Genbun

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

Genbun (元文) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, "year name") after Kyōhō and before Kanpō. This period spanned the years from April 1736 through February 1741.^[1] The reigning emperor was Sakuramachi-tennō (桜町天皇).^[2]^{: 417–418}

Change of era

1736 Genbun gannen (元文元年): To mark the enthronement of Sakuramachi, the era was changed to Genbun (meaning "Original civility"). The previous era ended and the new one commenced in Kyōhō 21, on the 21st day of the 4th month.

Events of the Genbun era

1736 (Genbun 1): The shogunate published an edict declaring that henceforth, the sole, authorized coinage in the empire would be those copper coins which were marked on the obverse with the character 文 (pronounced bun in Japanese or pronounced wen in Chinese—which is to say, the same character which is found in this era name of Genbun).^[2]^: 418
1737 (Genbun 2, 11th month): A comet is noticed in the western part of the sky.^[2]^: 418
1738 (Genbun 3): Esoteric Shinto rituals Daijō-ye (大嘗會,, [ダイジヤウヱ,] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (help), Daijō-sai) were performed by the emperor.^[2]^: 418
1739 (Genbun 4): Some foundrymen in Edo are commanded to create iron coins for use across the empire.^[2]^: 418
1739 (Genbun 4): Hosokawa Etchū-no-kami of Higo was killed in Edo castle by Itakura Katsukane, and the killer was ordered to commit suicide as just punishment; however, Shōgun Yoshimune personally intervened to mitigate the adverse consequences for the killer's fudai family.^[3]
August 8, 1740 (Genbun 5, 16th day of the 7th month): Great floods in Heian-kyō. Sanjo Bridge is washed away.^[4]
January 11, 1741 (Genbun 5, 24th day of the 11th month): The esoteric Niiname-matsuri ceremonies were performed. This specific ceremony had otherwise been held in abeyance for the previous 280 years.^[4]

Notes

^ Louis-Frédéric (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Translated by Käthe Roth. Harvard University Press. p. 235. ISBN 9780674017535.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Titsingh, Isaac (1834). Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon (in French). Paris: Oriental Translation Fund.
^ Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822, pp. 117-121.
^ ^a ^b Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1956). Kyoto: the Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869, p. 321.