Hōei

Overview

Hōei (宝永) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō; "year name") that followed Genroku and preceded Shōtoku. The era began on April 16, 1704, and ended on June 10, 1711, spanning roughly seven years during the Edo period (1603–1868). The reigning emperors during this time were Higashiyama (東山天皇) and Nakamikado (中御門天皇).

The era name Hōei is often associated with one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in Japanese history, the 1707 eruption of Mount Fuji, which occurred in the fourth year of the era. The name itself, however, carries a more auspicious meaning, reflecting the court's hopes for a peaceful and prosperous reign.

What Defined the Era

The Hōei era unfolded in the middle of the Tokugawa shogunate's rule, a period of relative political stability under the fifth shōgun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. The era began with the abdication of Emperor Higashiyama in 1709, after which his son, Emperor Nakamikado, ascended the throne. This transition marked a rare moment of imperial succession during an otherwise shogunate-dominated political landscape.

The era is most defined by the natural disasters that struck Japan between 1707 and 1708. The Hōei earthquake, which struck on October 28, 1707, was one of the largest earthquakes in Japanese recorded history, and it triggered a devastating tsunami along the Pacific coast. Just 49 days later, Mount Fuji erupted in what became known as the Hōei eruption, the last confirmed eruption of the volcano to date. The eruption blanketed the surrounding region in volcanic ash, and the combined effects of the earthquake, tsunami, and eruption caused widespread destruction and loss of life.

These disasters shaped the era's legacy, and the name Hōei became permanently linked in historical memory with the eruption of Mount Fuji. The era also saw continued cultural activity under the influence of the Genroku era that preceded it, though the disasters of 1707 cast a long shadow over the period.

Key Events

• April 16, 1704: The Hōei era officially began, replacing the Genroku era. The change of era name was proclaimed by the imperial court, a common practice intended to mark a new beginning or to ward off misfortune.

• October 28, 1707: The Hōei earthquake struck, with an estimated magnitude of 8.6. The earthquake generated a large tsunami that devastated coastal areas, particularly along the Nankai Trough, and caused extensive damage in the Kansai region.

• December 16, 1707: Mount Fuji erupted in what is now known as the Hōei eruption. The eruption lasted for several weeks and deposited thick layers of ash over Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and surrounding provinces. It remains the most recent confirmed eruption of Mount Fuji.

• 1709: Emperor Higashiyama abdicated the throne, and Emperor Nakamikado became the new reigning emperor. This succession occurred within the Hōei era, marking a significant imperial transition.

• June 10, 1711: The Hōei era ended, and the Shōtoku era began. The change was announced by the imperial court, likely reflecting a desire to reset the calendar after the disasters of the previous years.

The Name in Japanese

The Japanese name for this era is 宝永. In kana, it is written ほうえい, and in romaji it is Hōei.

The name consists of two kanji characters:

• 宝 (hō): This character means "treasure" or "precious." It is composed of the radical for "roof" (宀) over the character for "jade" (玉), evoking the image of a precious gem kept safe under a roof. In this era name, it conveys the idea of something valuable and cherished.

• 永 (ei): This character means "eternal" or "long-lasting." It depicts flowing water, symbolizing continuity and endurance over time. In this context, it suggests permanence and longevity.

Together, 宝永 can be understood as "eternal treasure" or "lasting preciousness." The name was chosen to express a wish for a long and prosperous reign, though the natural disasters that occurred during the era gave it an ironic historical resonance. The character 宝 is also used in other era names, such as Hōreki (宝暦), while 永 appears in eras like Eikyō (永享) and Meiji (明治), where it carries a similar sense of enduring value.

How the Era Name Works

The Japanese era name system, known as nengō (年号), is a calendar system that dates years by the reign of an emperor or a designated period. Each era name is a two-character phrase, typically drawn from classical Chinese texts, that conveys an auspicious meaning. The system was adopted from China in the seventh century and has been used in Japan ever since, with only brief interruptions.

An era name is proclaimed by the imperial court and remains in effect until a new era is declared. Historically, era names were changed for several reasons: the accession of a new emperor, the beginning of a new sexagenary cycle, or the occurrence of natural disasters or other inauspicious events. The change from Genroku to Hōei in 1704 was one such proclamation, and the later change from Hōei to Shōtoku in 1711 followed the accession of Emperor Nakamikado.

During the Edo period, the shogunate held effective political power, but the imperial court in Kyoto retained the authority to issue era names. This division of power meant that era names served as a symbolic link between the imperial institution and the broader political order. In 1868, the Meiji government adopted a system of one era name per emperor, a practice that continues today with the Reiwa era. For students of Japanese, understanding era names is essential, as they appear throughout historical documents, literature, and even modern legal and cultural references.