1868 in Japan
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.
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) – 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)


== References ==