Periods

Paleolithic	before 14,000 BC
Jōmon	14,000 – 300 BC
Yayoi	300 BC – 300 AD
Kofun	300–538
Asuka	538–710
Nara	710–794
Heian	794–1185

Kamakura	1185–1333
Kenmu Restoration	1333–1336
Muromachi (Ashikaga) Nanboku-chō Sengoku	1336–1573
Azuchi–Momoyama Nanban trade	1573–1603
Edo (Tokugawa) Sakoku Convention of Kanagawa Bakumatsu	1603–1868
Meiji Boshin War Restoration First Sino-Japanese War Boxer Rebellion Russo-Japanese War	1868–1912
Taishō World War I	1912–1926
Shōwa Financial crisis Militarism World War II Occupation Economic miracle Post-occupation Bubble economy	1926–1989
Heisei Lost Decade Great Hanshin earthquake Great East Japan earthquake Imperial transition	1989–2019 (planned)
Reiwa	2019 (planned)

The Meiji period (明治時代, Meiji-jidai), also known as the Meiji era, was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name") after Keiō and before Taishō. This period started in September 1868 and ended in July 1912.^[1] During this time, the emperor was Meiji-tennō (明治天皇).^[1]

The nengō Meiji means "Enlightened Rule"^[2] or "Enlightened Government".^[1]

Events of the Meiji period

The years in which Meiji was the Japanese monarch comprise this modern period or era.^[3]

1868 (Meiji 1): Meiji Restoration; the capital of Japan moved from Kyoto to Tokyo.^[1]
1889-1890 (Meiji 22-23): Constitution of the Empire of Japan^[1]
1894-1895 (Meiji 27-28): First Sino-Japanese War^[1]
1904-1905 (Meiji 37-38): Russo-Japanese War^[1]
30 July 1912 (Meiji 45, 30th day of the 7th month): Meiji died.^[4]

Politics

1885 (Meiji 18): Ito Hirobumi became 1st Prime Minister^[5]
1888 (Meiji 21): Kuroda Kiyotaka became 2nd Prime Minister^[6]
1889 (Meiji 22): Yamagata Aritomo became 3rd Prime Minister^[7]
1891 (Meiji 24): Matsukata Masayoshi became 4th Prime Minister^[8]
1892 (Meiji 25): Ito became 5th Prime Minister^[9]
1896 (Meiji 29): Matsukata became 6th Prime Minister^[9]
1898 (Meiji 31): Ito became 7th Prime Minister^[9]
1898 (Meiji 31): Ōkuma Shigenobu became 8th Prime Minister^[10]
1898 (Meiji 31): Yamagata became 9th Prime Minister^[9]
1900 (Meiji 33): Ito became 10th Prime Minister^[9]
1901 (Meiji 34): Katsura Tarō became 11th Prime Minister^[11]
1906 (Meiji 39): Saionji Kinmochi became 12th Prime Minister^[12]
1908 (Meiji 41): Katsura became 13th Prime Minister^[9]
1911 (Meiji 44): Saionji became 14th Prime Minister^[9]

Gallery

The 15-year-old Emperor Meiji, moving from Kyoto to Tokyo, end of 1868, after the fall of Edo.
Formal beginning of the Meiji Constitution, 1889. Woodblock print by Toyohara Chikanobu.
One yen coin of 1870 (Meiji 3 明治三年), both sides.
First Meiji one-yen banknote, 1871.

Related pages

References

Other websites

Media related to Meiji era at Wikimedia Commons

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

Meiji	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th	12th	13th	14th	15th	16th	17th	18th	19th	20th
	1868	1869	1870	1871	1872	1873	1874	1875	1876	1877	1878	1879	1880	1881	1882	1883	1884	1885	1886	1887

Meiji	21st	22nd	23rd	24th	25th	26th	27th	28th	29th	30th	31th	32th	33th	34th	35th	36th	37th	38th	39th	40th
	1888	1889	1890	1891	1892	1893	1894	1895	1896	1897	1898	1899	1900	1901	1902	1903	1904	1905	1906	1907

Meiji	41st	42nd	43rd	44th	45th
	1908	1909	1910	1911	1912

Preceded by:
Keiō

Era or nengō:
Meiji

Succeeded by:
Taishō

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.