List of emperors of Japan
Japan has been ruled by emperors since antiquity. The sequence, order and dates of the early emperors are almost entirely based on the 8th-century Nihon Shoki, which was meant to retroactively legitimise the Imperial House by dating its foundation further back to the year 660 BC. Emperor Kinmei (r. 539–571) is often considered the first historical emperor, but the first Japanese ruler supported by historical evidence is actually Emperor Yūryaku (r. 456–479), who is mentioned in the 5th-century Inariyama and Eta Funayama Swords. According to Chinese sources, the unification of Japan took place between the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
Article
List of emperors of Japan
Japan has been ruled by emperors since antiquity. The sequence, order and dates of the early emperors are almost entirely based on the 8th-century Nihon Shoki, which was meant to retroactively legitimise the Imperial House by dating its foundation further back to the year 660 BC. Emperor Kinmei (r. 539–571) is often considered the first historical emperor, but the first Japanese ruler supported by historical evidence is actually Emperor Yūryaku (r. 456–479), who is mentioned in the 5th-century Inariyama and Eta Funayama Swords. According to Chinese sources, the unification of Japan took place between the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
The terms Tennō ('Emperor', 天皇), as well as Nihon ('Japan', 日本), were not adopted until the late 7th century AD. In the nengō system which has been in use since the late 7th century, years are numbered using the Japanese era name and the number of years which have elapsed since the start of that nengō era.
Emperors of Japan
1336–1600 period
Courts period (1336–1392) / Muromachi period (1336–1573) / Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568–1600)
Posthumously recognized individuals
List of emperors of Japan
This is a list of individuals who did not reign as emperor during their lifetime but were later recognized as Japanese emperors posthumously.
<table><thead><tr><th>Portrait</th><th>Personal name</th><th>Posthumous name</th><th>Year recognized</th><th>Life details</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Prince Kusakabe 草壁皇子</td><td>Emperor Oka 岡宮天皇</td><td>759</td><td>662–689 (27 years) Son of Emperor Tenmu; husband of Empress Genmei; father of Emperor Monmu and Empress Genshō. Made crown prince in 681; heir to Emperor Tenmu. Died prior to acceding the throne following Emperor Tenmu's death.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Prince Toneri 舎人親王</td><td>Emperor Sudōjinkei 崇道尽敬皇帝</td><td>759</td><td>676–735 (59 years) Son of Emperor Tenmu; half-brother of Prince Kusakabe; father of Emperor Junnin.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Prince Shiki 志貴皇子</td><td>Emperor Kasuga 春日宮天皇</td><td>770</td><td>died 716 Son of Emperor Tenji; half-brother of Emperor Tenmu, Empress Jitō, Empress Genmei and Emperor Kōbun; father of Emperor Kōnin; half-uncle of Prince Kusakabe and Prince Toneri.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Prince Sawara 早良親王</td><td>Emperor Sudō 崇道天皇</td><td>800</td><td>750–785 (35 years) Son of Emperor Kōnin; younger brother of Emperor Kanmu. Made crown prince in 781. Implicated in the assassination of Fujiwara no Tanetsugu. Died on the way to exile.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Prince Masahito 誠仁親王</td><td>Yōkōin 陽光院</td><td>Before 1611</td><td>1552–1586 (34 years) Son of Emperor Emperor Ōgimachi; father of Emperor Go-Yōzei. Posthumously recognized as emperor by Emperor Go-Yōzei.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Sukehito, Prince Kan'in 閑院宮典仁親王</td><td>Emperor Kyōkō 慶光天皇</td><td>1884</td><td>1733–1794 (61 years) Grandson of Emperor Higashiyama; father of Emperor Kōkaku.</td></tr></tbody></table>