō-daijin.
  • 1587 (Tenshō 15): Gold or silver coins called Tenshō-tsūhō were minted. The gold coins (Tenshō-ōban) weighed 165&nbsp;grams; and these oval shaped coins were worth 10 ryō.
  • 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. The Joseon ambassador was received by Hideyoshi.

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

Notes

References

  • Kang, Etsuko Hae-jin. (1997). Diplomacy and Ideology in Japanese-Korean Relations: from the Fifteenth to the Eighteenth Century. Basingstoke, Hampshire; Macmillan. ;
  • Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; 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.
  • 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
  • National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection