Shitoku

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Shitoku (至徳) was a brief era name used by Japan’s Northern Court during the era of the Northern and Southern Courts. It followed Eitoku and came before Kakei, lasting from February 1384 to August 1387. The emperor in Kyoto for the Northern Court was Go-Komatsu, while the Southern Court in Yoshino was led by Go-Kameyama.

In 1911, a Meiji-era decree declared that the legitimate monarchs of this period were the descendants of Emperor Go-Daigo through Emperor Go-Murakami, i.e., the Southern Court, which had been in exile in Yoshino near Nara. The Northern Court pretenders, supported by the Ashikaga shogunate, were not the rightful emperors, and the Imperial Regalia were not in their possession. The Northern Court had been established in Kyoto by Ashikaga Takauji.

During this time, the Southern Court’s equivalent nengō was Genchū (1384–1393).