Emperors & Empresses (tennō)
of Japan

See also shogunates.

The first 14 tennō in the traditional count are legendary, probably created in the 7th century CE. The traditional dates are those given in the chronicle Nihon shoki, written around 720.

The Yamato Period
Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Traditional Reign Dates
40 bce-10 ce	1	Jimmu		660–585 bce
10–20 ce	2	Suizei	son	585–549 bce
20–50	3	Annei	son	548–511 bce
50-80	4	Itoku	son	510–477 bce
80–110	5	Kōshō	son	475–393 bce
110–140	6	Kōan	son	392–291 bce
140–170	7	Kōrei	son	290–215 bce
170–200	8	Kōgen	son	214-158 bce
200–230	9	Kaika	son	157–98 bce
230–258	10	Sujin	son	97–30 bce
258–290	11	Suinan	son	29 bce–70 ce
292–322	12	Keikō	son	71 ce–130 ce
322–355	13	Seimu	son	131–191
355–362	14	Chūai	nephew	192–200

The next group are historical figures. The Nihon shoki dates are doubtful, but notice how they gradually converge with modern historians’ estimates.

Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Nihon Shoki Reign Dates	Comments
362–394	15	Ōjin	son	201–310	Jingo, 201–269
394–427	16	Nintoku	son	313–399
427–432	17	Richū	son	400–405
432–437	18	Henzei	brother	406–411
437–454	19	Ingyō	brother	412–453
454–457	20	Ankō	son	454–456
457–489	21	Yūyaku	brother	457–479
489–494	22	Seinei	son	480–484
494–497	23	Kenzō	grandson of Richū	485–487
497–504	24	Ninken	brother	488–498
504–510	25	Buretsu	son	499–506
510–527	26	Keitai	great-great-great -grandson of Ōjin	507–531
527–535	27	Ankan	son
535–539	28	Senka	brother

Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Comments
539–571	29	Kimmei 509–571	brother
572–585	30	Bidatsu 538–585	son
586–588	31	Yōmei ?–588	brother
588–592	32	Sushun ?–592	brother	Assassinated on orders of clan head Soga Umako.
593–628	33	Suiko 554–628	sister
629–641	34	Jomei 593–641	grandson of Bidatsu
642–645	35	Kōgyoku 594–661	niece	Abdicated.
645–654	36	Kōtoku 507–654	brother	645: Fujiwara clan overthrows Soga clan.
655–661	37	Saimei 594–661	restoration of Kōgyoku
661–672	38	Tenji 626–672	son of Jomei	Enthroned 668.
672	39	Kōbun 648–672	son
672–686	40	Temmu ?–686	son of Jomei	Enthroned 673.
686–697	41	Jitō 645–703	daughter of Tenji	Enthroned 690. Abdicated.
697–707	42	Mommu 683–707	grandson of Temmu

Nara Period
Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Comments
708–714	43	Gemmei 661–722	daughter of Tenji	Abdicated.
715–723	44	Genshō 680–748	sister of Mommu	Abdicated.
724–749	45	Shōmu 701–756	son of Mommu	Abdicated. Controlled successor from retirement.
749–758	46	Kōken 718–770	daughter	Abdicated.
758–764	47	Junnin 733–765	grandson of Temmu	Deposed.
765–769	48	Shōtoku 718–770	restoration of Kōken
770–781	49	Kōnin 709–782	grandson of Tenji	Abdicated.

Heian Period
Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Comments
782–806	50	Kanmu (Kashiwabara I) 737–806	son
806–809	51	Heijō (Nara I) 774–824	son	Abdicated.
810–823	52	Saga 786–842	brother	Abdicated.
824–833	53	Junna (Sai'in I) 786–840	brother	Abdicated.
834–850	54	Nimmyō (Fukakusa I) 810–850	son of Saga
851–858	55	Montoku 827–858	son
858–876	56	Seiwa (Mizuno'o) 850–881	son	Abdicated.
876–884	57	Yōzei 869–949	son	Enthroned 877. Deposed.
884–887	58	Kōkō (Komatsu) 830–887	son of Nimmyō
887–897	59	Uda 867–931	son	Abdicated.
897–930	60	Daigo 885–930	son
930–946	61	Suzaku 923–952	son	Abdicated.
946–967	62	Murakami 926–967	brother
967–969	63	Reizei 950–1011	son	Abdicated.
969–984	64	En'yū 959–991	brother	Abdicated.
984–986	65	Kazan 968–1008	son of Reizei	Abdicated.
986–1011	66	Ichijō 980–1011	son of En'yū	Abdicated.
1011–1016	67	Sanjō 976–1017	son of Reizei	Abdicated.
1016–1036	68	Go-Ichijō 1008–1036	son of Ichijō
1036–1045	69	Go-Suzaku 1009–1045	brother	Abdicated.
1045–1068	70	Go-Reizei 1025–1068	son
1068–1073	71	Go-Sanjō 1034–1073	brother	Abdicated.
1073–1087	72	Shirakawa 1053–1129	son	Abdicated.
1087–1107	73	Horikawa 1079–1107	son
1107–1123	74	Toba 1103–1156	son	Enthroned 1108. Abdicated.
1123–1142	75	Sutoku 1119–1164	son	Abdicated.
1142–1155	76	Konoe 1139–1155	brother
1155–1158	77	Go-Shirakawa 1127–1192	brother	Abdicated.
1158–1165	78	Nijō 1143–1165	son	Abdicated.
1165–1168	79	Rokujō 1164–1176	son	Abdicated.
1168–1180	80	Takakura 1161–1181	son of Go-Shirakawa	Abdicated.
1181–1183	81	Antoku 1178–1185	son	Rebels drove Antoku from the capital and installed Go-Toba.

Kamakura Period
Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Comments
1183–1198	82	Go-Toba 1180–1239	brother of Antoku	Enthroned 1184. Abdicated. Led a rebellion in retirement.
1198–1210	83	Tsuchimikado 1195–1231	son	Abdicated.
1210–1221	84	Juntoku 1197–1242	brother	Enthroned 1211. Abdicated.
1221	85	Chūkyō 1218–1234	son	Deposed.
1221–1232	86	Go-Horikawa 1212–1234	grandson of Takakura	Enthroned 1222. Abdicated.
1233–1242	87	Shijo 1231–1242	son	Enthroned 1233.
1243–1246	88	Go-Saga 1220–1272	son of Tsuchimikado	Abdicated.
1247–1259	89	Go-Fukakusa 1243–1304	son	Abdicated.
1260–1274	90	Kameyama 1249–1305	brother	Abdicated. 1274: 1st Mongol invasion.
1275–1287	91	Go-Uda 1267–1324	son	Abdicated. 1281: 2nd Mongol invasion.
1288–1298	92	Fushimi 1265–1317	son of Go-Fukakusa	Abdicated.
1299–1301	93	Go-Fushimi 1288–1336	son of Fushimi	Abdicated.
1302–1308	94	Go-Nijō 1285–1308	son of Go-Uda
1308–1318	95	Hanazono 1297–1348	son of Fushimi	Abdicated.

Yoshino Period

Southern Court
Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Comments
1318–1339	96	Go-Daigo 1288–1339	son of Go-Uda	1332: captured and exiled. 1333: escapes and returns.
1339–1368	97	Go-Murakami 1328–1368	son
1368–1383	98	Chōkei 1343–1394	son	Abdicated.
1383–1392	99	Go-Kameyama ?–1424	brother	Abdicated in favor of Go-Komatsu, thus ending the divided court.

Northern Court
Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Comments
1331–1333	N1	Kōgon 1313–1364	son of Go-Fushimi	Enthroned 1332. Deposed.
1336–1348	N2	Kōmyō 1322–1380	brother	Enthroned 1338. Abdicated.
1348–1351	N3	Sukō 1334–1398	son of Kōgon	Enthroned 1350. Abdicated.
1352–1371	N4	Go-Kōgōn 1338–1374	brother	Enthroned 1354. Abdicated.
1371–1382	N5	Go-En'yū 1359–1393	son	Enthroned 1375. Abdicated.

Muromachi Period
Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Comments
1382–1412	100	Go-Komatsu 1377–1433	son of Go-En'yū	Enthroned 1392. Abdicated.
1412–1428	101	Shōkō 1401–1428	son	Enthroned 1415.
1428–1464	102	Go-Hanazono 1419–1471	great-grandson of Sukō	Enthroned 1430. Abdicated.
1464–1500	103	Go-Tsuchimikado 1442–1500	son	Enthroned 1466.
1500–1526	104	Go-Kashiwabara 1464–1526	son	Enthroned 1521.
1526–1557	105	Go-Nara 1497–1557	son	Enthroned 1536.
1557–1586	106	Ōgimachi 1517–1593	son	Enthroned 1560. Abdicated.

Tokugawa Period
Reign Dates			Relation to Predecessor	Comments
1586–1611	107	Go-Yōzei 1572–1617	grandson of Ōgimachi	Enthroned 1587.
1611–1629	108	Go-Mizuno'o 1596–1680	son	Abdicated.
1629–1643	109	Meishō 1624–1696	daughter	Enthroned 1630. Abdicated.
1643–1654	110	Go-Kōmyō 1633–1654	brother
1655–1663	111	Go-Sai 1637–1685	brother	Enthroned 1656. Abdicated.
1663–1687	112	Reigen 1654–1732	brother	Abdicated.
1687–1709	113	Higashiyama 1675–1710	son	Abdicated.
1709–1735	114	Nakamikado 1702–1737	son	Enthroned 1710. Abdicated.
1735–1747	115	Sakuramachi 1720–1750	son	Abdicated.
1747–1762	116	Momozono 1741–1762	son
1762–1771	117	Go-Sakuramachi 1740–1813	sister	Enthroned 1763. Abdicated.
1771–1779	118	Go-Momozono 1758–1779	son of Momozono
1780–1817	119	Kōkaku 1771–1840	great-grandson of Higashiyama	Abdicated.
1817–1846	120	Ninkō 1800–1846	son
1846–1867	121	Kōmei 1831–1867	son	Enthroned 1847.

Meiji Restoration
Reign Dates				Relation to Predecessor	Comment
1867–1912	122	Meiji 明治 1868–30 July 1912	Mutsuhito 1852–1912	son	Enthroned 1868.
1912–1926	123	Taishō 大正 30 July 1912– 25 Dec 1926	Yoshihito 1879–1926	son	Enthroned 1915.
1926–1989	124	Shōwa 昭和 25 Dec 1926– 7 Jan 1989	Michinomiya Hirohito 1901–1989	son	Enthroned 1928.
1989-	125	Heisei 平成 8 Jan 1989–	Tsugu Akihito 1933-	son

Resources

Paul Yachita Tsuchihashi.
Japanese Chronological Tables from 601 to 1872 A. D.
Monumenta Nipponica monographs, number 11.
Tokyo: Monumenta Nipponica, Sophia University, 1988.

Emperors & Empresses (tennō) of Japan

Resources

Emperors & Empresses (tennō)
of Japan