* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Ryakuō Era
暦応（りゃくおう）
Ryakuō (1338–1342) was a nengō of the Northern Court. A tachi by Osafune Kanemitsu of Bizen, inscribed with the Ryakuō 2 date (1339) and designated an Important Cultural Property, is a surviving dated blade of the era.
Description
The Northern Court's Nengō "Ryakuō"
Ryakuō (暦応) was a nengō used by the Northern Court, covering 1338 to 1342 (Ryakuō 1 to 5). The era began in 1338, when Kenmu gave way to Ryakuō, and ended in 1342, when it was changed to Kōei. The change to Ryakuō is said to have accompanied the accession of Emperor Kōmyō, and the change to Kōei was made in response to calamities.
A Dated Tachi
The tachi inscribed 「備州長船住兼光／暦応二年正月日」 (Bishū Osafune-jū Kanemitsu / Ryakuō 2, first month) is dated to the first month of 1339. It measures 78.8 cm in length, with a curvature of 2.2 cm and a moto-haba of 2.9 cm. It was designated an Important Cultural Property on 29 March 1952 and is held by the Mitsui Memorial Museum in Tokyo. The owner is the Mitsui Bunko Foundation.
Kanemitsu and the Ryakuō Date
The Cultural Heritage Online database lists the maker as Osafune Kanemitsu of Bizen.
Note
The reading of the inscription, the dimensions, the designation date, and the holding institution follow the Cultural Heritage Online entry. The period of the nengō and the circumstances of its changes follow the Japanese Wikipedia entry.
Characteristics of This Era
- The Northern Court nengō Ryakuō (1338–1342)
- A tachi by Kanemitsu inscribed Ryakuō 2 (1339), an Important Cultural Property held by the Mitsui Memorial Museum
- The Cultural Heritage Online database lists the maker as Osafune Kanemitsu of Bizen