Events from the year 1868 in Japan. It corresponds to Keiō 4 and Meiji 1 in the Japanese calendar. In the history of Japan, it marks the beginning of the Meiji period on October 23 under the reign of Emperor Meiji.
Incumbents Emperor: Emperor Meiji
Events January 6 (Keiō 3, 10th day of the 12th month)Ponsonby-Fane's published nengō would have this be 4 January rather than 6 January. – The restoration of the Imperial government was announced to the kuge. The year 1868 began as Keio 3, and did not become Meiji 1 until the 8th day of the 9th month of Keio 4, i.e., October 23; although retrospectively, it was quoted as the first year of the new era from 25 January onwards. January 27–31 – Battle of Toba–Fushimi January 28 – Battle of Awa February 2 – Fall of Osaka castle March 29 – Battle of Kōshū-Katsunuma and Battle of Hokuetsu May 10–14 – Battle of Utsunomiya Castle July 4 – Battle of Ueno September 3 (Keiō 4, 17th day of the 7th month) – Emperor Meiji announces that the name of the city of Edo was being changed to Tokyo, or "eastern capital". October 6 – Battle of Bonari Pass October–November – Battle of Aizu October 23 (Keiō 4/Meiji 1, 8th day of the 9th month) The Japanese era name (nengō) is formally changed from Keiō to Meiji; and a general amnesty is granted. The adoption of the Meiji nengō was done retroactively to January 25, 1868 (Keiō 4/Meiji 1, 1st day of the 1st month). Emperor Meiji travels to Tokyo and Edo castle became an imperial palace. November 7 – Battle of Noheji
Births January 10 – Ozaki Kōyō, author and writer (d. 1903) January 11 – Shimizu Shikin, novelist and women's rights activist (d. 1933) January 18 – Suzuki Kantarō, admiral, 42nd Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1948) January 20 – Keisuke Okada, 20th Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1952) April 12 – Akiyama Saneyuki, soldier (d. 1918) May 27 – Takeo Hirose, naval officer (d. 1904) December 8 – Kenjirō Tokutomi, philosopher and writer (d. 1927) December 29 – Kitamura Tokoku, poet, essayist and writer (d. 1894)
Deaths January 29 – Inoue Genzaburō, captain of the sixth unit of the Shinsengumi (b. 1829) February 6 – Yamazaki Susumu, Shinsengumi officer and spy (b. ca 1843) May 17 – Kondō Isami, samurai and bakufu official (b. 1834) June 27 – Hayashi Yasusada, samurai (b. 1806) July 19 – Okita Sōji, captain of the first unit of the Shinsengumi (b. 1844) October 8 Shinoda Gisaburō, samurai, Byakkotai (b. 1852) Jinbo Kuranosuke, samurai (b. 1816) Tanaka Tosa, samurai (b. 1820) October 16 – Nakano Takeko, female warrior (b. 1847)
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