was a Japanese imperial

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

from 681 until his death. He was the second son of

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 ...

. His mother was the empress Unonosarara, today known as

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 ...

. Kusakabe was the sole child of his mother. According to ''

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 ...

'', in 681 he was appointed the crown prince. In the summer of 686 his father, Emperor Temmu, fell ill and gave the imperial authority to his wife Empress Jitō and the crown prince Kusakabe. After the death of his father, he surprisingly did not ascend to the

Chrysanthemum Throne The is the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term also can refer to very specific seating, such as the throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace. Various other thrones or seats that are used by the Emperor during official functions ...

. He led the funeral ceremony and the construction of Emperor Temmu's tomb but before the coronation, he died in 689 at the age of 28. He was posthumously titled . The location of Prince Kusakabe's tomb is uncertain. Some suppose it to be in

Takatori, Nara 270px, Takatori panorama 270px, Tosa kaido in Takatori is a town located in Takaichi District, Nara Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 6,081 in 2820 households, and a population density of 240 persons per km2. The tota ...

. Prince Kusakabe married his paternal cousin and maternal aunt, Princess Abe, the daughter of

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 ...

. They had at least three children, Prince Karu, Princess Hidaka and Princess Kibi. After his death, his mother Empress Jitō ascended to the throne. Later, Karu and Hidaka reigned as

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 ...

and

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 ...

. Asakura clan claimed to be from his lineage.

Family

Parents *Father:

(天武天皇, c. 631 – 1 October 686) *Mother:

(持統天皇, 645 – 13 January 703), Emperor Tenji’s daughter *Wife: Princess Abe/Ahe (阿閇皇女) later Empress Genmei,

's daughter **Princess Hidaka (氷高皇女) later Empress Gensho, first daughter **Prince Karu (珂瑠/軽) later

, first son **Daughter: Imperial Princess Kibi (吉備内親王, 686–729), Wife of

Prince Nagaya Nagaya ( ') (684 – 20 March 729) was a politician of the Nara period and an imperial prince of Japan, a son of Prince Takechi (grandson of Emperor Tenmu). His father was Prince Takechi and his mother Princess Minabe (a daughter of Emperor ...

, second daughter

Ancestry

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kusakabe, Prince Japanese heirs apparent who never acceded 662 births 689 deaths Man'yō poets Sons of Japanese emperors Sons of empresses regnant