{{Short description|Period of Japanese history (1243–1247 CE)}} {{other uses}} {{History of Japan |image=Shoso-in.jpg |caption=Shōsōin}}{{nihongo|'''Kangen'''|寛元|}} was a {{nihongo|Japanese era name|年号|''nengō''|lit. "year name"}} after ''Ninji'' and before ''Hoji.'' This period spanned the years from February 1243 to February 1247.<ref>Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Kangen''" in [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA470 ''Japan encyclopedia'', p. 470]; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, ''see'' [http://dispatch.opac.ddb.de/DB=4.1/PPN?PPN=128842709 Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120524174828/http://dispatch.opac.ddb.de/DB=4.1/PPN?PPN=128842709 |date=2012-05-24 }}.</ref> The reigning emperor was {{nihongo|Go-Saga''-tennō''|後嵯峨天皇}}.<ref>Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). [https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&dq=nipon+o+dai+itsi+ran&pg=PP9 ''Annales des empereurs du Japon'', pp. 245-247]; Varley, H. Paul. (1980). ''Jinnō Shōtōki.'' p. 228-232.</ref>
==Change of era== * {{nihongo|'''''Kangen gannen'''''|寛元元年}}; 1243: The new era name was created to mark an event or a number of events. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in ''Ninji'' 4.
==Events of the ''Kangen'' era== * '''1244''' (''Kangen 2''): In the spring of this year, a number of extraordinary phenomena in the skies over Kamakura troubled Yoritsune deeply.<ref name="t247">Titsingh, [https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&dq=nipon+o+dai+itsi+ran&pg=PP9 p. 247.]</ref> * '''1244''' (''Kangen 2, 4th month''): Yoritsune's son, Yoritsugu, had his coming-of-age ceremonies at age six. In the same month, Yoritsune asked Emperor Go-Saga for permission to give up his responsibilities as shōgun in favor of his son, Kujō Yoritsugu.<ref name="t247"/> * '''September 11, 1245''' (''Kangen 3, 7th month''): Yoshitsune shaved his head and became a Buddhist priest.<ref name="t247"/> * '''1246''' (''Kangen 4, 7th month''): Yoritsune's son, now Shōgun Yoritsugu (who is only 7 years old) marries the sister of Hōjō Tsunetoki (who is himself only 16 years old).<ref name="t247"/> * '''1246''' (''Kangen 4''): In the 4th year of Go-Saga''-tennō''{{'}}s reign (後嵯峨天皇4年), he abdicated; and despite the succession (''senso'') was received by his 4-year-old son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Go-Fukakusa is said to have acceded to the throne (''sokui'').<ref>Titsingh, [https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&dq=nipon+o+dai+itsi+ran&pg=PP9 pp. 247-248]; Varley, p. 44; a distinct act of ''senso'' is unrecognized prior to Emperor Tenji; and all sovereigns except Jitō, Yōzei, Go-Toba, and Fushimi have ''senso'' and ''sokui'' in the same year until the reign of emperor Go-Murakami.</ref>
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==References== * Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC ''Japan encyclopedia.''] Cambridge: Harvard University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-674-01753-5}}; [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58053128?referer=di&ht=edition OCLC 58053128] * Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). ''Nihon Odai Ichiran''; ou, [https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&q=nipon+o+dai+itsi+ran ''Annales des empereurs du Japon.''] Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/5850691 OCLC 5850691] * Varley, H. Paul. (1980). ''A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa.'' New York: Columbia University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-231-04940-5}}; [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/6042764 OCLC 6042764]
==External links== * National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" [http://www.ndl.go.jp/koyomi/e/ -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection]
{{s-start}} {{succession box | before =Ninji | title = Era or ''nengō''<br>Kangen | years = 1243–1247 | after =Hōji }} {{s-end}}
{{Japanese era name}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kangen}} Category:Japanese eras Category:1240s in Japan