Emperor Kōtoku is presented a white pheasant, who is pleased and begins a new Japanese era name (nengo) to be called Hakuchi, meaning the white pheasant.

A census of the Japanese population is conducted.

Fifty houses are made a township, and for each township there is appointed an elder.

The houses are all associated in groups of five for mutual protection, with one elder to supervise them one with another.

This system will prevail until the Second World War era.