The is the reigning

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. H ...

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 ...

, consisting of those members of the extended family of the reigning

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 ...

who undertake official and public duties. Under the present

constitution of Japan The Constitution of Japan is the supreme law of Japan. Written primarily by American civilian officials during the occupation of Japan after World War II, it was adopted on 3 November 1946 and came into effect on 3 May 1947, succeeding the Meij ...

, 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 A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, reigns as head of state for the rest of their life, or until abdication. The extent of the authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutio ...

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.

Origins and name

The imperial house recognizes 126

monarch A monarch () is a head of stateWebster's II New College Dictionary. "Monarch". Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest ...

s, beginning with Emperor Jimmu (traditionally dated to 11 February 660 BCE), and continuing up to the current emperor,

Naruhito Naruhito (born 23 February 1960) is Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne following 2019 Japanese imperial transition, the abdication of his father, Akihito, on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era. He is the 126th monarch, ...

. However, scholars have agreed that there is no evidence of Jimmu's existence, that 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 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 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 the '' Shinnōke'' of which the most senior branch Fushimi-no-miya (伏見宮) is first in the

order of succession An order, line or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated, such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.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 the ranks of the court (''

kuge The was a Japanese Aristocracy (class), aristocratic Social class, class that dominated the Japanese Imperial Court in Kyoto. The ''kuge'' were important from the establishment of Kyoto as the capital during the Heian period in the late 8th ce ...

'') or sword ('' buke'') nobility. Such families are the Minamoto (源 also known as Genji), Taira (平 also known as Heishi), 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 This is a list of Japanese clans. The old clans (''gōzoku'') mentioned in the ''Nihon Shoki'' and ''Kojiki'' lost their political power before the Heian period, during which new aristocracies and families, ''kuge'', emerged in their place. After ...

. The line of legitimate direct male descendants of emperors 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).

List of current members

Japanese Imperial Family Tree December 2024

The is the head of the Japanese imperial family. Article 3 and 4 of the define the and . Article 5 of the defines as the ; the ; the ; the , and ; the ; the and ; and the . In English, (親王) and (王) are both translated as "

prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

" as well as (親王妃), (内親王), (王妃) and (女王) as "

princess Princess is a title used by a female member of a regnant monarch's family or by a female ruler of a principality. The male equivalent is a prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for ...

". After 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: * Emperor Naruhito, the eldest son and first child of the Emperor Emeritus

Akihito Akihito (born 23 December 1933) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 1989 until 2019 Japanese imperial transition, his abdication in 2019. The era of his rule was named the Heisei era, Hei ...

and the Empress Emerita Michiko, was born in the Hospital of the Imperial Household in Tokyo on 23 February 1960. He became heir apparent upon his father's accession to the throne. Crown Prince Naruhito married Masako Owada on 9 June 1993. He ascended 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 ...

and became the 126th

emperor 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 ...

upon his father's abdication on 1 May 2019. * Empress Masako was born on 9 December 1963, the daughter of Hisashi Owada, a former vice minister of foreign affairs and former permanent representative of Japan to the United Nations. She became empress consort upon her husband's succession to the throne on 1 May 2019. ** Aiko, Princess Toshi was born on 1 December 2001, and is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. * Emperor Emeritus Akihito was born at

Tokyo Imperial Palace is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda district of the Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda ward of Tokyo and contains several buildings including the where the Emperor h ...

on 23 December 1933, the eldest son and fifth child of the Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun. He married Michiko Shōda on 10 April 1959. When his father died on 7 January 1989, Akihito became emperor of Japan. He abdicated on 30 April 2019, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Naruhito on 1 May 2019. * Empress Emerita Michiko was born in Tokyo on 20 October 1934, the eldest daughter of Hidesaburō Shōda, president and honorary chairman of Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. ** Fumihito, Crown Prince Akishino is the Emperor Emeritus' second son, the Emperor's younger brother and the current

heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...

. He was born on 30 November 1965 in the Hospital of the Imperial Household in Tokyo. His childhood title was Prince Aya. He received the title Prince Akishino and permission to start a new branch of the Imperial Family upon his marriage to Kiko Kawashima on 29 June 1990. ** Kiko, Crown Princess Akishino was born on 11 September 1966, the daughter of Tatsuhiko Kawashima, professor of economics at Gakushuin University. Crown Prince and Princess Akishino have two daughters (one of whom remains a member of the Imperial Family) and a son: *** Princess Kako of Akishino (born 29 December 1994), the second daughter of the Crown Prince Akishino. *** Prince Hisahito of Akishino (born 6 September 2006), the first male born to the Imperial Household since his father 41 years before. * Masahito, Prince Hitachi was born on 28 November 1935 at

, the second son and sixth child of the Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kojun. His childhood title was Prince Yoshi. He received the title Prince Hitachi and permission to set up a new branch of the Imperial Family on 1 October 1964, the day after his wedding. * Hanako, Princess Hitachi was born on 19 July 1940, the daughter of former Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru. The Prince and Princess Hitachi have no children. * Nobuko, Princess Tomohito of Mikasa is the widow of Prince Tomohito of Mikasa (5 January 1946 – 6 June 2012), the eldest son of the Prince and Princess Mikasa and a first cousin once removed of Emperor Naruhito. Princess Tomohito was born on 9 April 1955, the daughter of Takakichi Asō, chairman of Asō Cement Co., and his wife, Kazuko, a daughter of former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida. She has two daughters with the late Prince Tomohito of Mikasa: ** Princess Akiko of Mikasa (born 20 December 1981) ** Princess Yōko of Mikasa (born 25 October 1983) * Hisako, Princess Takamado is the widow of Norihito, Prince Takamado (29 December 1954 – 21 November 2002), the third son and the youngest child of the Prince and Princess Mikasa and a first cousin once removed of Emperor Naruhito. The Princess Takamado was born on 10 July 1953, the eldest daughter of Shigejiro Tottori. She married the Prince Takamado on 6 December 1984. Originally known as Prince Norihito of Mikasa, he received the title Prince Takamado and permission to start a new branch of the Imperial Family on 1 December 1984. The Princess Takamado has three daughters, one of whom remains a member of the Imperial Family: ** Princess Tsuguko of Takamado (born 6 March 1986)

Family tree

The following family tree shows the lineage of current members of Japanese imperial family:

Notes * Numbers in brackets indicate places in the line of succession. * Boldface indicates living individuals listed as members of the imperial family. * Italics indicate princesses who left the Imperial Family upon their marriage. * Dashed lines indicate married couples. * Dagger (†) indicates deceased individuals.

Living former members

Under the terms of the 1947 Imperial Household Law, (imperial princesses) and (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 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 eight living former imperial princesses are: * Atsuko Ikeda (born 7 March 1931), fourth daughter and fourth child of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun, surviving elder sister of Emperor Emeritus Akihito. * Takako Shimazu (born 2 March 1939), fifth daughter and youngest child of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun, younger sister of Emperor Emeritus Akihito. * Yasuko Konoe (born 26 April 1944), eldest daughter and eldest child of the Prince and Princess Mikasa. * Masako Sen (born 23 October 1951), second daughter and fourth child of the Prince and Princess Mikasa. * Sayako Kuroda (born 18 April 1969), third child and only daughter of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, younger sister of Emperor Naruhito. * Noriko Senge (born 22 July 1988), second daughter of the Prince and Princess Takamado. * Ayako Moriya (born 15 September 1990), third daughter and youngest child of the Prince and Princess Takamado. * Mako Komuro (born 23 October 1991), first daughter and eldest child of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino.

The Imperial House of Japan today is limited to the agnatic descendants of Emperor Taishō. Emperor Taishō was the only son of
Emperor Meiji , posthumously honored as , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the List of emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession, reigning from 1867 until his death in 1912. His reign is associated with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ...
, who was the sole surviving son of
Emperor Kōmei Osahito (22 July 1831 – 30 January 1867), posthumously honored as Emperor Kōmei, was the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the List of Emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')孝明天皇 ...
. Emperor Kōmei had likewise been the only surviving biological son of Emperor Kōkaku. As a result, the present Imperial House also descends solely from Emperor Kōkaku through an unbroken line of only sons, each being the sole surviving male heir of his predecessor. Even when tracing the lineage further back to Emperor Higashiyama, all other biological branches have either become extinct or were severed from the Imperial Family due to adoption into other noble houses, such as the Takatsukasa. Thus, since the late eighteenth century, the Japanese imperial succession has been sustained by an exceptionally narrow and fragile line of descent. However, in 1817, Prince Fushimi Kuniie was adopted by Emperor Kōkaku as his son. Through this adoption, Prince Kuniie became a full member of the imperial family (shinnō), with the same status as a natural-born son of the emperor. Consequently, the Fushimi-no-miya house, descended from Prince Kuniie, forms the closest collateral line to the main imperial lineage. In Japanese law and custom, adoption fully replaced previous blood ties, meaning that an adopted son was integrated into his new family as if born into it, with all rights of inheritance and succession. Historically, the imperial family often sustained its agnatic line through such adoptions from other imperial branches. This would be later banned in 1889. Emperor Kōkaku himself came from a cadet branch of the imperial family. He was originally the son of Prince Kan'in Sukehito of the Kan'in-no-miya line. His uncle, Prince Atsushi (later Takatsukasa Sukehira), was adopted into the Takatsukasa family, one of the Five Regent Houses (go-sekke). Although this adoption transferred new imperial blood into the Takatsukasa line, it did not confer succession rights to the throne. Adoption into a noble house effectively severed a person's ties to the imperial family for purposes of succession. As a result, despite their descent from an imperial prince, the Takatsukasa family was never considered part of the imperial succession. When the first iteration of the Kan'in-no-miya line became extinct upon the death of its fifth head, Prince Kan'in Naruhito, in 1842, the house was formally treated as extinct. This decision persisted despite the existence of surviving biological descendants of the Kan'in-no-miya; the Takatsuka line; and also Prince Kyōjin, the brother of Naruhito, who had been adopted by Emperor Kōkaku. This house would be later revived by Kotohito, sixth Prince Kan'in who was posthumously adopted by Naruhito, fifth Prince Kan'in and thus Prince Kan'in Kotohito was treated as its 6th head. Originally, Miyake itself were formed when members of the imperial line, specifically, male-line descendants of the Emperor who, while belonging to the imperial family, did not inherit the throne, were granted portions of the imperial estates. These estates became their personal holdings, and at the same time, they were bestowed the title of miya, often derived from the geographic location of their new estates. However, under normal circumstances, many of these houses were ephemeral, disappearing within a few generations. A significant shift occurred in 1428 when Emperor Shōkō died without an heir. In response, Emperor Go-Hanazono, a member of Fushimi-no-miya, ascended the throne. Recognizing the urgent necessity of ensuring dynastic continuity, an imperial decree designated the Fushimi-no-miya house as the "Hereditary Imperial Prince" (永代宮家 ). Under this system, successors to the Fushimi-no-miya title would be adopted into the imperial family by the reigning emperor or retired emperor and conferred the status of imperial princes (shinnō). Should the main imperial line become extinct, they would be poised to assume the throne. This institutional arrangement came to be known as the "hereditary imperial prince families" (Seshū Shinnōke (世襲親王家)), with three additional houses, Katsura-no-miya, Arisugawa-no-miya, and Kan'in-no-miya, later established to fortify this structure. Even at the end of the Edo period, the Fushimi-no-miya family was treated as virtually equivalent to the emperor himself, often referred to simply as "Fushimi-dono." It was universally understood that the principal collateral branches, from which imperial heirs could arise, descended from this house. Notably, Prince Asahiko (also known as Nakagawa-no-miya) emerged as a figure of profound influence, serving as a trusted confidant and political adviser to Emperor Kōmei. During the Boshin War, Prince Kōgen of Rinnoji barricaded himself within Kan'ei-ji Temple during the Battle of Ueno and, according to some theories, was even enthroned symbolically as the so-called "Tōbu Emperor," representing the resistance alliance of northern domains (Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei). During the period surrounding the Meiji Restoration, several Fushimi-no-miya members, including Prince Sadayoshi (the 19th head) and Prince Kuniie (the 20th and 23rd heads), renounced priestly life and reentered the secular world, founding new miyake. Initially, these new houses were intended to be temporary, limited to a single generation. However, given Emperor Meiji’s initial lack of male offspring, and the frail health of his only adult son, Prince Yoshihito (later Emperor Taishō), there emerged an acute concern for the survival of the imperial line. Emperor Meiji, thus, strongly advocated for the permanent continuation of these newly formed imperial houses. The Imperial House Law (Kōshitsu Tenpan) of 1889 enshrined the system of permanent collateral branch families. However, succession within these houses was strictly limited to direct descendants; adoption across houses was prohibited. Consequently, the Katsura-no-miya line, having become extinct, was abolished; the Kan'in-no-miya line had earlier been merged back into the Fushimi-no-miya lineage; and the Arisugawa-no-miya line was abolished in 1913. By the early Taishō period, with the exception of the emperor's immediate family, nearly all collateral imperial houses traced their lineage to Fushimi-no-miya. As a result, these houses came to be collectively known as the "Fushimi-no-miya Imperial Family." The interconnection of these houses deepened further when four daughters of Emperor Meiji married into the Kitashirakawa-no-miya, Takeda-no-miya, Asaka-no-miya, and Higashikuni-no-miya houses. However, with Emperor Taishō successfully reaching adulthood and fathering four healthy sons, the crisis of succession abated. Consequently, from the late Taishō era onward, expansion of the collateral houses was deliberately restrained, and many imperial family members were ultimately demoted to commoner status pursuant to specific regulations on "descent to commoner status" (kōzoku no heiminka). In the modern era, influenced by the restoration of imperial rule and modeled on European aristocratic norms, male members of the imperial family were required to serve in the military and contribute to the national polity. Under the Imperial Family Status Ordinance (Kōshitsu Seido), many members of the Fushimi-no-miya lineage took up military roles. Which might've contributed with their abolition by the American Occupation Authorities in October 1947.

Family Tree

Applying European principles of primogeniture, the Imperial House of Japan would be composed of the following. * Sadafusa, third Prince of Fushimi-no-miya. The most recent common ancestor in the paternal line of the current Imperial family and its former collateral branches. ** Five Emperors, Emperor Go-Hanazono, Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado, Emperor Go-Kashiwabara,

Emperor Go-Nara was the 105th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from June 9, 1526, until his death in 1557, during the Sengoku period of the Muromachi period, Muromachi Bakufu. His personal name was Tomohito (知仁) ...

, and Emperor Ōgimachi, each producing only a single heir, a reigning successor. The others were sent away to monasteries as cloistered imperial princes. *** Prince Masahito **** Emperor Go-Yōzei ***** Emperor Go-Mizunoo ****** Emperor Go-Kōmyō. No son. ****** Emperor Go-Sai ******* Arisugawa-no-miya starting in 1667 with the Yukihito, third Prince of Arisugawa. Extinct in 1716 with the death of his son, Tadahito, fourth Prince of Arisugawa. The house continued on with adoption to 1913. ****** Emperor Reigen ******* Emperor Higashiyama ******** Emperor Nakamikado, Emperor Sakuramachi, Emperor Momozono, and Emperor Go-Momozono. Extinct in 1779 with the death of Emperor Go-Momozono. Also had Empress Go-Sakuramachi between Emperor Momozono and Emperor Go-Momozono. ******** Naohito,first Prince Kan'in ********* Takatsukasa family. Descended from Takatsukasa Sukehira. Agnatic descendants still extant. It forms one of the Kobetsu Sekke, three of Five Regent Houses, which were established during the Edo period by male members of the imperial family through adoption and succession, and their male descendants. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ********* Sukehito, second Prince Kan'in ********** Kan'in-no-miya. Extinct in 1842. Descended from Haruhito, third Prince Kan'in. Formally extinct in 1842 with the death of Naruhito, fifth Prince Kan'in. However, his brother Prince Kyōjine, who had been adopted by Emperor Kōkaku, remained alive until 1851. The house continued on with adoption to 1988. ********** Imperial Family. Descended from Emperor Kōkaku who was adopted by Emperor Go-Momozono. Here descended the Emperor Emeritus Heisei, Emperor Reiwa, Crown Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito of Akishino, and Prince Masahito of Hitachi ******* Kyōgoku-no-miya starting with the adoption of Ayahito, seventh Prince of Kyōgoku, in 1696. Extinct 1770 with the death of Kinhito, ninth Prince of Kyōgoku. The house continued on with adoption until 1881. ******* Arisugawa-no-miya starting with the adoption of Yorihito, fifth Prince of Arisugawa, in 1716. Extinct with the death of Prince Arisugawa Takehito in 1913. ***** Konoe family. Descended from Konoe Nobuhiro. Agnatic descendants still extant. It forms one of the Kobetsu Sekke, three of Five Regent Houses, which were established during the Edo period by male members of the imperial family through adoption and succession, and their male descendants. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ***** Ichijō family. Descended from Ichijō Akiyoshi. Agnatic descendants still extant. It forms one of the Kobetsu Sekke, three of Five Regent Houses, which were established during the Edo period by male members of the imperial family through adoption and succession, and their male descendants. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. **** Hachijōnomiya. Descended from Toshihito, the first Prince. Extinct 1662 with the death of his son, the second Prince. The house continued on with adoption with name changes until 1881. ***** Hirotada clan of the Masayoshino Genji. Founded by the first Prince's second son, Hirotada Tadayuki, who was adopted away. His death in 1669 without issue made the Hirotada clan no longer associated with the Imperial Family, unlike the Kobetsu Sekke. ** Fushimi-no-miya. Descended from Sadatsune, the fourth Prince of Fushimi. *** Ando clan. Founded by the runaway son, Kunishige, of the seventh Prince. Perhaps extinct with the death of Andō Ryōō in 1637. *** 10 generations skipped up to Sadayoshi, the nineteenth prince of Fushimi. **** Fushimi-no-Miya. All descended from Kuniie, the twentieth prince of Fushimi. ***** Yamashina-no-miya. Descended from Prince Yamashina Akira. Extinct in 1987 with the death of Prince Yamashina Takehiko. His younger brother, Marquis Yoshimaro Yamashina who died in 1989 had lost his imperial status in 1920. ****** Marquis Tsukuba. Founded by Tsukuba Fujimaro in 1928. Linage extant. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Count Kashima. Founded by Kashima Hagimaro in 1928. Extinct in 1932 with his death without issue. Count Kashima would be continued with his adopted son. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Count Katsuragi. Founded by Katsuragi Shigemaro. Lineage extant. *****

Kuni-no-miya The (princely house) was the second oldest collateral branch (''ōke'') of the Imperial House of Japan, Japanese Imperial Family created from the Fushimi-no-miya, the oldest of the four branches of the imperial dynasty allowed to provide a succ ...

. Founded by

Prince Kuni Asahiko was a member of a collateral line of the Japanese imperial family who played a key role in the Meiji Restoration. Prince Asahiko was an adopted son of Emperor Ninkō and later a close advisor to Emperor Kōmei and Emperor Meiji. He was the gr ...

in 1871. Linage extant. ****** Kaya-no-miya. Founded by Prince Kaya Kuninori in 1896 as a personal title and 1900 as a collateral branch. Linage extant. ****** Marquis Kuni. Founded by Kuni Kunihisa in 1923. Extinct with his death in 1935. The title was continued on with his nephew from his younger sister. ****** Count Higashifushimi. Founded by Higashifushimi Kunihide. Linage extant. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Nashimoto-no-miya. Started with Prince Nashimoto Morimasa. Extinct with his death in 1951. Continued with adoption of Count Tatsuda. ****** Count Uji. Founded by Prince Iehiko in 1942. Linage extant. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Count Tatsuda. Founded by Prince Norihiko in 1943. Linage extant with only Tatsuta Yoshimitsu, born 1980, left. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Asaka-no-miya. Founded by Prince Yasuhiko Asaka in 1906. ****** Higashikuni-no-miya. Founded by Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni in 1906. ******* Marquis Awata. Founded by Prince Akitsune in 1940. Linage extant. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ******* Count Tarama. Founded by Prince Toshihiko in 1943. Linage extant. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ***** Kitashirakawa-no-miya. Founded by Prince Kitashirakawa Satonari in 1872. His death in the same year made him succeeded by his older brother, Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa, the second head. Extinct in 2018 with Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa's great grandson death. ****** Takeda-no-miya. Founded by Prince Takeda Tsunehisa in 1906. ****** Marquis Komatsu. Founded by Teruhisa Komatsu in 1910. Linage extant. However had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Count Futara. Founded by Count Futara Yoshiyuki, an illegitimate son of Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa. He was however recognized by

Emperor Meiji , posthumously honored as , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the List of emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession, reigning from 1867 until his death in 1912. His reign is associated with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ...

. Extinct in 1909 with his death. However the title was succeeded by his brother-in-law. ****** Count Ueno. Founded by Count Ueno Masao, also an illegitimate son of Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa. He was however recognized by

. Unclear fate to the descendants. ***** Kachō-no-miya. Founded by Prince Kachō Hirotsune in 1868. Extinct with the death of his son in 1883. The house continued on with Prince Kachō Hirotsune's grandnephew, Kachō Hironobu. ***** Fushimi-no-miya Descended from Prince Fushimi Sadanaru. The only living member is Hiroaki Fushimi who only had daughters. ****** Kachō-no-miya. Descended from Kachō Hironobu. Linage extant, however demoted to Marquis and had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ***** Count Kiyosu Ienori. Became count in 28 June 1888. Lineage extant with Ukyō, the 29th head priest of Bukkoji Temple. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ***** Kan'in-no-miya. Started by Kotohito, the sixth Prince Kan'in with his adoption by

Emperor Kōmei Osahito (22 July 1831 – 30 January 1867), posthumously honored as Emperor Kōmei, was the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the List of Emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')孝明天皇 ...

in 1872. Extinct in 1988 with the death of his son, Prince Kan'in Haruhito, the seventh Prince Kan'in. ***** Komatsu-no-miya or Higashifumi-no-miya. Started by Prince Komatsu Akihito in 1867. Extinct with his death in 1903. Restarted by his brother, Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito in the same year. Extinct again in 1922. **** Nashimoto-no-miya. Founded in 1870 by Moriosa, the first Prince of Nashimoto. Extinct with his death without issue in 1885. The house continued on with adoption to 1951. Simplified tree with extinct branches removed. * Sadafusa, third Prince of Fushimi-no-miya. The most recent common ancestor in the paternal line of the current Imperial family and its former collateral branches. **Main Line. Descended from Emperor Go-Yōzei. *** Naohito,first Prince Kan'in. Son of Emperor Higashiyama **** Takatsukasa family. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. **** Imperial Family. *** Konoe family. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. *** Ichijō family. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ** Fushimi-no-miya. Descended from Sadatsune, the fourth Prince of Fushimi. *** 10 generations skipped up to Sadayoshi, the nineteenth prince of Fushimi. **** Fushimi-no-Miya. All descended from Kuniie, the twentieth prince of Fushimi. ***** Marquis Tsukuba. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ***** Count Katsuragi. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. *****

. ****** Kaya-no-miya. ****** Count Higashifushimi. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Count Uji. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Count Tatsuda. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Asaka-no-miya. ****** Higashikuni-no-miya. ******* Marquis Awata. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ******* Count Tarama. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Takeda-no-miya. ****** Marquis Komatsu. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ****** Count Ueno. Unclear fate to the descendants. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ***** Fushimi-no-miya Descended from Prince Fushimi Sadanaru. The only living member is Hiroaki Fushimi who only had daughters. ****** Kachō-no-miya. Linage extant, however demoted to Marquis and had no right to succession to the imperial throne. ***** Count Kiyosu Ienori. Had no right to succession to the imperial throne. These cadet royal families lost membership in the Imperial Family by the American Occupation Authorities in October 1947, as part of the abolition of collateral imperial houses and the (hereditary

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes Life peer, non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted Imperial, royal and noble ranks, noble ranks. Peerages include: A ...

). Basically what remained is Fushimi cadet branch (), which itself consists of a main branch and five extant sub-branches (). There are still unofficial heads of the living collateral families. These are the living : The Kyu-miyake and the Kobetsu Sekke both still figure in the Japanese imperial succession debate.

Finances of the Imperial Family

Background

The Japanese monarchy was considered to be among the wealthiest in the world until the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. 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 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 Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother; ) is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a monarch, especially in regards to Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese monarchs in the Chines ...

, the Empress, Crown Prince and Crown Princess, 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 . In 1921, due to the poor economic situation in Japan, of crown lands (26%) were sold or transferred to the Japanese government and the

private sector The private sector is the part of the economy which is owned by private groups, usually as a means of establishment for profit or non profit, rather than being owned by the government. Employment The private sector employs most of the workfo ...

. In 1930, the Nagoya Detached Palace (

Nagoya Castle is a Japanese castle located in Nagoya, Japan. Nagoya Castle was constructed by the Owari Domain in 1612 during the Edo period on the site of an earlier castle of the Oda clan in the Sengoku period. Nagoya Castle was the heart of one of the ...

) was donated to the city of

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...

and six other imperial villas were sold or donated. In 1939, Nijō Castle was donated to the city of

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

. The former Kyoto residence of the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...

which became an imperial palace in the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

, was donated to the city of Kyoto. At the end of 1935, the Imperial Court owned landed estates according to official government figures. of that was the Emperor's private lands. The total landholdings of the crown estates was . It comprised palace complexes, forest and farm lands and other residential and commercial properties. The total economic value of the Imperial properties was estimated at ¥650 million in 1935 which is approximately US$195 million at prevailing exchange rates and $19.9 billion .(¥650 million was worth $195 million in 1935 and $19.9 billion https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/ ) Emperor Shōwa's personal fortune was an additional hundreds of millions of yen (estimated over $6 billion ). It included numerous family heirlooms and furnishings, purebred livestock and investments in major Japanese firms, such as the Bank of Japan, other major Japanese banks, the Imperial Hotel and

Nippon Yusen The , also known as NYK Line, is a Japanese shipping company. The company headquarters are located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It operates a fleet of over 820 ships, which includes container ships, Tanker (ship), tankers, bulk and woodchip carrie ...

. After

, all of the 11 collateral branches of the Imperial Family were abolished under the Allied

occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, at the war's end until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect on April 28, 1952. The occupation, led by the ...

, 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 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 of landholdings. The largest imperial divestments were the former imperial Kiso and Amagi forest lands in

Gifu is a Cities of Japan, city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. Durin ...

and Shizuoka prefectures, grazing lands for livestock in

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

and 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

had an estimated net worth of US$40 million.

Property

Currently the primary Imperial properties are the

and the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The estimated landholdings are . 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 file:TennoBeach.jpg, 250 px, ”Tenno Beach” near the Suzaki Imperial Villa , located in the Suzaki neighborhood of Shimoda, Shizuoka, Shimoda city, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan is a residence owned by the Japanese Imperial Family, and used on infr ...

in Shimoda. The Katsura Imperial Villa, Shugakuin Imperial Villa and Sentō Imperial Palace are in

. There are a number of Imperial farms, residences and game preserves. The

Imperial Household Agency The (IHA) is an agency of the government of Japan in charge of state matters concerning the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family, and the keeping of the Privy Seal of Japan, Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. From around the 8th century ...

administers the Shosoin Imperial Repository in

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...

. The Imperial properties are all owned by the

State State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Budget

The Emperor can spend £150 million of public money annually. The imperial palaces are all owned and paid for by the

. Until 2003, facts about the Japanese Imperial Family's life and finances were kept secret behind the "Chrysanthemum Curtain." Yohei Mori (former royal correspondent for the 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.

Staff

The Japanese Imperial Family has a staff of more than 1,000 people (47 servants per royal). This includes a 24-piece traditional orchestra () with 1,000 year-old instruments such as the and the , 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 , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

rites. The Imperial Palace in Tokyo has 160 servants who maintain it. This 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.

Expenditure

The Imperial Palace has 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

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 a farm which supplies

produce In American English, produce generally refers to wikt:fresh, fresh List of culinary fruits, fruits and Vegetable, vegetables intended to be Eating, eaten by humans, although other food products such as Dairy product, dairy products or Nut (foo ...

and meat for the Imperial Family. The farm costs were £3 million per year ; the emperor and his family had a monthly water bill of approximately £50,000, also . The Imperial Guard is a special over 900 strong police force that provides personal protection for the

Emperor 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 ...

and other members of the Imperial Family including their residences for £48 million per year. The Imperial Household owns and operates a fleet of Toyota Century motor vehicles, designated "Empresses", for exclusive use of the Imperial Household. In 2006, the

took delivery of the first of four bespoke Toyota Century Royals. The first of these specially prepared vehicles, Empress 1, serve as the official state car of the Emperor. Two Century Royals, Empress 3 and Empress 5, were assigned to the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

for special use by visiting dignitaries and foreign

heads of state A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

. The last, Empress 2, was built in 2008 as a hearse exclusively for imperial funerals. Despite the imperial family's extravagant expenditures, there is a limitation with travel expenses since the Emperor's entourage pays a maximum of £110 a night, regardless of the actual cost of the hotel. Hotels accept it since they regard it as an honour to host the Imperial Family. Aside from the inner court (the Emperor and Empress, and their children including the Crown Prince and Crown Princess), the civil list covers additional family members who live in imperial residences. They are not prohibited from holding jobs or running businesses. For example, Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, his wife and two daughters received £310,000 per year, but they are not well known by the Japanese public and have had few imperial duties. The real annual cost was estimated to be $325 million per year, also .

Involvement in war

World War II

Members of the imperial family, including Naruhiko, Prince Higashikuni, Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Tsuneyoshi, Prince Takeda, were involved in unethical human experimentation programs in various ways, which included authorizing, funding, supplying, and inspecting biomedical facilities. Since 1978, the Emperors of Japan (Emperor Shōwa, Akihito and Naruhito) have never visited Yasukuni Shrine due to Emperor Shōwa's displeasure over the enshrinement of convicted Class-A war criminals.

Support

A 1997 survey by

Asahi Shimbun is a Japanese daily newspaper founded in 1879. It is one of the oldest newspapers in Japan and Asia, and is considered a newspaper of record for Japan. The ''Asahi Shimbun'' is one of the five largest newspapers in Japan along with the ''Yom ...

showed that 82% of Japanese supported the continuation of the

. Polls after showed of respondents were "indifferent" towards it. The imperial system is considered a symbol of the country, it provides a sense of linkage, purpose, spiritual core, diplomatic role as ambassador and a source of tradition and stability. A small percentage argue that the imperial system is out of date, not in synchrony with the contemporary times.

Imperial standards currently in use

File:Flag of the Japanese Emperor.svg, Imperial Standard of the Emperor (''tennō'') File:Flag of the Japanese Emperor Emeritus.svg, Imperial Standard of the Emperor Emeritus (''jōkō'') File:Japan Kou(tai)gou Flag.svg, Imperial Standard of the Empress (''kōgō'') File:Flag of the Japanese Crown Prince.svg, Imperial Standard of the Crown Prince (''kōshi'') File:Japan Kouzoku Flag 16ben.svg, Imperial Standard of a member of the Imperial House

Notes

References

External links

The official website of the Imperial Household AgencyJapan Zone , The Imperial FamilyImperial family news
at

The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Imperial House Of Japan

Japanese clans Japan history-related lists Lists of Japanese people Asian royal families Royal families