{{Short description|Period of Japanese history (1864–1865)}} {{about|the Japanese era||Genji (disambiguation)}} {{History of Japan |image=Shoso-in.jpg |caption=Shōsōin}}
{{nihongo|'''Genji'''|元治}} is a {{nihongo|Japanese era name|年号|''nengō''| lit. "year name"}} after ''Bunkyū'' and before ''Keiō.'' This period spanned only slightly more than a single year from March 27, 1864 until May 1, 1865.<ref>Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Genji''" {{Google books|p2QnPijAEmEC|''Japan Encyclopedia,'' p. 236|page=236}}; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, ''see'' [https://archive.today/20120524174828/http://dispatch.opac.ddb.de/DB=4.1/PPN?PPN=128842709 Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File].</ref> The reigning emperor was {{nihongo|Kōmei''-tennō''|孝明天皇}}.
The new era name was derived from the ''I Ching''.
==Change of era== * '''March 27, 1864''' (''Bunkyū 4/Genji 1, 20th day of the 2nd month'') {{nihongo|''Genji gannen''|元治元年}}<!-- NengoCal 元治一年二月二十日 -->: The new era name of Genji (meaning "original rule") was created to mark the beginning of a new 60-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.<ref>Griffis, William E. (1915). [https://books.google.com/books?id=CWFCAAAAIAAJ ''The Mikado: Institution and Person'', p. 84.]</ref> The old era ended and a new one commenced in ''Bunkyū'' 4.
==Events== * '''July 8, 1864''' (''Genji 1, fifth day of the sixth month'')<!-- NengoCalc 元治一年六月五日 -->: The Ikedaya Jiken, also known as the Ikedaya Affair or Ikedaya Incident, developed at the Ikedaya ryokan in Kyoto. * '''August 12, 1864''' (''Genji 1, 11th day of the 7th month'')<!-- NengoCalc 元治一年七月十一日 -->: Sakuma Shōzan is assassinated at age 53.<ref>Armstrong, Robert Cornell. (1914). [https://books.google.com/books?id=UyVXeQUj8-cC&dq=genji+era&pg=PA192 ''Light from the East Or Studies in Japanese Confucianism'', p. 192.]</ref> He had traveled from Edo to Kyoto on orders of the shogunate. He was in favor of steps which would lead to an opening of the country, but his voice was stilled by death at the hands of a ''sonno joi'' supporter.<ref>National Diet Library: [https://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/91.html?c=9 Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures].</ref> * '''September 5–6, 1864''' (''Genji 1, 5th–6th day of the eighth month'')<!-- NengoCalc 元治一年八月五日 -->: Bombardment of Shimonoseki
==See also== *Genji Kaku *Genji clan *Genji Monogatari *Genji Tsuushin Agedama *Genji Monogatari Sennenki
==Notes== {{Reflist|1}}
==References== * Armstrong, Robert Cornell. (1914). [https://books.google.com/books?id=UyVXeQUj8-cC ''Light from the East Or Studies in Japanese Confucianism.''] Toronto: University of Toronto Press. [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/220491442?referer=di&ht=edition OCLC 220491442] * Griffis, William E. (1915). [https://books.google.com/books?id=CWFCAAAAIAAJ ''The Mikado: Institution and Person.''] Princeton: Princeton University Press. [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/413118 OCLC 413118] * Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). ''Japan Encyclopedia.'' Cambridge: Harvard University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-674-01753-5}}; [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/48943301/editions?editionsView=true&referer=br OCLC 48943301]
==External links== * National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" [https://www.ndl.go.jp/koyomi/e/ -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection]
{{s-start}} {{succession box | before = {{nihongo|Bunkyū|文久}} | title = Era or ''nengō''<br>{{nihongo|Genji|元治}} | years = 27 March 1864 – 30 April 1865 | after = {{nihongo|Keiō|慶応}} }} {{s-end}}
{{Japanese era name}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Genji}} Category:Japanese eras Category:1864 in Japan Category:1865 in Japan Category:1864 introductions Category:1860s disestablishments in Japan Category:1864 establishments in Japan Category:1860s neologisms