The Imperial Dynasties of Japan


Emperors of the Sun Line of Japan AD 1st Century - Present Day Prehistoric Japan is divided into four major cultures: Palaeolithic, Jomon, Yayoi and Kofun. Each of these major cultures, or periods, is further subdivided into several sub-periods. The cultural phases are almost limitless. The dates for these periods are given in uncalibrated radiocarbon years before present, except for the beginning of the Palaeolithic, which is based on other dating methods and dates from 50,000 years ago to the start of the Jomon Period. It is a period generally thought to be dominated by big-game hunters, although there is little direct evidence for how these people lived. Everyone agrees that there is a Late Palaeolithic in Japan, which dates from about 35,000 years ago to the advent of pottery technology 13,000 to 10,000 years ago. The evidence for humans in Japan before 35,000 years ago is quite controversial. EXTERNAL LINK Japanese Archaeology


Jomon Period 13,000 BC - 300 BC The inhabitants of the Japanese islands were hunter-gatherers, with the long coasts providing good supplies of fish. Pottery was made, after which the period is named. EXTERNAL LINK Japan-Guide.com


Yayoi Period 300 BC - AD 300 Rice culture was imported into Japan in around 100 BC. With the introduction of agriculture, social classes started to evolve, and parts of the country began to unite under powerful land owners. Chinese travellers during the Han and Wei dynasties reported that a queen called Himiko (or Pimiku) reigned over Japan at that time. The Yayoi Period brought also the introduction of iron and other modern ideas from Korea into Japan. Again, its pottery gave the period its name.


Legendary Period First century AD (660 BC) - AD 539 According to legend, Emperor Jimmu Tenno arrived with his people on the islands of Japan in 660 BC. However, the number of his successors between that arrival and the first truly historical emperors puts that arrival at some time in the first century, coinciding with the Yayoi Period, and all dates prior to AD 500 should be approached with caution. The dates for the first 28 emperors are based on the Japanese calendar system.
AD 1st century	Jimmu Tenno		Tribal leader. Legendary date for his arrival is 660 BC.
	Suizei
	Annei
	Itoku
	Kosho
2nd century	Koan
	Kôrei
	Kôgen
? - 219	Kaika
219 - 249	Sujin
249 - 280	Suinin
280 - 316	Keikô
316 - 342	Seimu
343 - 346	Chûai


Yamato Period (Kofun Period) AD 346 - 539 A central power had certainly developed in the fertile Kinai Plain in Japan by the Kofun Period (kofun after the type of tombs which were built for the country's rulers). By about 400 the country was unified as Yamato Japan, with the royal court in the Yamato Province (modern Nara Prefecture). Yamato Japan extended from Kyushu to the Kinai Plain, but did not yet include the Kanto, Tohoku and Hokkaido. Still part of the Legendary Period, dates for the emperors of this period are less uncertain but still not entirely trustworthy.
346 - 395	Oojin		Last proto-historical emperor.
346 - ?		Empress Jingû Kôgô	Regent.
395 - 427	Nintoku
427 - 432	Richû
433 - 438	Hanzei
438 - 453	Ingyo
453 - 456	Anko
456 - 479	Yuryaku
480 - 484	Seinei
485 - 487	Kenzo
488 - 498	Ninken
498 - 506	Buretsu
507 - 531	Keitai		Possible founder of a new dynasty.
531 - 535	Ankan
535 - 539	Senka


Asuka Period (Historical Period) AD 539 - 710 The Asuka Period witnessed the continuance of friendly relations with the kingdom of Paekche which helped the arrival of Buddhism in Japan (in 538 or 552), and the flourishing of the imperial court which promoted the new religion. From this point onwards, emperors follow traditional dates which are more or less reliable.
539 - 571	Kimmei
572 - 585	Bidatsu
585 - 587	There is a succession war in Japan.
585 - 587	Yomei
587 - 592	Sushun / Sajun
592 - 628	Empress Suiko		First truly historical empress.
		(Unknown)
593 - 622		Shotoku	Regent to Suiko. Promoted Chinese ideas.
629 - 641	Jomei		Grandson of Bidatsu.
642 - 645	Empress Kogyoku		Abdicated in favour of her brother.
645 - 654	Kotoku		Brother.
645	The era of the Fujiwara Clan starts and lasts until the rise of the samurai military class in the eleventh century. A new government and administrative system is established after the Chinese model in the Taika reforms. All land is bought by the state and redistributed equally among farmers in a large land reform in order to introduce the new tax system that is adopted from China.
655 - 661	Empress Saimei		Empress Kogyoku re-acceded throne as Saimei.
662 - 671	Tenji / Tenchi (Nakanooye)
671 - 672	Kobun (Ōtomo)		Named posthumously.
673 - 686	Kemmu / Temmu		Usurper of Kobun's throne.
690 - 697	Empress Jito
697 - 707	Mommu
707 - 715	Empress Gemmei


Nara Period AD 710 - 794 In AD 710, the first permanent Japanese capital was established in Nara, a city modelled after the Chinese capital. The imperial court made a concerted effort in this period to document its history, producing the country's first works of literature.
715 - 724	Empress Gensho
724 - 749	Shomu
749 - 758	Empress Koken		Abdicated in favour of cousin. Bhuddist.
758 - 764	Junnin (Haitei)		Second cousin. A young sovereign. Posthumously named Junnin.
764 - 770	Empress Shotoku		Empress Koken took crown back from Junnin and ruled again.
770 - 781	Konin / Kammu


Heian Period AD 794 - 1192 Confucianism and other Chinese influences were at their height during this period, and the imperial court was similarly at its height. The period began in 794 with the capital being moved to Heian kyō (modern Kyoto). The first shoguns appeared during this period, but only as generals leading campaigns against northern 'barbarians'.
781 - 806	Kammu		50th Emperor of the Sun Line.
806 - 809	Heizei		Died 824.
809 - 823	Saga		Died 842.
823 - 833	Junna		Died 840.
833 - 850	Nimmyo
850 - 858	Montoku
858 - 876	Seiwa		Died 880.
877 - 884	Yozei		Died 949.
884 - 887	Koko
887 - 897	Uda		Died 937.
897 - 930	Daigo
930 - 946	Suzaku		Died 952.
946 - 967	Murakami
967 - 969	Reizei		Died 1011.
969 - 984	Enyû		Died 991.
984 - 986	Kazan		Died 1008.
986 - 1011	Ichijô
1011 - 1016	Sanjô		Died 1017.
1016 - 1036	Go-Ichijô
1036 - 1045	Go-Suzaku
1045 - 1068	Go-Reizei
1067 - 1072	Go-Sanjô		Died 1073.
1072 - 1086	Shirakawa		First 'cloistered' emperor (1086-1129).
1086 - 1129	Shirakawa becomes the first cloistered emperor when he 'retires' to a monastery in 1086, but in fact continues to exert considerable influence over his successor (all cloistered emperors below are shown in red, while their 'influenced' successors are shown with a shaded background).
1086 - 1107	Horikawa
1107 - 1123	Toba		Cloistered emperor (1129-1156).
1123 - 1141	Sutoku		Son. Died 1156.
1141 - 1155	Konoye		Brother. Died aged 17 with no heir.
1155 - 1158	Go-Shirakawa		Brother. Cloistered emperor (1158-1179 & 1180-1192).
1159 - 1165	Nijô		m.daughter of Toba.
1166 - 1168	Rokujô		Died 1176.
1169 - 1181	Takakura		Cloistered emperor (1180-1181).
1179 - 1180	Go-Shirakawa attempts to regain direct power, but fails, so he reverts to cloistered rule.
1180 - 1185	The Taira and Minamoto clans fight a deciding war for supremacy, the Gempei War. In 1185, the Battle of Dan-no-ura sees the Taira Clan being overthrown by the Minamotos, who in 1192 become the first shoguns to govern the country.
1181 - 1183	Antoku		Died 1185.
1183 - 1198	Go-Toba		Cloistered emperor (1198-1221). Died 1239.
1199	After Shogun Yoritomo's death, quarrels for supremacy start between the bakufu of Kamakura and the imperial court in Kyoto.


Kamakura Period AD 1192 - 1333 Emperors of this period follow traditional dates which are more or less reliable. The Shoguns became the secular rulers of the country from 1192, while the Hojo Regents gained imperial power from 1203, depriving the emperor and government offices of practically all remaining power.
1199 - 1210	Tsuchimikado		Died 1231.
1203	The Hojo Regents gain power In Japan.
1211 - 1221	Juntoku		Sent into exile after being defeated. Died 1242.
1221	The quarrels for supremacy between the shoguns and the imperial court reach an end in the Jokyu War (or Incident) when the imperial army is defeated in Kyoto, and the Hojo Regents in Kamakura achieve complete control over Japan.
1221	Chukyo		Died 1234. Dethroned aged 2. Officially listed after 1870.
1222 - 1232	Go-Horikawa		Died 1234.
1233 - 1242	Shijo
1243 - 1246	Go-Saga		Died 1272.
1247 - 1259	Go-Fukakusa		Died 1304.
1260 - 1274	Kameyama		Died 1305.
1274	The first Mongol invasion is defeated through bad weather conditions, with the outnumbered Japanese facing superior and much more modern forces.
1275 - 1287	Go-Uda		Died 1324.
1281	The second Mongol invasion is again defeated through bad weather conditions.
1288 - 1298	Fushimi		Died 1217.
1299 - 1301	Go-Fushimi		Died 1336.
1302 - 1308	Go-Nijo
1309 - 1318	Hanazono		Died 1348.
1319 - 1336	Go-Daigo		Southern Court from 1336.
1333	Go-Daigo overthrows the weakened Hojo Regents.
1336	Ashikaga Takauji drives Go-Daigo out of Kyoto and two years later declares himself shogun, splitting the country between the Northern and Southern courts.


Ashikaga Period / Northern Emperors AD 1338 - 1392 The Hojo Regents were defeated by the imperial court, but almost immediately the Ashikaga Shoguns seized power and held the stronger north of Japan from Kyoto.
1336 - 1392	The Ashikaga Shoguns rule in the north until the Japanese imperial court is reunited.


Nambokucho Period / Southern Emperors AD 1338 - 1392 These emperors ruled in the southern court only, in effect from 1336 but officially from 1338, when Ashikaga Takauji declared himself Shogun. In 1392 the southern court gave in and the country was reunified.
1336 - 1338	Go-Daigo		Ruled all of Japan until 1336.
1339 - 1368	Go-Murakami
1369 - 1372	Chokei
1373 - 1392	Go-Kameyama		Died 1424.
1392	The Japanese imperial court is reunited when the southern court surrenders to the north.


Muromachi Period AD 1392 - 1573 The Muromachi Period emperors were dominated by the Ashikaga Shoguns. The period ended when the last Ashikaga shogun was driven out of the capital in Kyoto by Oba Nobunaga.
1392 - 1412	Go-Komatsu		100th Emperor of the Sun Line. Died 1433.
1413 - 1428	Shoko
1429 - 1464	Go-Hanazono		Died 1471.
1465 - 1500	Go-Tsuchimikado
1501 - 1526	Go-Kashiwabara
1527 - 1557	Go-Nara
1558 - 1586	Oogimachi		Died 1593.


Azuchi-Momoyama Period AD 1573 - 1603
1587 - 1611	Go-Yôzei		Died 1617.
1592 & 1598	Japan attempts to invade Korea twice but is defeated both times.


Edo Period AD 1603 - 1868 The Edo Period is also known as the Tokugawa Period, as the imperial court was dominated by the powerful Tokugawa S hoguns.
1612 - 1629	Go-Mi-no-o		Died 1680.
1630 - 1643	Empress Myosho		Died 1696.
1644 - 1654	Go-Komyo
1655 -1662	Go-Saiin		Died 1685.
1663 - 1686	Reigen		Died 1732.
1687 - 1709	Higashi-yama
1710 - 1735	Nakamikado		Died 1737.
1736 - 1746	Sakuramachi		Died 1750.
1746 - 1762	Momozono
1763 - 1770	Empress Go-Sakuramachi		Died 1813.
1771 - 1779	Go-Momozono
1780 - 1816	Kokaku		Died 1840.
1817 - 1846	Ninko
1847 - 1867	Komei		Died from hemorrhagic smallpox
1853	US Commodore Matthew Perry arrives with a fleet of ships on 8 July and forces Japan to end its period of isolation. This act leads shortly to the ending of the shogunate.


Modern Period AD 1868 - Present Day This period saw the formal restoration of imperial rule on 4 January 1868, ending 265 years of rule by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Strictly speaking, this consists of several periods: the Meiji Period (1868-1912), which saw Japan transform into a modern industrial nation; the Taisho and Early Showa Period (1912-1945), which saw Japan extend its power over much of China and the Pacific; and the Post-War Period. Japanese emperors were more often known by their personal names even after death than those which they were given upon their deaths, so official names are shown here in parenthesis. Inside Japan itself, such a use of personal names would be considered impolite.
1867 - 1912	Mutsuhito (Meiji)
1889	With the promulgation of the Meiji Constitution, a prime minister is selected to head a constitutional monarchy in Japan.
1904	A Japanese Protectorate exists in Korea.
1910 - 1945	Korea is annexed to Japan.
1912 - 1926	Yoshihito (Taishō)
1926 - 1989	Hirohito (Shōwa)		Renounced the divinity of the Sun Line 1947. Died of cancer.
1989 - Present	Akihito		125th Emperor of the Sun Line.
	Naruhito		Heir.

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