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Meireki (明暦) was aJapanese era name (年号,nengō; "year name") of theEdo period, after theJōō era and beforeManji era. This era's period spanned the years from April 1655 to July 1658.^[1]

The reigning emperor wasGo-Sai-tennō (後西院天皇).^[2]

• 1655Meireki gannen (明暦元年): The era name was changed to mark the enthronement ofEmperor Go-Sai. The previous era ended and a new one commenced inJōō 4, on the 13th day of the 4th month.

The source of the new era name was:

• From theBook of Han: "With the Nine Chapters of the Great Law, the five eras will be known" (大法九章、而五紀明歴法)
• From theBook of the Later Han: "TheYellow Emperor began the passing of time, so that is why the character 歴 [passing of time] and 暦 [rhythmic cycle] are used together" (黄帝造歴、歴与暦同作)

• 1655 (Meireki 1): The new ambassador of Korea, arrived in Japan.^[2]
• 1655 (Meireki 1): The ex-Emperor went for the first time toShugakuin Rikyū.^[3]
• March 2–3, 1657 (Meireki 3, 18th-19th days of the 1st month): The city ofEdo was devastated by theGreat Fire of Meireki.^[2]

• Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005).Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge:Harvard University Press.ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5;OCLC 48943301
• Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1956).Kyoto: The Old Capital of Japan, 794–1869. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society.OCLC 182637732
• Screech, Timon. (2006).Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822. London:RoutledgeCurzon.ISBN 978-0-203-09985-8;OCLC 65177072
• 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

• National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar"-- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection
• National Archives of Japan...Click link for map of Edo before disastrous fire in 3rd year ofMeiwa (1657)^{[permanent dead link]}
• National Archives of Japan...Click link for photograph of Ryogoku bridge (1875), first built over Sumida River after Meireki fire^{[permanent dead link]}

• Japanese eras
• 1650s in Japan
• 17th-century neologisms

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