1601

Keichô 6 (慶長六年)

Timeline of 1601

• 1601/1 The fifty-three stations of the Tôkaidô are decided.

Other Events of 1601

• Revolt of former Chôsokabe clan retainers in Tosa province is pacified.
• A Chinese ship from Fujian is attacked in Satsuma by pirates led by Itamiya Sukeshirô, frustrating plans for rapprochement in Sino-Japanese relations. The red seal ships system is revived, or re-systematized under the new Tokugawa shogunate.
• A group of Jesuits including Matteo Ricci become the first Europeans to officially reside in Beijing.
• Keichô koban and other currency are minted at Fushimi.
• The Kinza, which later becomes the shogunate mint & bank, is built in Edo.
• Kôdai-in, widow of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, retires to Kyoto.
• Tokugawa Ieyasu sends a mission to Korea, attempting to restore relations following Hideyoshi's Korean Invasions.
• Plans begin for the construction of Nijô castle (actual construction begins the following year).
• Tokugawa Ieyasu replies to a missive from Nguyen Hoang of southern Viet Nam, establishing the first diplomatic relations between the two states.
• Ueda han in Shinano province is turned over to the Sanada clan.
• Uesugi clan is moved to Yonezawa han.
• Yagyû Munenori becomes the formal kenjutsu instructor of Tokugawa Hidetada.

Births and Deaths

• Arai Masanari is born.
• Hoshino Masao, lord of Takatô, dies (b. 1542).
• Painter Kanô Sôshû dies (b. 1551).
• Kikkawa Hiromasa is born (d. 1666).
• Kobayakawa Hidekane, Toyotomi retainer, dies (b. 1566).
• Sôma Moritane of Mutsu province dies (b. 1529).
• Wakabe Mitsuyoshi, lord of Iga, dies (b. 1552).

Previous Year 1600

1601

Following Year 1602