Great Tenmei Famine

• Dates: 1782-1787

The Great Tenmei Famine was one of the worst famines of the Edo period, lasting from 1782 to 1787 or so in most parts of Japan, though beginning earlier or ending later in other parts. The famine, combined with the 1783 eruption of Mt. Asama, was seen as a bad omen indicating the immoral or unvirtuous nature of rule at that time; these attitudes are generally said to have contributed to the ousting of Tairô Tanuma Okitsugu from power.

The famine began in many areas in 1782. The following year, unseasonable cold and rain, combined with ash and other impacts from the eruption of Mt. Asama, devastated crops in many areas of the archipelago. Yonezawa han saw crop losses of nearly 50 percent; in 1786, the domain suffered another hit, with 35% crop losses. The price of rice rose in Yonezawa by 130% just between 1783 and 1784, and over the course of the five or so years of the famine, over 4,000 people either died or fled the domain. Yet, Yonezawa was one of the least heavily affected domains.

In many areas, regular harvests finally returned in 1787, marking the end of the famine.