Kōka Explained

was a after Tenpō and before Kaei. This period spanned the years from December 1844 through February 1848.^[1] The reigning emperors were and .

Change of era

• December 2, 1844 : The new era name of Kōka, meaning "Becoming Wide or Vast", was created to mark a fire at Edo Castle in Tenpō 15.

The nengo was not changed concurrent with the accession of Emperor Komei; instead, the Kōka era was retained until about a year after the new emperor was enthroned.^[2]

Events of the Kōka era

• 1847 (Kōka 4): A major earthquake was recorded.
• 1848 (Kōka 5): The last subscription noh of the premodern era.^[3]

During these years, Hiroshige began making a series of prints showing beautiful women in contexts of famous places.^[4]

References

• Keene, Donald. (2005). Emperor of Japan: Meiji and his world, 1852-1912. New York: Columbia University Press. ; OCLC 57750432
• Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 48943301

External links

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

Notes and References

1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kōka" ; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File .
2. Keene, Donald. (2005).
3. Rath, Eric C. (2006).
4. Oka, Isaburo. (1987).