Ōtoku

964–968	Kōhō
968–970	Anna
970–973	Tenroku
973–976	Ten'en
976–978	Jōgen
978–983	Tengen
983–985	Eikan
985–987	Kanna
987–988	Eien
988–990	Eiso
990–995	Shōryaku
995–999	Chōtoku
999–1004	Chōhō
1004–1012	Kankō
1012–1017	Chōwa
1017–1021	Kannin
1021–1024	Jian
1024–1028	Manju
1028–1037	Chōgen
1037–1040	Chōryaku

806–810	Daidō
810–824	Kōnin
824–834	Tenchō
834–848	Jōwa
848–851	Kashō
851–854	Ninju
854–857	Saikō
857–859	Ten'an
859–877	Jōgan
877–885	Gangyō
885–889	Ninna
889–898	Kanpyō
898–901	Shōtai
901–923	Engi
923–931	Enchō
931–938	Jōhei
938–947	Tengyō
947–957	Tenryaku
957–961	Tentoku
961–964	Ōwa

645–650	Taika
650–654	Hakuchi
686–686	Shuchō
701–704	Taihō
704–708	Keiun
708–715	Wadō
Nara
715–717	Reiki
717–724	Yōrō
724–729	Jinki
729–749	Tenpyō
749	Tenpyō-kanpō
749–757	Tenpyō-shōhō
757–765	Tenpyō-hōji
765–767	Tenpyō-jingo
767–770	Jingo-keiun
770–781	Hōki
781–782	Ten'ō
782–806	Enryaku

Last updated November 21, 2025

Ōtoku (応徳) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō; "year name") after Eihō and before Kanji . This period spanned the years from February 1084 through April 1087.^[1] The reigning emperor was Emperor Shirakawa -tennō (白河天皇).^[2]

Change of Era

February 9, 1084Ōtoku gannen (応徳元年): The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events. The previous era ended and the new one commenced in Eihō 4, on the 7th day of the 2nd month.^[3]

Events of the Ōtoku Era

1084 (Ōtoku 1, 9th month): The empress Kenshi, the emperor's principal consort, died. Shirakawa was afflicted with great grief, and for a time, he turned over the administration of the government to his ministers.^[4]
1086 (Ōtoku 3, 9th month): Shirakawa announced his intention to abdicate in favor of his son.^[4]
January 3, 1087 (Ōtoku 3, 26th day of the 11th month): Shirakawa formally abdicated,^[3] and he took the title Daijō-tennō.^[4] Shirakawa had personally occupied the throne for 14 years; and for the next 43 years, he would exercise broad powers in what will come to be known as cloistered rule.^[5]

Notes

↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Ōtoku" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 764 , p. 764, at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File.
↑ Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon, pp. 169–171; Brown, Delmer et al. (1979). Gukanshō, p. 316; Varley, H. Paul. (1980). Jinnō Shōtōki, p. 199–202.
1 2 Brown, p. 316.
1 2 3 Titsingh, p. 171.
↑ Varley, p. 202

References

Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979). Gukanshō: The Future and the Past. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-03460-0; OCLC 251325323
Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Ōdai Ichiran ; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691
Varley, H. Paul. (1980). A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231049405; OCLC 6042764

External links

National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection

Preceded by Eihō	Era or nengō Ōtoku 1084–1087	Succeeded by Kanji

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[1] Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Ōtoku" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 764 , p. 764, at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File.

[2] Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon, pp. 169–171; Brown, Delmer et al. (1979). Gukanshō, p. 316; Varley, H. Paul. (1980). Jinnō Shōtōki, p. 199–202.

[b316-3] 1 2 Brown, p. 316.

[t171-4] 1 2 3 Titsingh, p. 171.

[5] Varley, p. 202

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