Kanpō (Kampō): Japanese era name, 1741–1744

Meaning and notation

The two kanji that form the name—寛 (kan) and 保 (pō or hō)—carry connotations of breadth, generosity, protection or preservation. Romanization varies and both "Kanpō" and "Kampō" are commonly seen in English-language sources. As with other era names, Kanpō appears in combination with year numbers (for example, "Kanpō 1") when recording dates in historical texts.

Context and purpose of era names

Era names (nengō) were adopted for a range of reasons: to mark auspicious beginnings, commemorate events, respond to disasters, or renew the political-religious order. Choosing a new nengō could reflect hopes for stability or recovery. The Kanpō change followed the preceding Genbun era (Genbun) and was itself followed by the Enkyō era (Enkyō), showing the continuity of the nengō system as a chronological framework. For a general overview of the practice, see sources on the era name system.

Key facts and chronology

• Start: February 1741 (Kanpō 1)
• End: February 1744 (concluding Kanpō 4)
• Emperor: Sakuramachi-tennō (ceremonial sovereign)
• Historical setting: mid-Edo period under Tokugawa governance

Although relatively brief, the Kanpō era is part of a longer stretch of cultural, economic and administrative developments in eighteenth-century Japan. Urban centers such as Edo (Tokyo), Osaka and Kyoto continued to grow, and a lively print culture and merchant economy shaped daily life. Political power remained concentrated with the shogunate, while the imperial court retained ceremonial and literary roles.

For historians and genealogists, era names like Kanpō are crucial for converting traditional dates into the Gregorian calendar and for placing events within the sequence of Japanese history. Research into the period typically combines nengō-based dating with documentary records, temple and shrine chronicles, and official bakufu archives to reconstruct political, social and cultural change during and around the Kanpō years.