Ansei (安政) was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name") after Kaei and before Man'en. This period started in November 1854 and ended in March 1860.^[1] During this time, the emperor was Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇).^[2]

The nengō Ansei means "tranquil government".^[3]

Events of the Ansei era

1854 (Ansei 1): The Ansei-Tōkai Quake (安政東海地震, Ansei Tōkai Jishin) was an 8.4 magnitude earthquake which struck on December 23, 1854. The epicenter ranged from Suruga Bay to the deep ocean, and struck primarily in the Tōkai region, but destroyed houses as far away as in Edo. The accompanying tsunami caused damage along the entire coast from the Bōsō Peninsula in modern-day Chiba prefecture to Tosa province (modern-day Kōchi prefecture)^[4]

1854 (Ansei 1): The Ansei-Nankai Quake (安政南海地震, Ansei Nankai Jishin) was an 8.4 magnitude earthquake which struck on December 24, 1854. Over 10,000 people from the Tōkai region down to Kyushu were killed.^[4]

1855 (Ansei 2): After the Imperial Palace was destroyed by fire in 1854 (Kaei 7), it was re-built in nine months.^[5]

1855 (Ansei 2, 21st day of the 11th month): The emperor moved in a grand procession from the Katsura Palace to the newly completed palace in Kyoto.^[5]

11 November 1855 (Ansei 2): Great Ansei Earthquake in Edo.^[6] Epicenter -- (Latitude: 36.000/Longitude: 140.000), 6.9 magnitude on the Richter Scale.^[7]

15 November 1857 (Ansei 4): Nagasaki Medical School was opened. Dr. Pompe van Meerdevoort gave the first formal public lecture at the new school.^[8]

1858-1860 (Ansei 4-Ansei 6): Cholera killed between 100,000 and 200,000 people in Edo.^[9]

1858 (Ansei 5): Establishment of Keio University.^[10]

29 July 1959 (Ansei 5): Ii Naosuke signs Japanese-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce (also known as the "Harris Treaty").^[11]

1858 (Ansei 5): Beginning of Ansei Purge which was ordered by Ii Naosuke.^[12]

March 24, 1860 (Ansei 7): Ii Naosuke was assassinated, also known as the "Sakurada-mon Incident"^[13]

Related pages

Edo period

References

Other websites

National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection
National Diet Library, Photograph of Sakurada-mon (1909)

Ansei	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th
	1854	1855	1856	1857	1858	1859	1860

Preceded by:
Kaei

Era or nengō:
Ansei

Succeeded by:
Man'en

v t e Japanese era names (Nengō)
Legendary Period
Kofun period
Asuka period 538–710	Taika 645–650 · Hakuchi 650–654 · Shuchō 686–686 · Taihō 701–704 · Keiun 704–708 · Wadō 708–715
Nara period 710–784	Reiki 715–717 · Yōrō 717–724 · Jinki 724–729 · Tenpyō 729–749 · Tenpyō-kanpō 749–749 · Tenpyō-shōhō 749–757 · Tenpyō-hōji 757–765 · Tenpyō-jingo 765–767 · Jingo-keiun 767–770 · Hōki 770–781 · Ten'ō 781–782 · Enryaku 782–806
Heian period 784–1185	Daidō 806–810 · Kōnin 810–824 · Tenchō 824–834 · Jōwa 834–848 · Kashō 848–851 · Ninju 851–854 · Saikō 854–857 · Ten'an 857–859 · Jōgan 859–877 · Gangyō 877–885 · Ninna 885–889 · Kanpyō 889–898 · Shōtai 898–901 · Engi 901–923 · Enchō 923–931 · Jōhei 931–938 · Tengyō 938–947 · Tenryaku 947–957 · Tentoku 957–961 · Ōwa 961–964 · Kōhō 964–968 · Anna 968–970 · Tenroku 970–973 · Ten'en 973–976 · Jōgen 976–978 · Tengen 978–983 · Eikan 983–985 · Kanna 985–987 · Eien 987–988 · Eiso 988–990 · Shōryaku 990–995 · Chōtoku 995–999 · Chōhō 999–1004 · Kankō 1004–1012 · Chōwa 1012–1017 · Kannin 1017–1021 · Jian 1021–1024 · Manju 1024–1028 · Chōgen 1028–1037 · Chōryaku 1037–1040 · Chōkyū 1040–1044 · Kantoku 1044–1046 · Eishō 1046–1053 · Tengi 1053–1058 · Kōhei 1058–1065 · Jiryaku 1065–1069 · Enkyū 1069–1074 · Jōhō 1074–1077 · Jōryaku 1077–1081 · Eihō 1081–1084 · Ōtoku 1084–1087 · Kanji 1087–1094 · Kahō 1094–1096 · Eichō 1096–1097 · Jōtoku 1097–1099 · Kōwa 1099–1104 · Chōji 1104–1106 · Kashō 1106–1108 · Tennin 1108–1110 · Ten'ei 1110–1113 · Eikyū 1113–1118 · Gen'ei 1118–1120 · Hōan 1120–1124 · Tenji 1124–1126 · Daiji 1126–1131 · Tenshō 1131–1132 · Chōshō 1132–1135 · Hōen 1135–1141 · Eiji 1141–1142 · Kōji 1142–1144 · Ten'yō 1144–1145 · Kyūan 1145–1151 · Ninpei 1151–1154 · Kyūju 1154–1156 · Hōgen 1156–1159 · Heiji 1159–1160 · Eiryaku 1160–1161 · Ōhō 1161–1163 · Chōkan 1163–1165 · Eiman 1165–1166 · Nin'an 1166–1169 · Kaō 1169–1171 · Jōan 1171–1175 · Angen 1175–1177 · Jishō 1177–1181 · Yōwa 1181–1182 · Juei 1182–1184 · Genryaku 1184–1185
Kamakura period 1185–1333	Bunji 1185–1190 · Kenkyū 1190–1199 · Shōji 1199–1201 · Kennin 1201–1204 · Genkyū 1204–1206 · Ken'ei 1206–1207 · Jōgen 1207–1211 · Kenryaku 1211–1213 · Kempo 1213–1219 · Jōkyū 1219–1222 · Jōō 1222–1224 · Gennin 1224–1225 · Karoku 1225–1227 · Antei 1227–1229 · Kangi 1229–1232 · Jōei 1232–1233 · Tenpuku 1233–1234 · Bunryaku 1234–1235 · Katei 1235–1238 · Ryakunin 1238–1239 · En'ō 1239–1240 · Ninji 1240–1243 · Kangen 1243–1247 · Hōji 1247–1249 · Kenchō 1249–1256 · Kōgen 1256–1257 · Shōka 1257–1259 · Shōgen 1259–1260 · Bun'ō 1260–1261 · Kōchō 1261–1264 · Bun'ei 1264–1275 · Kenji 1275–1278 · Kōan 1278–1288 · Shōō 1288–1293 · Einin 1293–1299 · Shōan 1299–1302 · Kengen 1302–1303 · Kagen 1303–1306 · Tokuji 1306–1308 · Enkyō 1308–1311 · Ōchō 1311–1312 · Shōwa 1312–1317 · Bunpō 1317–1319 · Gen'ō 1319–1321 · Genkyō 1321–1324 · Shōchū 1324–1326 · Karyaku 1326–1329 · Gentoku 1329–1331 · Genkō 1331–1334^♯ · Shōkyō 1332–1334^₪
Nanboku-chō period (Northern Court) 1336–1392	Kemmu 1334–1338 · Ryakuō 1338–1342 · Kōei 1342–1345 · Jōwa 1345–1350 · Kannō 1350–1352 · Bunna 1352–1356 · Enbun 1356–1361 · Kōan 1361–1362 · Jōji 1362–1368 · Ōan 1368–1375 · Eiwa 1375–1379 · Kōryaku 1379–1381 · Eitoku 1381–1384 · Shitoku 1384–1387 · Kakei 1387–1389 · Kōō 1389–1390 · Meitoku 1390–1394^‡
Nanboku-chō period (Southern Court) 1336–1392	Kemmu 1334–1336 · Engen 1336–1340 · Kōkoku 1340–1346 · Shōhei 1346–1370 · Kentoku 1370–1372 · Bunchū 1372–1375 · Tenju 1375–1381 · Kōwa 1381–1384 · Genchū 1384–1392^‡
Muromachi period 1333–1573	Ōei 1394–1428 · Shōchō 1428–1429 · Eikyō 1429–1441 · Kakitsu 1441–1444 · Bun'an 1444–1449 · Hōtoku 1449–1452 · Kyōtoku 1452–1455 · Kōshō 1455–1457 · Chōroku 1457–1460 · Kanshō 1460–1466 · Bunshō 1466–1467 · Ōnin 1467–1469 · Bunmei 1469–1487 · Chōkyō 1487–1489 · Entoku 1489–1492 · Meiō 1492–1501 · Bunki 1501–1521 · Eishō 1504–1521 · Daiei 1521–1528 · Kyōroku 1528–1532 · Tenbun 1532–1555 · Kōji 1555–1558 · Eiroku 1558–1570 · Genki 1570–1573
Momoyama period 1573–1600	Tenshō 1573–1592 · Bunroku 1592–1596 · Keichō 1596–1615
Edo period 1600–1868	Genna 1615–1624 · Kan'ei 1624–1644 · Shōhō 1644–1648 · Keian 1648–1652 · Jōō 1652–1655 · Meireki 1655–1658 · Manji 1658–1661 · Kanbun 1661–1673 · Enpō 1673–1681 · Tenna 1681–1684 · Jōkyō 1684–1688 · Genroku 1688–1704 · Hōei 1704–1711 · Shōtoku 1711–1716 · Kyōhō 1716–1736 · Genbun 1736–1741 · Kanpō 1741–1744 · Enkyō 1744–1748 · Kan'en 1748–1751 · Hōreki 1751–1764 · Meiwa 1764–1772 · An'ei 1772–1781 · Tenmei 1781–1789 · Kansei 1789–1801 · Kyōwa 1801–1804 · Bunka 1804–1818 · Bunsei 1818–1830 · Tenpō 1830–1844 · Kōka 1844–1848 · Kaei 1848–1854 · Ansei 1854–1860 · Man'en 1860–1861 · Bunkyū 1861–1864 · Genji 1864–1865 · Keiō 1865–1868
Modern Japan 1868–present	Meiji 1868–1912 · Taishō 1912–1926 · Shōwa 1926–1989 · Heisei 1989–2019 · Reiwa 2019–present
^♯The Northern pretenders did not recognize the Genkō era. Gentoku was used in the Northern Court until 1332. ^₪The Shōkyō era was recognized only by the Northern pretenders, not by the Southern Court. ^‡ Upon reunification of the Northern and Southern Courts in 1392, Genchū was discontinued. Meitoku was used until 1394.

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