Prince Osakabe (刑部(忍壁)親王, ''Osakabe Shinnō'') (died June 2, 705) was a Japanese imperial prince who helped write the

Taihō Code The was an administrative reorganisation enacted in 703 in Japan, at the end of the Asuka period. It was historically one of the . It was compiled at the direction of Prince Osakabe, Fujiwara no Fuhito and Awata no Mahito. Nussbaum, Louis- ...

(681 A.D.), alongside Fujiwara no Fuhito. The Code was essentially an administrative reorganization, which would serve as the basis for Japan's governmental structure for centuries afterwards.

Background

Prince Osakabe was born to

Emperor Tenmu was the 40th Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 天武天皇 (40) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 53. He ascended ...

and Kajihime no Iratsume in approximately 663 A.D. According to the

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 the fifth month, on the fifth day of 679 A.D. Prince Osakabe,

Prince Kusakabe was a Japanese imperial crown prince from 681 until his death. He was the second son of Emperor Tenmu. His mother was the empress Unonosarara, today known as Empress Jitō. Kusakabe was the sole child of his mother. According to ''Nihon Shok ...

, Prince Otsu, Prince Takechi, Prince Kawashima, and Prince Shiki, all swore to Emperor Tenmu that they wouldn't engage in future succession disputes. This occurred after

ascended the throne after the Jinshin War. In the first months of 704 A.D. he,

Prince Naga Prince Naga (; d. 9 July 715) was a Japanese prince. He was the son of Emperor Tenmu and Princess Ōe, daughter of Emperor Tenji. His full brother was Prince Yuge. Career In the seventh year of Emperor Jito's rule (693) together with his ...

, Prince Toneri, and Prince Hozumi were collectively awarded two hundred households by

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 Genmei , also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 元明天皇 (43) retrieved August 22, 2013. according to the traditional order of succession. Genmei's reign spanned the years 707 through ...

. Along with Prince Kawashima, Osakabe was appointed to lead the emperor's 681 initiative, which was tasked with compiling the Imperial Chronicles and Fundamental Dicta.

Works

The ''

'' or The Chronicles of Japan, are a historiographical collection of writing composed into thirteen books covering the Japanese history from its beginning until

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 ...

was forced to relinquish her throne in 697. Prince Osakabe was a contributor to the project since its inception in the 680's. Osakabe, like many other courtiers of the time, was also a poet, and one of his poems is included in the ''

Man'yōshū The is the oldest extant collection of Japanese (poetry in Classical Japanese), compiled sometime after AD 759 during the Nara period. The anthology is one of the most revered of Japan's poetic compilations. The compiler, or the last in ...

''. The Volume III of this collection opens with a poem - written by Kakinomoto no Asomi Hitomaro - dedicated to Osakabe. Osakabe's contribution to the reforms undertaken by

included the draft of several laws and decrees based on the Chinese model. With small modifications, many of these are still valid today.

Genealogy

Parents *Father:

(天武天皇, c. 631 – October 1, 686) *Mother: Shishihito no Kajihime-no-iratsume (宍人梶媛娘), Shishihito-no-Omi Ōmaro's daughter Consort and issue(s): *Consort ('' Hi''): Princess Asuka (明日香皇女, d. 27 April 700), 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 ...

*Concubine: Unknown **First Son: Prince Yamasaki (山前王, d. 20 January 723) **Second Son: Prince Ōno (大野王, 5 August 737) **Third Son: Prince Iwata (石田王) **First Daughter: Princess Konagaya (小長谷女王, d. 11 February 767)

References

* Frederic, Louis (2002). "Japan Encyclopedia." Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. * Brown, Delmer M (1993). "Asuka and Nara Culture: Literacy, literature, and music." Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 705 deaths Year of birth unknown Taihō Code Sons of Japanese emperors {{Japan-royal-stub