Bunkyū

was a  after Man'en and before Genji.  This period spanned the years from February 1861 through February 1864.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Bunkyū" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 91. The reigning emperor was .Nussbaum, "Kōmei Tennō," p. 553. 

Events of the Bunkyū era
 1861 (Bunkyu 1): Ukai Gyokusen established the first commercial photography studio (Eishin-dō) in Edo.Hannavy, John. (2007). Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-century Photography, p. 770.

 1861 (Bunkyu 1): Great comet of 1861.Goodsell Observatory, Carleton College. (1938).  Popular Astronomy, Vol. 46, p. 142, citing Bunkiu Shinyu Suiseki

 January 1862 (Bunkyū 1, 12th month): The Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Islands) were confirmed as part of Japan.Tanaka, Hiroyuki.  "The Ogasawara Islands in Tokugawa Japan."    Kaiji Shi Kenkyū (Journal of the Maritime History).  No. 50, June, 1993, Tokyo: The Japan Society of the History of Maritime.

 1862 (Bunkyū 2): The Bunkyū Reforms reduced restrictions on daimyo which had beeb ordered by Ii Naosuke.Jansen, Marius B. (2000). The Making of Modern Japan,  p. 296. 

 14 September 1862 (Bunkyū 2, 21st day of the 8th month): Satsuma samurai killed Charles Lennox Richardson at Namamugi on the Tōkaidō road, also known as the Namamugi Incident (Namamugi Jiken).Nussbaum,  "Namamugi Jiken" at p. 694.

 22 April 1863 (Bunkyū 3, 5th day of the 3rd month): Shogun Iemochi traveled in a great procession to the capital.  He had been summoned by the emperor, and he had 3,000 retainers as escort.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1956). Kyoto: The Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869, p. 325; this was the first time that a shogun had visited Heian-kyō since the visit of Tokugawa Iemitsu was in the city in Kan'ei 11 (1634)

 28 April 1863 (Bunkyū 3, 11th day of the 3rd month): Emperor Komei made an Imperial progress to the Kamo Shrines.  He was accompanied by the shogun and many feudal lords.Ponsonby-Fane, p. 325; this was the first Imperial progress since Emperor Go-Mizunoo visited Nijo Castle more than 230 years before; and no Emperor had visited Kamo since Emperor Go-Daigo honored both shrines in Kemmu 1 (1334).

 15-17 August 1863 (Bunkyū 3, 2nd-4th of the 7th month ): British Bombardment of KagoshimaNussbaum,  "Satuei Sensō" at p. 829. in retaliation for the death of Charles Lennox Richardson.

Related pages 
 Edo period

 References 

 Other websites 
 National Diet Library, The Japanese Calendar -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection
 "The procession of the Shôgun nearby Shono, in Shirasagi-zuka, Ise, at night," woodblock print by Utagawa Tsuyanaga 

Keichō1st2nd3rd4th  1861 1862  1863  1864
Preceded by:Man'enEra or nengō:BunkyūSucceeded by:Genji

Category:Japanese eras
Category:1861 establishments in Asia
Category:1860s establishments in Japan
Category:1860s disestablishments in Japan