Emperor Seiwa ( 清和天皇 , Seiwa- tennō , May 10, 850 – January 7, 881) was the 56th emperor of Japan , according to the traditional order of succession .
90-490: Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876 . Seiwa was the fourth son of Emperor Montoku . His mother was Empress Dowager Fujiwara no Akirakeiko (明子), also called the Somedono empress (染殿后). Seiwa's mother was the daughter of Fujiwara no Yoshifusa (藤原良房), who was regent and great minister of the council of state. He was the younger half-brother of Imperial Prince Koretaka (惟喬親王; 844–897) Before his ascension to
180-640: A de facto return to conditions before the Taika Reform . Within decades of Daigo's death, the Fujiwara had absolute control over the court. By the year 1000, Fujiwara no Michinaga was able to enthrone and dethrone emperors at will. Little authority was left for traditional institutions, and government affairs were handled through the Fujiwara clan's private administration. The Fujiwara had become what historian George B. Sansom has called "hereditary dictators". Despite their usurpation of imperial authority,
270-723: A 24-piece traditional orchestra ( gagaku ) with 1,000 year-old instruments such as the koto and the shō , 30 gardeners, 25 chefs, 40 chauffeurs as well as 78 builders, plumbers and electricians. There are 30 archaeologists to protect the 895 imperial tombs. There is a silkworm breeder of the Momijiyama Imperial Cocoonery. The Emperor has four doctors on standby 24 hours a day, five men manage his wardrobe and 11 assist in Shinto rites. The Imperial Palace in Tokyo has 160 servants who maintain it. This
360-631: A certain courtier tried to ask her advice about how to write a poem to the Empress Sadako , she had to politely rebuke him because his writing was so poor. The lyrics of the modern Japanese national anthem, Kimigayo , were written in the Heian period, as was The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu , which was extremely important to the Heian court, and one of the first novels ever written. Murasaki Shikibu's contemporary and rival Sei Shōnagon's revealing observations and musings as an attendant in
450-582: A greater "organizational dynamism". The iconography of the Heian period is widely known in Japan, and depicted in various media, from traditional festivals to anime . Various festivals feature Heian dress – most notably Hinamatsuri (doll festival), where the dolls wear Heian dress, but also numerous other festivals, such as Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto (May) and Saiō Matsuri in Meiwa, Mie (June), both of which feature
540-406: A lack of a sense of Japan as a single nation. Under the early courts, when military conscription had been centrally controlled, military affairs had been taken out of the hands of the provincial aristocracy. But as the system broke down after 792, local power holders again became the primary source of military strength. The re-establishment of an efficient military system was made gradually through
630-695: A number of Imperial farms, residences and game preserves. The Imperial Household Agency administers the Shosoin Imperial Repository in Nara . The Imperial properties are all owned by the State . The Emperor can spend £150 million of public money annually. The imperial palaces are all owned and paid for by the State . Until 2003, facts about the Japanese Imperial Family's life and finances were kept secret behind
720-688: A process of trial-and-error. At that time the imperial court did not possess an army but rather relied on an organization of professional warriors composed mainly of oryoshi, which were appointed to an individual province and tsuibushi, which were appointed over imperial circuits or for specific tasks. This gave rise to the Japanese military class. Nonetheless, final authority rested with the imperial court. Shōen holders had access to manpower and, as they obtained improved military technology (such as new training methods, more powerful bows, armor, horses, and superior swords) and faced worsening local conditions in
810-408: A solid medium of economic exchange is implicitly illustrated in novels of the time. For instance, messengers were rewarded with useful objects such as an old silk kimono , rather than being paid a monetary fee. The Fujiwara rulers failed to maintain adequate police forces, which left robbers free to prey on travelers. This is implicitly illustrated in novels by the terror that night travel inspired in
900-537: A stock farm in the Chiba region. They were all transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries . Imperial property holdings were further reduced since 1947 after several handovers to the government. When Emperor Shōwa died, he left a personal fortune of £11 million in 1989. In 2017, Emperor Akihito had an estimated net worth of US$ 40 million. Currently the primary Imperial properties are
990-459: A succession struggle among his sons, two new offices were established in an effort to adjust the Taika – Taihō administrative structure. Through the new Emperor's Private Office, the emperor could issue administrative edicts more directly and with more self-assurance than before. The new Metropolitan Police Board replaced the largely ceremonial imperial guard units. While these two offices strengthened
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#17327662246591080-466: A £2 million-a-year clinic with 42 staff and 8 medical departments. An example of lavish spending is the prior redecoration of a room for £140,000 where Crown Princess Masako gave birth to Princess Aiko in 2001. Emperor Akihito spent £140,000 on building a wine cellar. It has 4,500 bottles of 11 types of white wine and seven types of red such as Chateau Mouton Rothschild (1982) and champagne Dom Perignon (1992). The Imperial properties includes
1170-772: Is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre- Meiji eras. In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Seiwa's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included: The years of Seiwa's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō . Unless otherwise noted (as BC), years are in CE / AD Imperial Consort and Regent Empress Jingū
1260-468: Is based on Vajrayana Buddhism. It was brought to Japan by the monk Kūkai . Shingon Buddhism emphasizes the use of symbols, rituals, incantations and mandalas, which gave it a wide appeal. Kūkai greatly impressed the emperors who succeeded Emperor Kammu, and also generations of Japanese, not only with his holiness but also with his poetry, calligraphy, painting, and sculpture. Both Kūkai and Saichō aimed to connect state and religion and establish support from
1350-420: Is not traditionally listed. Heian period The Heian period ( 平安時代 , Heian jidai ) 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 ). Heian ( 平安 ) means ' peace ' in Japanese. It is a period in Japanese history when
1440-475: Is partly due to demarcation rules, such as a maid who wipes a table cannot also wipe the floor. There are also separate stewards in charge of handling silverware and the crystal. The Kyoto Imperial Palace has a staff of 78 people. There are also 67 who care for the horses at the Tochigi ranch. There are scores of additional staff for the summer palaces at the beach and in the mountains. The Imperial Palace has
1530-427: Is the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world . The imperial dynasty does not have a name, therefore its direct members do not have a family name. The imperial house recognizes 126 monarchs , beginning with Emperor Jimmu (traditionally dated to 11 February 660 BCE), and continuing up to the current emperor, Naruhito . However, scholars have agreed that there is no evidence of Jimmu's existence, that
1620-596: Is the Japanese version of the Tiantai school from China, which is based on the Lotus Sutra , one of the most important sutras in Mahayana Buddhism. It was brought to Japan by the monk Saichō . An important element of Tendai doctrine was the suggestion that enlightenment was accessible to "every creature". Saichō also sought independent ordination for Tendai monks. A close relationship developed between
1710-686: Is the head of the Japanese imperial family. Article 3 and 4 of the Law for Special Exception of the Imperial House Law concerning Abdication, etc. of Emperor ( 天皇の退位等に関する皇室典範特例法 , Tennō no taii nado ni kansuru Kōshitsu Tenpan Tokureihō ) define the Emperor Emeritus ( 上皇 , jōkō ) and Empress Emerita ( 上皇后 , jōkōgō ) . Article 5 of the Imperial Household Law ( 皇室典範 , Kōshitsu Tenpan ) defines
1800-819: Is therefore numerous. Other terms used for the dynasty are also Kōka (皇家, Imperial House). Formerly the term Kyūshitsu (宮室, Palace Household) was also used under the old Imperial Constitution and the Imperial Household Law, as well as Teishitsu (帝室, Imperial Household). The Emperor The Empress The Emperor Emeritus The Empress Emerita Naruhito [REDACTED] Fumihito [REDACTED] Shigeru Ishiba ( LDP ) Second Ishiba Cabinet ( LDP – Komeito coalition ) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Fukushiro Nukaga Kōichirō Genba [REDACTED] Masakazu Sekiguchi Hiroyuki Nagahama Saburo Tokura Kazuo Ueda The emperor ( 天皇 , tennō )
1890-674: The Ritsuryō Code , this system attempted to recreate the Tang legal system in Japan, despite the "tremendous differences in the levels of development between the two countries". Despite the decline of the Taika – Taihō reforms, the imperial government was vigorous during the early Heian period. Kammu's avoidance of drastic reform decreased the intensity of political struggles, and he became recognized as one of Japan's most forceful emperors. Although Kammu had abandoned universal conscription in 792, he still waged major military offensives to subjugate
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#17327662246591980-487: The Ryōmin (良民 "Good People") numbered about 5,000 in a land of perhaps five million. One reason the samurai were able to take power was that the ruling nobility proved incompetent at managing Japan and its provinces. By the year 1000, the government no longer knew how to issue currency and money was gradually disappearing. Instead of a fully realized system of money circulation, rice was the primary unit of exchange. The lack of
2070-559: The Shinnōke of which the most senior branch Fushimi-no-miya (伏見宮) is first in the order of succession . Out of the Fushimi branch the Ōke branches split, which are the Kuni (久邇), Kaya (賀陽), Asaka (朝香), Higashikuni (東久邇) and Takeda (竹田) families as of 2024. Furthermore there are branches created from sons of the emperor who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into
2160-811: The Bank of Japan , other major Japanese banks, the Imperial Hotel and Nippon Yusen . After World War II , all of the 11 collateral branches of the Imperial Family were abolished under the Allied occupation of Japan , and the subsequent constitutional reforms imposed under Allied supervision forced those families to sell their assets to private or government owners. Staff numbers of the Imperial Household Ministry were slashed from roughly 6000 to about 1000. The Imperial Estates and
2250-585: The Chinese influences were in decline and the national culture matured. The Heian period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court , noted for its art , especially poetry and literature . Two syllabaries unique to Japan, katakana and hiragana , emerged during this time. This gave rise to Japan's famous vernacular literature, with many of its texts written by court women who were not as educated in Chinese as their male counterparts. Although
2340-667: The Chrysanthemum Throne , his personal name (his imina ) was Korehito ( 惟仁 ) , the first member of the Imperial house to be personally named "-hito" 仁 . One meaning of the character 仁 is the Confucian concept of ren . Later it has been a tradition to name the personal name of all male members of the Imperial family this way. He was also known as emperor as Mizunoo-no-mikado or Minoo-tei . Originally under
2430-517: The Emishi , possible descendants of the displaced Jōmon , living in northern and eastern Japan. After making temporary gains in 794, in 797, Kammu appointed a new commander, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro , under the title Seii Taishōgun ("Barbarian-subduing generalissimo"). By 801, the shōgun had defeated the Emishi and had extended the imperial domains to the eastern end of Honshū . Imperial control over
2520-777: The Fushimi-no-miya . The Japanese monarchy was considered to be among the wealthiest in the world until the end of World War II . Before 1911, there was no distinction between the Imperial Crown Estates and the Emperor's personal properties. When the Imperial Property Law was enacted in January 1911, two categories were established namely hereditary (crown estates) and personal property of the Imperial Family. The Imperial Household Minister had
2610-532: The Imperial House of Japan had power on the surface, the real power was in the hands of the Fujiwara clan , a powerful aristocratic family who had intermarried with the imperial family . Many emperors had mothers from the Fujiwara family. The economy mostly existed through barter and trade, while the shōen system enabled the accumulation of wealth by an aristocratic elite. Even though the Heian period
2700-548: The In-no-chō and of the rise of the military class throughout the country. Military might rather than civil authority dominated the government. A struggle for succession in the mid-twelfth century gave the Fujiwara an opportunity to regain their former power. Fujiwara no Yorinaga sided with the retired emperor in a violent battle in 1156 against the heir apparent, who was supported by the Taira and Minamoto ( Hōgen Rebellion ). In
2790-456: The Nashimoto branch in 1951, Kachō or Kwachō branch in 1970, Yamashina branch in 1987, and Kitashirakawa branch in 2018. The main Fushimi branch will become extinct upon the death of the current head, Fushimi Hiroaki (b. 1932), as he has no male offspring to succeed him; although he does not have any sons, his adoptive grandnephew has male issue who can be expected to become the head of
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2880-609: The Prince Takamado , and most recently, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Akishino , left the Imperial Family upon marriage, joining the husband's family and thus taking the surname of the husband. The living eight former imperial princesses are: Additionally, there are several people of Imperial descent in the Fushimi cadet branch ( Shinnōke ), which itself consists of a main branch and five extant sub-branches ( Ōke ). The cadet royal families lost membership in
2970-475: The Soga clan had taken control of the throne in the sixth century, the Fujiwara by the ninth century had intermarried with the imperial family , and one of their members was the first head of the Emperor's Private Office. Another Fujiwara became regent, Sesshō for his grandson, then a minor emperor and yet another was appointed Kampaku . Toward the end of the 9th century, several emperors tried but failed, to check
3060-837: The Tokyo Imperial Palace and the Kyoto Imperial Palace . The estimated landholdings are 6,810 acres (2,760 ha). The Tōgū Palace is located in the larger Akasaka Estate where numerous other Imperial Family members reside. There are privately used imperial villas in Hayama , Nasu and the Suzaki Imperial Villa in Shimoda . The Katsura Imperial Villa , Shugakuin Imperial Villa and Sentō Imperial Palace are in Kyoto . There are
3150-710: The Ukyō-ku ward of Kyoto . The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Seiwa's mausoleum . It is formally named the Minooyama no Misasagi ( 清和天皇陵 ) or Seiwa Tennō Ryō. From the site of his tomb the Emperor Seiwa is sometimes referred to as the Emperor Mizunoo ( 水尾帝 , Mizunoo-tei ) . The kami of Emperor Seiwa is venerated at the Seiwatennō-sha near the mausoleum. Kugyō ( 公卿 )
3240-474: The jūnihitoe 12-layer dress. Traditional horseback archery ( yabusame ) festivals, which date from the beginning of the Kamakura period (immediately following the Heian period) feature similar dress. < Nara period | History of Japan | Kamakura period > Imperial House of Japan The Imperial House ( 皇室 , Kōshitsu ) is the reigning dynasty of Japan , consisting of those members of
3330-473: The "Chrysanthemum Curtain." Yohei Mori (former royal correspondent for the Mainichi Shimbun and assistant professor of journalism at Seijo University) revealed details about finances of the Imperial Family in his book based on 200 documents that were published with the public information law. The Japanese Imperial Family has a staff of more than 1,000 people (47 servants per royal). This includes
3420-411: The 6-year old Emperor. He perished, but his mother survived. Takakura's other son succeeded as Emperor Go-Toba . With Yoritomo firmly established, the bakufu system that governed Japan for the next seven centuries was in place. He appointed military governors, or shugo , to rule over the provinces, and stewards, or jito to supervise public and private estates. Yoritomo then turned his attention to
3510-587: The Buddhist institutions there. Kyoto had good river access to the sea and could be reached by land routes from the eastern provinces. The early Heian period (784–967) continued Nara culture; the Heian capital was patterned on the Chinese Tang capital at Chang'an , as was Nara, but on a larger scale than Nara. Kammu endeavored to improve the Tang-style administrative system which was in use. Known as
3600-511: The Emperor's personal fortune (then estimated at $ 17.15 million in 1946, or roughly $ 270.70 million as of 2023) were transferred to state or private ownership with the exception of 6,810 acres (2,760 ha) of landholdings. The largest imperial divestments were the former imperial Kiso and Amagi forest lands in Gifu and Shizuoka prefectures, grazing lands for livestock in Hokkaido and
3690-513: The Empress' court were recorded collectively as The Pillow Book in the 990s, which revealed the quotidian capital lifestyle. The Heian period produced a flowering of poetry including works of Ariwara no Narihira , Ono no Komachi , Izumi Shikibu , Murasaki Shikibu, Saigyō and Fujiwara no Teika . The famous Japanese poem known as the Iroha (いろは), of uncertain authorship, was also written during
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3780-416: The Fujiwara after centuries of imitating Chinese forms. Vividly colored yamato-e , Japanese style paintings of court life and stories about temples and shrines became common in the mid-to-late Heian period, setting patterns for Japanese art to this day. As culture flourished, so did decentralization. Whereas the first phase of shōen development in the early Heian period had seen the opening of new lands and
3870-407: The Fujiwara presided over a period of cultural and artistic flowering at the imperial court and among the aristocracy. There was great interest in graceful poetry and vernacular literature . Two types of phonetic Japanese script: katakana , a simplified script that was developed by using parts of Chinese characters, was abbreviated to hiragana , a cursive syllabary with a distinct writing method that
3960-609: The Fujiwara, felt threatened with the loss of their lands. Go-Sanjo also established the In-no-chō [ ja ] ( 院庁 "Office of the Cloistered Emperor"), which was held by a succession of emperors who abdicated to devote themselves to behind-the-scenes governance, or insei . The In-no-chō filled the void left by the decline of Fujiwara power. Rather than being banished, the Fujiwara were mostly retained in their old positions of civil dictator and minister of
4050-425: The Fujiwara. For a time, however, during the reign of Emperor Daigo (897–930), the Fujiwara regency was suspended as he ruled directly. Nevertheless, the Fujiwara were not demoted by Daigo but actually became stronger during his reign. Central control of Japan had continued to decline, and the Fujiwara, along with other great families and religious foundations, acquired ever larger shōen and greater wealth during
4140-593: The Heian Period is considered a high point in Japanese culture that later generations have always admired. The period is also noted for the rise of the samurai class, which would eventually take power and start the feudal period of Japan. Nominally, sovereignty lay in the emperor but in fact, power was wielded by the Fujiwara nobility. However, to protect their interests in the provinces, the Fujiwara, and other noble families required guards, police and soldiers. The warrior class made steady political gains throughout
4230-433: The Heian period. During the Heian period, beauty was widely considered an important part of what made one a "good" person. In cosmetic terms, aristocratic men and women powdered their faces and blackened their teeth, the latter termed ohaguro . The male courtly ideal included a faint mustache and thin goatee , while women's mouths were painted small and red, and their eyebrows were plucked or shaved and redrawn higher on
4320-402: The Heian period. As early as 939 AD, Taira no Masakado threatened the authority of the central government, leading an uprising in the eastern province of Hitachi , and almost simultaneously, Fujiwara no Sumitomo rebelled in the west. Still, a true military takeover of the Japanese government was centuries away, when much of the strength of the government would lie within the private armies of
4410-568: The Imperial Family by the American Occupation Authorities in October 1947, as part of the abolition of collateral imperial houses and the kazoku (hereditary peerage ). However, there are still unofficial heads of the living collateral families. These are the living Kyū-Miyake ( 旧宮家 , "former Miyake") : The Higashifushimi or Komatsu collateral branch became extinct in the male line in 1922, followed by
4500-538: The Imperial Family members ( 皇族 , kōzoku ) as the Empress ( 皇后 , kōgō ) ; the Grand empress dowager ( 太皇太后 , tai-kōtaigō ) ; the Empress dowager ( 皇太后 , kōtaigō ) ; the Emperor's legitimate sons and legitimate grandsons in the legitimate male line ( 親王 , shinnō ) , and their consorts ( 親王妃 , shinnōhi ) ; the Emperor's unmarried legitimate daughters and unmarried legitimate granddaughters in
4590-470: The Imperial Grandson and the consort of the Imperial Grandson, in addition to properties held for Imperial Family members who were minors, were exempted from taxation. Up to 1921, the Imperial Crown Estates comprised 1,112,535.58 acres (450,227.18 ha). In 1921, due to the poor economic situation in Japan, 289,259.25 acres (117,059.07 ha) of crown lands (26%) were sold or transferred to
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#17327662246594680-427: The Imperial properties was estimated at ¥650 million in 1935 which is approximately US$ 195 million at prevailing exchange rates and $ 19.9 billion as of 2017 . Emperor Shōwa's personal fortune was an additional hundreds of millions of yen (estimated over $ 6 billion as of 2017 ). It included numerous family heirlooms and furnishings, purebred livestock and investments in major Japanese firms, such as
4770-514: The Japanese Misplaced Pages entries irome and kasane-no-irome ). While the Heian period was an unusually long period of peace, it can also be argued that the period weakened Japan economically and led to poverty for all but a tiny few of its inhabitants. The control of rice fields provided a key source of income for families such as the Fujiwara and was a fundamental base of their power. The aristocratic beneficiaries of Heian culture,
4860-602: The Japanese government and the private sector . In 1930, the Nagoya Detached Palace ( Nagoya Castle ) was donated to the city of Nagoya and six other imperial villas were sold or donated. In 1939, Nijō Castle was donated to the city of Kyoto . The former Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa shogunate which became an imperial palace in the Meiji Restoration , was donated to the city of Kyoto. At
4950-508: The Tendai monastery complex on Mount Hiei and the imperial court in its new capital at the foot of the mountain. As a result, Tendai emphasized great reverence for the emperor and the nation. Emperor Kammu himself was a notable patron of the otherworldly Tendai sect, which rose to great power over the ensuing centuries. Shingon is the Japanese version of the Zhenyen school from China, which
5040-471: The aristocracy, leading to the notion of "aristocratic Buddhism". Although written Chinese ( kanbun ) remained the official language of the Heian period imperial court, the introduction and widespread use of kana saw a boom in Japanese literature . Despite the establishment of several new literary genres such as the novel and narrative monogatari (物語) and essays, literacy was only common among
5130-403: The center while being bypassed in decision making. In time, many of the Fujiwara were replaced, mostly by members of the rising Minamoto clan . While the Fujiwara fell into disputes among themselves and formed northern and southern factions, the insei system allowed the paternal line of the imperial family to gain influence over the throne. The period from 1086 to 1156 was the age of supremacy of
5220-461: The city, prompting the emperor to relocate the capital a second time, to Heian. A rebellion occurred in China toward the end of the 9th century, making the political situation unstable. The Japanese missions to Tang China were suspended and the influx of Chinese exports halted, a fact which facilitated the independent growth of Japanese culture called kokufu bunka [ ja ] . Therefore,
5310-424: The court and Buddhist clergy. Poetry, in particular, was a staple of court life. Nobles and ladies-in-waiting were expected to be well versed in the art of writing poetry as a mark of their status. Every occasion could call for the writing of a verse, from the birth of a child to the coronation of an emperor, or even a pretty scene of nature. A well-written poem could easily make or break one's reputation, and often
5400-428: The court aristocracy who had become prominent provincial figures. These military families gained prestige from connections to the imperial court and court-granted military titles and access to manpower. The Fujiwara family, Taira clan, and Minamoto clan were among the most prominent families supported by the new military class. A decline in food production, the growth of the population, and competition for resources among
5490-449: The early tenth century. By the early Heian period, the shōen had obtained legal status, and the large religious establishments sought clear titles in perpetuity, waiver of taxes, and immunity from government inspection of the shōen they held. Those people who worked the land found it advantageous to transfer title to shōen holders in return for a share of the harvest. People and lands were increasingly beyond central control and taxation,
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#17327662246595580-517: The elimination of the powerful Fujiwara family, which sheltered his rebellious brother Yoshitsune. Three years later, he was appointed shōgun in Kyoto. One year before his death in 1199, Yoritomo expelled the teenaged emperor Go-Toba from the throne. Two of Go-Toba's sons succeeded him, but they would also be removed by Yoritomo's successors to the shogunate. The Heian period saw the rise of two esoteric Buddhist sects, Tendai and Shingon . Tendai
5670-433: The emperor's position temporarily, soon they and other Chinese-style structures were bypassed in the developing state. In 838 the end of the imperial-sanctioned missions to Tang China, which had begun in 630, marked the effective end of Chinese influence. Tang China was in a state of decline, and Chinese Buddhists were severely persecuted, undermining Japanese respect for Chinese institutions. Japan began to turn inward. As
5760-409: The emperors and established the shogunate in Kamakura. When Emperor Kammu moved the capital to Heian-kyō ( Kyoto ), which remained the imperial capital for the next 1,000 years, he did so not only to strengthen imperial authority but also to improve his seat of government geopolitically. Nara was abandoned after only 70 years in part due to the ascendancy of Dōkyō and the encroaching secular power of
5850-422: The end of 1935, the Imperial Court owned 3,111,965 acres (1,259,368 ha) landed estates according to official government figures. 2,599,548 acres (1,052,000 ha) of that was the Emperor's private lands. The total landholdings of the crown estates was 512,161 acres (207,264 ha). It comprised palace complexes, forest and farm lands and other residential and commercial properties. The total economic value of
5940-442: The end, the Fujiwara were destroyed, the old system of government supplanted, and the insei system left powerless as bushi took control of court affairs, marking a turning point in Japanese history. In 1159, the Taira and Minamoto clashed ( Heiji Rebellion ), and a twenty-year period of Taira ascendancy began. Taira no Kiyomori emerged as the real power in Japan following the Fujiwara's destruction, and he would remain in command for
6030-431: 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 and of the unity of the people". Other members of the imperial family perform ceremonial and social duties, but have no role in the affairs of government. The duties as an emperor are passed down the line to their male children. The Japanese monarchy
6120-417: The forehead ( hikimayu ). Women cultivated shiny, black flowing hair and a courtly woman's formal dress included a complex "twelve-layered robe" called jūnihitoe , though the actual number of layers varied. Costumes were determined by office and season, with a woman's robes, in particular, following a system of color combinations representing flowers, plants, and animals specific to a season or month, (see
6210-508: The granting of the use of lands to aristocrats and religious institutions, the second phase saw the growth of patrimonial "house governments", as in the old clan system. In fact, the form of the old clan system had remained largely intact within the great old centralized government. New institutions were now needed in the face of social, economic, and political changes. The Taihō Code lapsed, its institutions relegated to ceremonial functions. Family administrations now became public institutions. As
6300-407: The great families all led to the gradual decline of Fujiwara power and gave rise to military disturbances in the mid-tenth and eleventh centuries. Members of the Fujiwara, Taira, and Minamoto families—all of whom had descended from the imperial family—attacked one another, claimed control over vast tracts of conquered land, set up rival regimes, and generally upset the peace. The Fujiwara controlled
6390-410: The guardianship of his maternal grandfather Fujiwara no Yoshifusa , he displaced Imperial Prince Koretaka (惟喬親王) as Crown Prince . Upon the death of his father in 858, Emperor Montoku, he became Emperor at the age of 9, but the real power was held by his grandfather, Yoshifusa. The actual site of Seiwa's grave is known. The emperor is traditionally venerated at the misasagi memorial shrine in
6480-558: The legitimate male line ( 内親王 , naishinnō ) ; the Emperor's other legitimate male descendants in the third and later generations in the legitimate male line ( 王 , ō ) and their consorts ( 王妃 , ōhi ) ; and the Emperor's other unmarried legitimate female descendants in the third and later generations in the legitimate male line ( 女王 , joō ) . In English, shinnō (親王) and ō (王) are both translated as " prince " as well as shinnōhi (親王妃), naishinnō (内親王), ōhi (王妃) and joō (女王) as " princess ". After
6570-466: The main characters. The shōen system enabled the accumulation of wealth by an aristocratic elite; the economic surplus can be linked to the cultural developments of the Heian period and the "pursuit of arts". The major Buddhist temples in Heian-kyō and Nara also made use of the shōen . The establishment of branches rurally and integration of some Shinto shrines within these temple networks reflects
6660-451: The main line of the dynasty does not have a name and is referred to as Kōshitsu (皇室, imperial house), there are agnatic cadet branches which split during the course of centuries who received their own family names in order to distinguish them from the main line. They were considered a part of the imperial family (皇族 Kōzoku ), with members carrying the title "Imperial Highness", until the laws changed in 1947. The most important branches were
6750-471: The most powerful family, the Fujiwara governed Japan and determined the general affairs of state, such as succession to the throne. Family and state affairs were thoroughly intermixed, a pattern followed among other families, monasteries, and even the imperial family. Land management became the primary occupation of the aristocracy, not so much because direct control by the imperial family or central government had declined but more from strong family solidarity and
6840-493: The next 20 years. He gave his daughter Tokuko in marriage to the young emperor Takakura , who died at only 19, leaving their infant son Antoku to succeed to the throne. Kiyomori filled no less than 50 government posts with his relatives, rebuilt the Inland Sea, and encouraged trade with Song China. He also took aggressive actions to safeguard his power when necessary, including the removal and exile of 45 court officials and
6930-583: The ninth century, military service became part of shōen life. Not only the shōen but also civil and religious institutions formed private guard units to protect themselves. Gradually, the provincial upper class was transformed into a new military elite of samurai . Bushi interests were diverse, cutting across old power structures to form new associations in the tenth century. Mutual interests, family connections, and kinship were consolidated in military groups that became part of family administration. In time, large regional military families formed around members of
7020-495: The provinces was tenuous at best, however. In the ninth and tenth centuries, much authority was lost to the great families, who disregarded the Chinese-style land and tax systems imposed by the government in Kyoto. Stability came to Japan, but, even though succession was ensured for the imperial family through heredity, power again concentrated in the hands of one noble family, the Fujiwara. Following Kammu's death in 806 and
7110-515: The ranks of the court ( kuge ) or sword ( buke ) nobility. Such families are the Minamoto (源 also known as Genji), Taira (平 also known as Heishi) and Abe (安倍), as well as through in-laws the Tachibana (橘) for example. Out of these families further branches split through male descent who were also considered noble Japanese clans . The line of legitimate direct male descendants of emperors
7200-537: The razing of two troublesome temples, Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji. The Taira were seduced by court life and ignored problems in the provinces, where the Minamoto clan were rebuilding their strength. In 1183, two years after Kiyomori's death, Yoritomo Minamoto dispatched his brothers Yoshitsune and Noriyori to attack Kyoto. The Taira were routed and forced to flee, and the Empress Dowager tried to drown herself and
7290-524: The removal of 11 collateral branches from the imperial house in October 1947, the official membership of the imperial family has effectively been limited to the male-line descendants of the Emperor Taishō , excluding females who married outside the imperial family and their descendants. There are currently 16 members of the imperial family: The following family tree shows the lineage of current members of Japanese imperial family: Notes Under
7380-429: The responsibility for observing any judicial proceedings concerning Imperial holdings. According to the law, Imperial properties were only taxable if there was no conflict with the Imperial House Law. However, crown estates could only be used for public or imperially-sanctioned undertakings. Personal properties of certain members of the Imperial Family, such as Empress Dowager , the Empress, Crown Prince and Crown Princess,
7470-669: The shogunate. The entry of the warrior class into court influence was a result of the Hōgen Rebellion . At this time Taira no Kiyomori revived the Fujiwara practices by placing his grandson on the throne to rule Japan by regency. Their clan, the Taira , would not be overthrown until after the Genpei War , which marked the start of the Kamakura shogunate . The Kamakura period began in 1185 when Minamoto no Yoritomo seized power from
7560-484: The terms of the 1947 Imperial Household Law , naishinnō (imperial princesses) and joō (princesses) lose their titles and membership in the family upon marriage, unless they marry the Emperor or another male member of the imperial family. Four of the five daughters of Emperor Shōwa , the two daughters of the Prince Mikasa , the only daughter of Emperor Emeritus Akihito , the second and third daughter of
7650-447: The throne until the reign of Emperor Go-Sanjō (1068–1073), the first emperor not born of a Fujiwara mother since the ninth century. Go-Sanjo, determined to restore imperial control through strong personal rule, implemented reforms to curb Fujiwara influence. He also established an office to compile and validate estate records with the aim of reasserting central control. Many shōen were not properly certified, and large landholders, like
7740-482: The traditional narrative of the imperial family's founding is mythical, and that Jimmu is a mythical figure. Historical evidence for the first 25 emperors is scant, and they are considered mythical, but there is sufficient evidence of an unbroken agnatic line since the early 6th century. Historically, verifiable emperors of Japan start from 539 CE with Emperor Kinmei , the 29th tennō . The earliest historic written mentions of Japan were in Chinese records, where it
7830-479: Was a key part of social interaction. Almost as important was the choice of calligraphy, or handwriting, used. The Japanese of this period believed handwriting could reflect the condition of a person's soul: therefore, poor or hasty writing could be considered a sign of poor breeding. Whether the script was Chinese or Japanese, good writing and artistic skill were paramount to social reputation when it came to poetry. Sei Shōnagon mentions in her Pillow Book that when
7920-403: Was one of national peace, the government failed to effectively police the territory, leading to frequent robberies of travellers. The Heian period was preceded by the Nara period and began in 794 AD after the movement of the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto), by the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu . Kammu first tried to move the capital to Nagaoka-kyō , but a series of disasters befell
8010-668: Was referred to as Wa (倭 later 和), which later evolved into the Japanese name of Wakoku (倭國). Suishō (帥升, ca. 107 CE) was a king of Wa, the earliest Japanese monarch mentioned in Volume 85 of the Book of the Later Han from 445 CE. Further records mention the five kings of Wa (倭の五王, Wa no go ō ), of which the last one Bu of Wa is generally considered to be Emperor Yūryaku (417/18 – 479 CE). The existence of his reign has been established through modern archaeological research. While
8100-597: Was uniquely Japanese. Hiragana gave written expression to the spoken word and, with it, to the rise in Japan's famous vernacular literature, much of it written by court women who had not been trained in Chinese as had their male counterparts. Three late-tenth-century and early-11th-century women presented their views of life and romance at the Heian court in Kagerō Nikki by "the mother of Fujiwara Michitsuna ", The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon and The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu . Indigenous art also flourished under
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