645–650 Taika 686–686 Shuchō 704–708 Keiun Start date February 1381 | 650–654 Hakuchi 701–704 Taihō 708–715 Wadō | |
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Kōwa (弘和) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, lit. year name) of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Tenju and before Genchū. This period spanned the years from February 1381 to April 1384. The Southern Court emperors in Yoshino during this time-frame were Emperor Chōkei (長慶天皇, Chōkei-tennō) and Emperor Go-Kameyama (後亀山天皇, Go-Kameyama-tennō). The Northern court emperors in Kyoto were Emperor Go-En'yū (後円融天皇, Go-En'yū-tennō) and Emperor Go-Komatsu (後小松天皇, Go-Komatsu-tennō)
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Nanboku-chō overview
During the Meiji period, an Imperial decree dated March 3, 1911 established that the legitimate reigning monarchs of this period were the direct descendants of Emperor Go-Daigo through Emperor Go-Murakami, whose Southern Court (南朝, nanchō) had been established in exile in Yoshino, near Nara.
Until the end of the Edo period, the militarily superior pretender-Emperors supported by the Ashikaga shogunate had been mistakenly incorporated in Imperial chronologies despite the undisputed fact that the Imperial Regalia were not in their possession.
This illegitimate Northern Court (北朝, hokuchō) had been established in Kyoto by Ashikaga Takauji.
Change of era
In this time frame, Eitoku (1381–1384) was the Southern Court equivalent nengō.