were female relatives of the Japanese emperor (termed saiō) who served as High Priestesses in Kamo shrines. Saiin princesses were usually elected from royalty (内親王, naishinnō) or princess (女王, joō). In principle, Saiin remained unmarried, but there were exceptions. Some Saiin became consorts of the Emperor, called Nyōgo in Japanese. The Saiin order of priestesses existed throughout the

Heian The Japanese word Heian (平安, lit. "peace") may refer to: * Heian period, an era of Japanese history * Heian-kyō, the Heian-period capital of Japan that has become the present-day city of Kyoto * Heian series, a group of karate kata (forms) * ...

and

Kamakura period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...

s. Saiin is also the name given to the palace where the Saiin Priestesses lived and served the

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 ...

deities.

Saiin in Literature

In ''

The Tale of Genji is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...

'', a famous work of Japanese literature, there is a story about a man named Hikaru Genji who yearned for a Saiin Princess named Asagao, but Asagao maintained a platonic relationship with Genji. The 11th century story Sagoromo Monogatari tells the story of an unrequited love between the protagonist and Genji no Miya, who later becomes the Kamo Saiin.

Historical Saiin

Princess Shikishi (式子内親王)

Princess Shikishi (Shikishi Naishinnō), 3rd daughter of Emperor Go-Shirikawa and Fujiwara no Seishi, was appointed High Priestess of Kamo shrine in 1159, at the age of six. She resigned her position in 1169 due to illness. After her resignation Shikishi went on to become an accomplished poet. 399 of her poems remain in existence today.

List of Saiin

# 810-831 Princess Uchiko(有智子内親王) (807-847), daughter of

Emperor Saga was the 52nd emperor of Japan, Emperor Saga, Saganoyamanoe Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Saga's reign lasted from 809 to 823. Traditional narrative Saga was the second son of ...

# 831-833 Princess Tokiko(時子内親王) (?-847), daughter of Emperor Ninmyō # 833-850 Princess Takaiko(高子内親王) (?-866), daughter of Emperor Ninmyō # 850-857 Princess Akirakeiko(慧子内親王) (?-881), daughter of Emperor Montoku # 857-858 Princess ''Jutsushi''(述子内親王) (?-897), daughter of Emperor Montoku # 859-876 Princess ''Gishi''(儀子内親王) (?-879), daughter of Emperor Montoku # 877-880 Princess Atsuko(敦子内親王) (?-930), daughter of

Emperor Seiwa was the 56th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 清和天皇 (56)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876. Traditional narrative Seiwa was the fourth ...

# 882-887 Princess ''Bokushi''(穆子内親王) (?-903), daughter of

Emperor Kōkō was the 58th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 光孝天皇 (58)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Kōkō reigned from 884 to 887. Traditional narrative Before the emperor's ascension to the Chr ...

# 889-892 Princess Naoiko(直子女王) (?-892), daughter of Prince Korehiko # 893-902 Princess Kimiko(君子内親王) (?-902), daughter of

Emperor Uda was the 59th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 宇多天皇 (59)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Uda's reign spanned the years from 887 through 897. Traditional narrative Name and legacy Befor ...

# 903-915 Princess ''Kyōshi''(恭子内親王) (902-915), daughter of

Emperor Daigo was the 60th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 醍醐天皇 (60)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Daigo's reign spanned the years from 897 through 930. He is named after his place of burial. Gen ...

# 915-920 Princess Nobuko(宣子内親王) (902-920), daughter of

# 921-930 Princess ''Shōshi''(韶子内親王) (918-980), daughter of

# 931-967 Princess ''Enshi''(婉子内親王) (904-969), daughter of

# 968-975 Princess ''Sonshi''(尊子内親王) (966-985), daughter of Emperor Reizei # 975-1031 Princess ''Senshi''(選子内親王) (964-1035), daughter of

Emperor Murakami 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 rul ...

# 1031-1036 Princess Kaoruko(馨子内親王) (1029-1093), daughter of Emperor Go-Ichijō # 1036-1045 Princess ''Kenshi''(娟子内親王) (1032-1103), daughter of Emperor Go-Suzaku # 1046-1058 Princess ''Baishi''(禖子内親王) (1039-1096), daughter of Emperor Go-Suzaku # 1058-1069 Princess ''Shōshi''(正子内親王) (1045-1114), daughter of Emperor Go-Suzaku # 1069-1072 Princess Yoshiko(佳子内親王) (1057-1130), daughter of Emperor Go-Sanjō # 1073 Princess Atsuko(篤子内親王) (1060-1114), daughter of Emperor Go-Sanjō # 1074-1089 Princess ''Seishi''(斉子内親王), daughter of Ko-Ichijo In(Prince Atsuakira) # 1089-1099 Princess ''Reishi''(令子内親王) (1078-1144), daughter of

Emperor Shirakawa was the 72nd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 白河天皇 (72)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum T ...

# 1099-1107 Princess ''Shinshi''(禛子内親王) (1081-1156), daughter of

# 1108-1123 Princess ''Kanshi''(官子内親王) (1090-?), daughter of

# 1123-1126 Princess ''Sōshi''(悰子内親王) (1099-1162), daughter of

Emperor Horikawa was the 73rd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 堀河天皇 (73)/ref> according to the traditional List of emperors of Japan, order of succession. Horikawa's reign spanned the years from Heian period, 1087 through 1107 ...

# 1127-1132 Princess Muneko (統子内親王) (1126-1189), daughter of

Emperor Toba was the 74th Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 鳥羽天皇 (74)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Toba's reign spanned the years from 1107 through 1123. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Ch ...

# 1132-1133 Princess Yoshiko(禧子内親王) (1122-1133), daughter of

# 1133-1159 Princess ''Ishi''(怡子女王), daughter of Prince Sukehito # 1159-1169 Princess ''Shikishi''(式子内親王) (1149-1201), daughter of

Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His de jure reign spanned the years from 1155 through 1158, though arguably he effectively maintained imperial power for almost thirty-seven years through the ''in ...

# 1169-1171 Princess ''Zenshi''(僐子内親王) (1159-1171), daughter of

Emperor Nijō was the 78th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1158 through 1165. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was Morihito''- ...

# 1171 Princess ''Shōshi''(頌子内親王) (1145-1208), daughter of

# 1178-1181 Princess Noriko(範子内親王) (1177-1210), daughter of

Emperor Takakura was the 80th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1168 through 1180. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was Norihito''-s ...

# 1204-1212 Princess ''Reishi''(礼子内親王) (1200-1272), daughter of

Emperor Go-Toba was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198. This 12th-century sovereign was named after Emperor Toba, and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as "later"; ...

.Ponsonby-Fane, ''Vicititudes of Shinto,'' p. 28.

Notes

{{reflist

References