The empress of Japan is the title given to the wife of the
Emperor of Japan
The emperor of Japan is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...
or a female ruler in her own right. The current empress consort is
Empress Masako
is Empress of Japan as the wife of Emperor Naruhito.
Born in Tokyo, Masako was educated at Belmont High School in Massachusetts before attending Harvard College, earning a B.A., ''magna cum laude'', in economics. She also studied law at t ...
, who ascended the throne with her husband on 1 May 2019.
Empress regnant
Titles
* ''
Josei Tennō
is a Japanese term referring to an empress regnant. Unlike the title '' Kōgō'', which refers only to an empress consort, ''Josei Tennō'' only refers to a reigning empress. '' Tennō'' is the title for the Emperor; the addition of the term ...
'' (女性天皇, lit. "female heavenly emperor") or ''Jotei'' (, lit. "female emperor") – Because there is no feminine equivalent to king and emperor in East Asian languages, different titles are used for female monarchs and female consorts. ''Josei Tennō'' refers only to an
empress regnant
A queen regnant (: queens regnant) is a female monarch, equivalent in rank, title and position to a king. She reigns '' suo jure'' (in her own right) over a realm known as a kingdom; as opposed to a queen consort, who is married to a reigni ...
of Japan, and ''Jotei'' refers to an empress regnant of any countries.
* ''
Tennō'' (天皇, lit. "heavenly emperor") or ''Kōtei'' (皇帝, lit. "emperor") – Unlike European languages, in East Asia, the titles of female monarchs can also be abbreviated as "king" or "emperor", much like their male counterparts. However, to avoid confusion with male monarchs, they are usually referred to as "female king" or "female emperor".
List of empresses regnant
There were eight female imperial reigns (six empresses regnant including two who reigned twice) in Japan's early history between 593 and 770, and two more in the early modern period (
Edo period
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
). Although there were eight reigning empresses, with only one exception their successors were selected from amongst the males of the paternal Imperial bloodline. After many centuries, female reigns came to be officially prohibited only when the
Imperial Household Law
is a Japanese law that governs the line of imperial succession, the membership of the imperial family, and several other matters pertaining to the administration of the Imperial Household.
In 2017, the National Diet changed the law to enable ...
was issued in 1889 alongside the new
Meiji Constitution
The Constitution of the Empire of Japan ( Kyūjitai: ; Shinjitai: , ), known informally as the Meiji Constitution (, ''Meiji Kenpō''), was the constitution of the Empire of Japan which was proclaimed on February 11, 1889, and remained in ...
.
The eight historical empresses regnant are:
* Nukatabe,
Empress Suiko
(554 – 15 April 628) was the 33rd monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō''):
She introduced Buddhism in Japan and built many Buddhist temples, but she held the balance between Buddhism and Shintoism. Under her rule, Japan ...
(推古天皇 Suiko Tennō) was the 33rd
empress of Japan
The empress of Japan is the title given to the wife of the Emperor of Japan or a female ruler in her own right. The current empress consort is Empress Masako, who ascended the throne with her husband on 1 May 2019.
Empress regnant
Titles
* ...
from 593 until 628, according to the traditional order of succession, and the first historically attested woman to hold this position. She was the granddaughter of Tashiraga of Yamato, herself sister of the childless
Emperor Buretsu, transferring some legitimacy in succession to the throne of
Yamato
was originally the area around today's Sakurai, Nara, Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture of Japan, which became Yamato Province and by extension a Names of Japan, name for the whole of Japan.
Yamato is also the dynastic name of the ruling Imperial ...
to her husband
Emperor Keitai
(died 10 March 531) was the 26th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 継体天皇 (26)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conve ...
. Tashiraga's mother had been Kasuga of Yamato, sister of the childless
Emperor Seinei
(444 – 484) was the 22nd (possibly legendary) emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is best known for events that took place before and after his reign with an empty void left in between. These include a rebell ...
, whose own marriage with the future
Emperor Ninken
(449 – 9 September 498) was the 24th legendary emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 仁賢天皇 (24) retrieved 2013-8-30. according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's ...
had a similar effect a generation earlier. According to legends, these ladies descended from the legendary
Empress Jingū
was a Legend, legendary Japanese empress who ruled as a regent following her Emperor Chūai, husband's death in 200 AD. Both the and the (collectively known as the ''Kiki'') record events that took place during Jingū's alleged lifetime. Legen ...
, who had been ruler (since Meiji-era rewrites of history, Regent) of
Yamato
was originally the area around today's Sakurai, Nara, Sakurai City in Nara Prefecture of Japan, which became Yamato Province and by extension a Names of Japan, name for the whole of Japan.
Yamato is also the dynastic name of the ruling Imperial ...
for decades at some time in the past, probably in the mid-4th century (if she really existed), and who herself descended, according to legends, from
Amaterasu
, often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (''kami'') of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () ...
omikami, the Sun Goddess of the Japanese pantheon.
* Takara,
Empress Kōgyoku
, also known as , was the 35th and 37th monarch of Japan,Kunaichō 斉明天皇 (37)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Both her reigns were within the Asuka period.
Kōgyoku's reign spanned the years from 642 to 645. Her r ...
(皇極天皇 Kōgyoku Tennō), also Empress Saimei (斉明天皇 Saimei Tennō) was the 35th and 37th
empress of Japan
The empress of Japan is the title given to the wife of the Emperor of Japan or a female ruler in her own right. The current empress consort is Empress Masako, who ascended the throne with her husband on 1 May 2019.
Empress regnant
Titles
* ...
, initially from February 18, 642, to July 12, 645, ascending upon the death of her uncle
Emperor Jomei
was the 34th emperor of Japan,Kunaichō 斉明天皇 (34)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Jomei's reign spanned the years from 629 through 641.
Traditional narrative
Before Jomei's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, ...
(who had also been her second husband). When she abdicated, her own younger brother succeeded her. However, upon the death of the said younger brother, she reascended the throne as
Empress Saimei
The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
on February 14, 655, and ruled until her death on August 24, 661. She was succeeded by her and Emperor Jomei's son, Naka no Ōe, as
Emperor Tenji
, known first as and later as until his accession, was the 38th emperor of Japan who reigned from 668 to 671. He was the son of Emperor Jomei and Empress Kōgyoku (Empress Saimei), and his children included Empress Jitō, Empress Genmei, an ...
.
* Unonosasara,
Empress Jitō
was the 41st emperor of Japan, monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 持統天皇 (41)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession.
Jitō's reign spanned the years from Jitō period, 68 ...
(持統天皇 Jitō Tennō) was the 41st imperial ruler of Japan, and ruled from 686 until 697. The previous emperor was her uncle and husband,
Emperor Tenmu
was the 40th Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 天武天皇 (40) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 53. He ascended ...
, and she later abdicated the throne to her grandson
Emperor Monmu
was the 42nd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 文武天皇 (42) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession.
Monmu's reign spanned the years from 697 through 707.
Traditional narrative
Befo ...
.
* Ahe,
Empress Genmei
, also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 元明天皇 (43) retrieved August 22, 2013. according to the traditional order of succession. Genmei's reign spanned the years 707 through ...
(also Empress Genmyō; 元明天皇 Genmei Tennō) was the 43rd imperial ruler of Japan ruling 707–715 (died December 7, 721). She was Empress Jitō's younger half-sister and the mother of
Emperor Monmu
was the 42nd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 文武天皇 (42) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession.
Monmu's reign spanned the years from 697 through 707.
Traditional narrative
Befo ...
, who died at a young age.
* Hitaka,
Empress Genshō
was the 44th monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')元正天皇 (44)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Her reign spanned the years 715 through 724.
Genshō was the fifth of eight women to take on the ...
(元正天皇 Genshō Tennō) was the 44th monarch of Japan (715–724). She succeeded after her mother Empress Genmei and later abdicated to her nephew
Emperor Shōmu
was the 45th Emperor of Japan, emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 聖武天皇 (45)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 749, duri ...
, son of Emperor Monmu.
* Abe,
Empress Kōken
Empress Kōken (born Abe, known as Empress Shōtoku during her second reign; 718–770) was the 46th and 48th monarch of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. She was born to Crown Prince Obito (the future Emperor Shōmu) and ...
(孝謙天皇 Kōken Tennō) also Empress Shōtoku (称徳天皇 Shōtoku Tennō) was the 46th imperial ruler of Japan from 749 to 758, and the 48th from 764 to 770. Her posthumous name for her second reign (764–770) was
Empress Shōtoku. She never married and her ex-crown prince was
Prince Bunado, her first cousin twice removed, but after her death, another of her cousins ascended the throne as
Emperor Kanmu
, or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 桓武天皇 (50) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the scop ...
, who was also her brother-in-law.
* Okiko,
Empress Meishō
, posthumously honored as , was the 109th monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')明正天皇 (108)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 115. ...
(明正天皇 Meishō Tennō) was the 109th
empress of Japan
The empress of Japan is the title given to the wife of the Emperor of Japan or a female ruler in her own right. The current empress consort is Empress Masako, who ascended the throne with her husband on 1 May 2019.
Empress regnant
Titles
* ...
, reigning from December 22, 1629, to November 14, 1643. She ascended upon the abdication of her father, being the eldest surviving child of her parents (the empress,
Tokugawa Masako
, also known as Kazu-ko, was empress consort of Japan as the wife of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. Through collaboration with her parents, Oeyo and Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, she was a prominent and influential figure within the politics and culture of the E ...
, had only four daughters without surviving sons), holding priority over her younger half-brothers.
* Toshiko,
Empress Go-Sakuramachi
, posthumously honored as was the 117th monarch of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 後桜町天皇 (120)/ref>Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 1 ...
(後桜町天皇 Go-Sakuramachi Tennō) was the 117th
empress of Japan
The empress of Japan is the title given to the wife of the Emperor of Japan or a female ruler in her own right. The current empress consort is Empress Masako, who ascended the throne with her husband on 1 May 2019.
Empress regnant
Titles
* ...
, and ruled from September 15, 1762, to January 9, 1771. She abdicated in favor of her young nephew. Surviving over forty years, the retired Empress held all those decades the position of Dajo Tenno, and acted as sort of guardian of subsequent emperors.
Other than the eight historical empresses regnant, two additional empress are traditionally believed to have reigned, but historical evidence for their reigns is scant and they are not counted among the officially numbered Emperors/Empresses regnant:
*
Empress Jingū
was a Legend, legendary Japanese empress who ruled as a regent following her Emperor Chūai, husband's death in 200 AD. Both the and the (collectively known as the ''Kiki'') record events that took place during Jingū's alleged lifetime. Legen ...
r. 206–269 (Empress Consort of
Emperor Chūai
, also known as was the 14th legend, legendary Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Both the ''Kojiki'', and the ''Nihon Shoki'' (collectively known as the ''Kiki'') record events that to ...
)—not counted among the officially numbered Emperors
*
Princess Iitoyo: Imperial princess and possibly empress regnant. She was baptized as Empress Tsunuzashi in the
list of emperors of Japan.
Under
Shinto religious influence, the goddess
Amaterasu
, often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (''kami'') of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () ...
, who is of the highest rank in the ''
kami
are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
'' system, might suggest that Japan's first rulers were women.
According to the and ''
Nihon Shoki
The or , sometimes translated as ''The Chronicles of Japan'', is the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the , the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeol ...
'' chronicles in
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of years of contac ...
, the
Emperors of Japan
The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
are considered to be
direct descendants of Amaterasu.
Empress consort
Titles
* ' (皇后) – It is the title of a non-reigning
empress consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but historically she does not formally ...
. The title, still in use, is generally conferred on an emperor's wife who had given birth to the heir to the throne. The title was first awarded posthumously in 806 to the late mother of
Emperor Heizei
, also known as ''Heijō-tennō'', was the 51st emperor of Japan, Emperor Heizei, Yamamomo Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Heizei's reign lasted from 806 to 809.
Traditional nar ...
.
[Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial Family,'' p. 318.] In ancient
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, most of the empresses consort were princesses, except for
Iwa no hime (empress consort of Nintoku). After
Empress Kōmyō
(701 – 23 July 760), born Fujiwara Asukabehime (藤原 安宿媛), was the consort of Japanese Emperor Shōmu (701–756) during the Nara Period.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan,'' pp. 57-58.
Life
A member of ...
(empress consort of
Shōmu), daughters of the Fujiwara clan or other clans could become empresses consort.
* ''
Kōtaigō'' (皇太后) – Empress Mother/Empress Dowager
* ''
Tai-Kōtaigō'' (太皇太后) – Grand Empress Mother/Grand Empress Dowager
* ' (中宮) – It was a term that evolved during the
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...
; and it came to be understood as the title of the empress. For a time, ''Chūgū'' replaced ''Kōgō''; and then the titles became interchangeable.
[Nussbaum, "''Chūgū''" at .] The numbers of ''Kōgō'' varied, but there was only one ''Chūgū'' at a time.
[Ponsonby-Fane, pp. 300–302.] Originally, Chūgū (中宮) referred to the palace of the Kōgō (皇后), Kōtaigō (皇太后), or Tai-Kōtaigō (太皇太后). Until the mid-Heian Period, the emperor had only one empress consort, and the empress consort was also called Chūgū. From the time of
Emperor Ichijō
was the 66th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 一条天皇 (66)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Ichijō's reign spanned the years from 986 to 1011.
Biography
Before he ascended to the Chrysanthe ...
, when emperors had two empresses consort, one of them came to be called Kōgō and another one was called Chūgū.
* ' (准母立后) – It means individuals elevated to the rank of empress due to their position as honorary mother of the emperor. After maiden
Princess Yasuko became empress as the honorary or adoptive mother of Emperor Horikawa, maiden princesses could also become empress.
* ''Zōkō'' (贈后) – It means individuals that were given the title of empress posthumously.
* ' (上皇后) – Empress Emerita
* ' (后位) – was an ancient title for empress consort or empress dowager. The definitions were laid down in the ''
Ritsuryō
is the historical Japanese legal system, legal system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Legalism (Chinese philosophy), Chinese Legalism in Feudal Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei" (). ''Kya ...
'' code. Use during the Heian period is exemplified for example for the character
Kiritsubo Consort (桐壺更衣, ''Kiritsubo no Kōi'') in ''
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...
''. The title ''Kōi'' later gave way for ''Kōgō'' (皇后) for the empress consort to avoid confusion.
List of empresses consort
List of empresses dowager
List of grand empresses dowager
See also
*
Emperor of Japan
The emperor of Japan is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...
**
List of emperors of Japan
*
Himiko
, also known as the , was a shamaness-queen of Yamatai-koku in . Early Chinese dynastic histories chronicle tributary relations between Queen Himiko and the Cao Wei Kingdom (220–265) and record that the Yayoi period people chose her as ruler ...
*
Taiyoo
*
Imperial House of Japan
The is the reigning dynasty of Japan, consisting of those members of the extended family of the reigning emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present constitution of Japan, the emperor is "the symbol of the State ...
*
Japanese imperial succession debate
From 2001 to 2006, Japan discussed the possibility of changing the laws of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, which is currently limited to males in the male line of the Japanese imperial family.
As of June 2025, there are three people ...
*
Dayang Kalangitan
Dayang Kalangitan (Baybayin: ᜃᜎᜅᜒᜆᜈ᜔ , Filipino orthography, Abecedario: ''Cálan͠gúitán'') is a legendary figure in History of the Philippines (900-1521), early Philippine history who was said to be ''Filipino styles and honori ...
*
Kōkyū
is the section of a Japanese Imperial Palace called the where the Imperial Family and court ladies lived.
Many cultured women gathered as wives of Emperors, and court ladies, as well as the maids for these women; court officials often visited t ...
*
List of Nyoin
*
Midaidokoro
The ''midaidokoro'' (御台所) was the official wife of the ''shōgun''. During the Edo period, she resided in the ''Ōoku'' of Edo Castle and sometimes wielded considerable political power behind the scenes.
Heian period
* Miyoshi Takako, wife ...
*
List of female castellans in Japan
A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, bu ...
Notes
References
{{Authority control
Japanese empresses
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...