List of emperors of Japan

The list of emperors of Japan presents the traditional order of succession.^[1] Records of the reigns of the emperors of Japan were compiled according to the traditional Japanese calendar,^[2] and these traditional dates have been converted into the Western calendar format.

Emperors of Japan

No.	Portrait	Personal name	Reign	Posthumous name	Notes
Legendary Emperors (660 BC – 269 AD)
1		Kamu-yamato Iware-biko no Mikoto	00340660–585 BC	Emperor Jimmu 神武天皇	Traditional dates; claimed descent from the sun goddess, Amaterasu[3]
2		Kamu Nunagawamimi no Mikoto	00491581–549 BC	Emperor Suizei 綏靖天皇	Traditional dates;[4] 3rd son of Jimmu;[5] presumed legendary
3		Shikitsuhiko Tamademi no Mikoto	00451549–511 BC	Emperor Annei 安寧天皇	Traditional dates;[6] son and heir of Suizei;[5] presumed legendary
4		Oho Yamatohiko Sukitomo no Mikoto	00490510–476 BC	Emperor Itoku 懿徳天皇	Traditional dates;[6] 2nd son of Annei;[5] presumed legendary
5		Mimatsuhiko Kaeshine no Mikoto	00525475–393 BC	Emperor Kōshō 孝昭天皇	Traditional dates;[7] son and heir of Itoku;[5] presumed legendary
6		Oho Yamato Tarashihiko Kunioshi Hito no Mikoto	00608392–291 BC	Emperor Kōan 孝安天皇	Traditional dates;[8] 2nd son of Kōshō;[5] presumed legendary
7		Oho Yamato Nekohiko Futoni no Mikoto	00710290–215 BC	Emperor Kōrei 孝霊天皇	Traditional dates;[9] son and heir of Kōan;[5] presumed legendary
8		Oho Yamato Nekohiko Kuni Kuru no Mikoto	00786214–158 BC	Emperor Kōgen 孝元天皇	Traditional dates;[10] son and heir of Kōrei;[5] presumed legendary
9		Waka Yamato Nekohiko Oho Bibino no Mikoto	00843157–98 BC	Emperor Kaika 開化天皇	Traditional dates;[11] 2nd son of Kōgen;[5] presumed legendary
10		Mimaki Irihiko Inie no Mikoto	0090397–30 BC	Emperor Sujin 崇神天皇	Traditional dates;[12] first emperor of plausible historicity[13]
11		Ikume Irihiko Isachi no Mikoto	0097129 BC–AD 70	Emperor Suinin 垂仁天皇	Traditional dates[14]
12		Oho Tarashihiko Oshirowake no Mikoto	9007171–130	Emperor Keikō 景行天皇	Traditional dates[15]
13		Waka Tarashihiko	9131131–191	Emperor Seimu 成務天皇	Traditional dates[16]
14		Tarashi Nakatsuhiko no Mikoto	9192192–200	Emperor Chūai 仲哀天皇	Traditional dates[17]
0145		Okinaga Tarashihime no Mikoto	90201201–269	Empress Jingū 神功皇后	Traditional dates;[18] served as regent for Emperor Ōjin; not counted among the officially numbered Emperors
Kofun period (269–539)
15		Honda no Sumeramikoto / Ōtomowake no Mikoto / Homutawake no Mikoto	90270270–310	Emperor Ōjin 応神天皇	Traditional dates;[19] deified as Hachiman
16		Ō Sazaki no Mikoto	90313313–399	Emperor Nintoku 仁徳天皇	Traditional dates[20]
17		Isaho Wake no Mikoto	90400400–405	Emperor Richū 履中天皇	Traditional dates[21]
18		Tajihi Mizuha Wake no Mikoto	90406406–410	Emperor Hanzei 反正天皇	Traditional dates[22]
19		Wo Asazuma Wakugo no Sukune	90411411–453	Emperor Ingyō 允恭天皇	Traditional dates[23]
20		Anaho no Mikoto	90453453–456	Emperor Ankō 安康天皇	Traditional dates[24]
21		Oho Hatsuse Wakatakeru no Mikoto	90456456–479	Emperor Yūryaku 雄略天皇	Traditional dates[25]
22		Shiraka Takehiro Kuni Oshi Waka Yamato Neko no Mikoto	90480480–484	Emperor Seinei 清寧天皇	Traditional dates[26]
23		Ohoke no Mikoto	90485485–487	Emperor Kenzō 顕宗天皇	Traditional dates[27]
24		Ohoshi (Ohosu) no Mikoto/ Shimano Iratsuko	90488488–498	Emperor Ninken 仁賢天皇	Traditional dates[28]
25		Wohatsuse Wakasazaki	90498498–506	Emperor Buretsu 武烈天皇	Traditional dates[29]
26		Ōto/Hikofuto (Hikofuto no Mikoto/Ōdo no Sumera Mikoto)	90507507–531	Emperor Keitai 継体天皇	Traditional dates[30]
27		Hirokuni Oshitake Kanahi no Mikoto	90531531–535	Emperor Ankan 安閑天皇	Traditional dates[31]
28		Takeo Hirokuni Oshitate no Mikoto	90535535–539	Emperor Senka 宣化天皇	Traditional dates[32]
Asuka period (539–710)
29		Amekuni Oshiharuki Hironiwa no Sumera Mikoto	90539539–571	Emperor Kinmei 欽明天皇	Traditional dates;[33] all Emperors from Kinmei onwards are historically verifiable[34]
30		Osada no Nunakura no Futotamashiki no Mikoto	90572572–585	Emperor Bidatsu 敏達天皇	Traditional dates[35]
31		Ooe/Tachibana no Toyohi no Sumera Mikoto	90585585–587	Emperor Yōmei 用明天皇	Traditional dates[36]
32		Hatsusebe no (Wakasasagi) Mikoto	90587587–592	Emperor Sushun 崇峻天皇	Traditional dates[37]
33		Nukatabe/Toyomike Kashikiyahime	90592592–628	Empress Suiko 推古天皇	Traditional dates;[38] first non-legendary female Emperor; Prince Shotoku acted as her regent
34		Tamura (Oki Nagatarashihi Hironuka no Sumera Mikoto)	90629629–641	Emperor Jomei 舒明天皇	Traditional dates[39]
35		Takara (Ame Toyotakaraikashi Hitarashi Hime no Sumera Mikoto)	90642642–645	Empress Kōgyoku 皇極天皇	Traditional dates;[40] reigned twice
36		Karu (Ame Yorozu Toyohi no Sumera Mikoto)	90645645–654	Emperor Kōtoku 孝徳天皇	Traditional dates[41]
37		Takara (Ame Toyotakaraikashi Hitarashi Hime no Sumera Mikoto)	90655655–661	Empress Saimei 斉明天皇	Traditional dates;[42] second reign of Empress Kōgyoku
38		Katsuragi/Nakano-ooe (Ame Mikoto Hirakasuwake no Mikoto/Amatsu Mikoto Sakiwake no Mikoto)	90661661–672	Emperor Tenji 天智天皇	Traditional dates[43]
39		Ōtomo	90672672	Emperor Kōbun 弘文天皇	Traditional dates;[44] usurped by Tenmu; posthumously named (1870)
40		Ōama/Ohoshiama/Ōsama (Ame no Nunahara Oki no Mahito no Sumera Mikoto)	90672672–686	Emperor Tenmu 天武天皇	Traditional dates[45]
41		Unonosarara (Takama no Harahiro no Hime no Sumera Mikoto)	90686686–697	Empress Jitō 持統天皇	Traditional dates[46]
42		Karu (Ame no Mamune Toyoohoji no Sumera Mikoto)	90697697–707	Emperor Monmu 文武天皇	Traditional dates[47]
Nara period (710–794)
43		Ahe (Yamatoneko Amatsu Mishiro Toyokuni Narihime no Sumera Mikoto)	90707707–715	Empress Gemmei 元明天皇	Traditional dates[48]
44		Hidaka/Niinomi (Yamatoneko Takamizu Kiyotarashi Hime no Sumera Mikoto)	90715715–724	Empress Genshō 元正天皇	Traditional dates[49]
45		Obito (Ameshirushi Kunioshiharuki Toyosakurahiko no Sumera Mikoto)	90724724–749	Emperor Shōmu 聖武天皇	Traditional dates[50]
46		Abe (Yamatoneko no Sumera Mikoto)	90749749–758	Empress Kōken 孝謙天皇	Traditional dates;[51] reigned twice
47		Ōi	90758758–764	Emperor Junnin 淳仁天皇	Traditional dates[52] dethroned by Shōtoku; posthumously named (1870)
48		Abe (Yamatoneko no Sumera Mikoto)	90764764–770	Empress Shōtoku 称徳天皇	Traditional dates;[53] second reign of Empress Kōken
49		Shirakabe (Amemune Takatsugi no Mikoto)	90770770–781	Emperor Kōnin 光仁天皇	Traditional dates[54]
50		Yamabe (Yamatoneko Amatsu Hitsugi Iyaderi no Mikoto)	90781781–806	Emperor Kanmu 桓武天皇	Traditional dates[55]
Heian period (794–1185)
51		Ate (Yamatoneko Ameoshikuni Takahiko no Mikoto)	90806806–809	Emperor Heizei 平城天皇	Traditional dates[56]
52		Kamino	90809809–823	Emperor Saga 嵯峨天皇	Traditional dates[57]
53		Ōtomo	90823823–833	Emperor Junna 淳和天皇	Traditional dates[58]
54		Masara	90833833–850	Emperor Ninmyō 仁明天皇	Traditional dates[59]
55		Michiyasu	90850850–858	Emperor Montoku 文徳天皇	Traditional dates[60]
56		Korehito	90858858–876	Emperor Seiwa 清和天皇	Traditional dates[61]
57		Sadaakira	90876876–884	Emperor Yōzei 陽成天皇	Traditional dates[62]
58		Tokiyasu	90884884–887	Emperor Kōkō 光孝天皇	Traditional dates[63]
59		Sadami	90887887–897	Emperor Uda 宇多天皇	Traditional dates[64]
60		Atsuhito	90897897–930	Emperor Daigo 醍醐天皇	Traditional dates[65]
61		Yutaakira	90930930–946	Emperor Suzaku 朱雀天皇	Traditional dates[66]
62		Nariakira	90946946–967	Emperor Murakami 村上天皇	Traditional dates[67]
63		Norihira	90967967–969	Emperor Reizei 冷泉天皇	Traditional dates[68]
64		Morihira	90969969–984	Emperor En'yū 円融天皇	Traditional dates[69]
65		Morosada	90984984–986	Emperor Kazan 花山天皇	Traditional dates[70]
66		Kanehito	90986986–1011	Emperor Ichijō 一条天皇	Traditional dates[71]
67		Okisada/Iyasada	910111011–1016	Emperor Sanjō 三条天皇	Traditional dates[72]
68		Atsuhira	910161016–1036	Emperor Go-Ichijō 後一条天皇	Traditional dates[73]
69		Atsunaga/Atsuyoshi	910361036–1045	Emperor Go-Suzaku 後朱雀天皇	Traditional dates[74]
70		Chikahito	910451045–1068	Emperor Go-Reizei 後冷泉天皇	Traditional dates[75]
71		Takahito	910681068–1073	Emperor Go-Sanjō 後三条天皇	Traditional dates[76]
72		Sadahito	910731073–1087	Emperor Shirakawa 白河天皇	Traditional dates[77]
73		Taruhito	910871087–1107	Emperor Horikawa 堀河天皇	Traditional dates[78]
74		Munehito	911071107–1123	Emperor Toba 鳥羽天皇	Traditional dates[79]
75		Akihito	911231123–1142	Emperor Sutoku 崇徳天皇	Traditional dates[80]
76		Narihito	911421142–1155	Emperor Konoe 近衛天皇	Traditional dates[81]
77		Masahito	911551155–1158	Emperor Go-Shirakawa 後白河天皇	Traditional dates[82]
78		Morihito	911581158–1165	Emperor Nijō 二条天皇	Traditional dates[83]
79		Yorihito	911651165–1168	Emperor Rokujō 六条天皇	Traditional dates[84]
80		Norihito	911681168–1180	Emperor Takakura 高倉天皇	Traditional dates[84]
81		Tokihito	911801180–1185	Emperor Antoku 安徳天皇	Traditional dates[85]
Kamakura period (1185–1333)
82		Takahira	911831183–1198	Emperor Go-Toba 後鳥羽天皇	Traditional dates[86]
83		Tamehito	911981198–1210	Emperor Tsuchimikado 土御門天皇	Traditional dates[87]
84		Morihira/Morinari	912101210–1221	Emperor Juntoku 順徳天皇	Traditional dates[88]
85		Kanehira/Kanenari	912211221	Emperor Chūkyō 仲恭天皇	Traditional dates;[89] posthumously named (1870)
86		Yutahito	912211221–1232	Emperor Go-Horikawa 後堀河天皇	Traditional dates[90]
87		Mitsuhito/Toshihito	912321232–1242	Emperor Shijō 四条天皇	Traditional dates[91]
88		Kunihito	912421242–1246	Emperor Go-Saga 後嵯峨天皇	Traditional dates[92]
89		Hisahito	912461246–1260	Emperor Go-Fukakusa 後深草天皇	Traditional dates[93]
90		Tsunehito	912601260–1274	Emperor Kameyama 亀山天皇	Traditional dates[94]
91		Yohito	912741274–1287	Emperor Go-Uda 後宇多天皇	Traditional dates[95]
92		Hirohito	912871287–1298	Emperor Fushimi 伏見天皇	Traditional dates[96]
93		Tanehito	912981298–1301	Emperor Go-Fushimi 後伏見天皇	Traditional dates[97]
94		Kuniharu	913011301–1308	Emperor Go-Nijō 後二条天皇	Traditional dates[98]
95		Tomihito	913081308–1318	Emperor Hanazono 花園天皇	Traditional dates[99]
96		Takaharu	913181318–1339	Emperor Go-Daigo 後醍醐天皇	Traditional dates;[100] Southern Court
Northern Court (1331–1392)
0961		Kazuhito	913311331–1333	Emperor Kōgon 光厳天皇	Traditional dates[101]
0962		Yutahito	913361336–1348	Emperor Kōmyō 光明天皇	Traditional dates[102]
0962		Okihito	913481348–1351	Emperor Sukō 崇光天皇	Traditional dates[103]
0963		Iyahito	913521352–1371	Emperor Go-Kōgon 後光厳天皇	Traditional dates[104]
0964		Ohito	913711371–1382	Emperor Go-En'yū 後円融天皇	Traditional dates[105]
0964		Motohito	913821382–1392	Emperor Go-Komatsu 後小松天皇	Traditional dates;[106] reunified courts in 1392; see 100 below
Muromachi period and Azuchi–Momoyama period (1333–1603)
97		Norinaga/Noriyoshi	913391339–1368	Emperor Go-Murakami 後村上天皇	Traditional dates;[107] Southern Court
98		Yutanari	913681368–1383	Emperor Chōkei 長慶天皇	Traditional dates;[108] Southern Court
99		Hironari	913831383–1392	Emperor Go-Kameyama 後亀山天皇	Traditional dates;[109] Southern Court
100		Motohito	913921392–1412	Emperor Go-Komatsu 後小松天皇	Traditional dates;[110] reunified courts; see also entry in Northern Court section above
101		Mihito	914121412–1428	Emperor Shōkō 称光天皇	Traditional dates[111]
102		Hikohito	914281428–1464	Emperor Go-Hanazono 後花園天皇	Traditional dates[112]
103		Fusahito	914641464–1500	Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado 後土御門天皇	Traditional dates[113]
104		Katsuhito	915001500–1526	Emperor Go-Kashiwabara 後柏原天皇	Traditional dates[114]
105		Tomohito	915261526–1557	Emperor Go-Nara 後奈良天皇	Traditional dates[115]
106		Michihito	915571557–1586	Emperor Ōgimachi 正親町天皇	Traditional dates[116]
107		Kazuhito/Katahito	915861586–1611	Emperor Go-Yōzei 後陽成天皇	Traditional dates[117]
Edo period (1603–1867)
108		Kotohito	916111611–1629	Emperor Go-Mizunoo (Go-Minoo) 後水尾天皇	Traditional dates[118]
109		Okiko	916291629–1643	Empress Meishō 明正天皇	Traditional dates[119]
110		Tsuguhito	916431643–1654	Emperor Go-Kōmyō 後光明天皇	Traditional dates[120]
111		Nagahito	916551655–1663	Emperor Go-Sai 後西天皇	Traditional dates[121]
112		Satohito	916631663–1687	Emperor Reigen 霊元天皇	Traditional dates[122]
113		Asahito/Tomohito	916871687–1709	Emperor Higashiyama 東山天皇	Traditional dates[123]
114		Yasuhito/Yoshihito	917091709–1735	Emperor Nakamikado 中御門天皇	Traditional dates[124]
115		Teruhito	917351735–1747	Emperor Sakuramachi 桜町天皇	Traditional dates[125]
116		Toohito	917471747–1762	Emperor Momozono 桃園天皇	Traditional dates[126]
117		Toshiko	917621762–1771	Empress Go-Sakuramachi 後桜町天皇	Traditional dates[127] Last female Emperor. Abdicated; died in 1813
118		Hidehito	917711771–1779	Emperor Go-Momozono 後桃園天皇	Traditional dates[128]
119		Morohito	917801780–1817	Emperor Kōkaku 光格天皇	Traditional dates[129] Died in 1840
120		Ayahito	918171817–1846	Emperor Ninkō 仁孝天皇
121		Osahito	918461846–1867	Emperor Kōmei 孝明天皇	Last instance of an Emperor with multiple era names
Modern Japan (from 1867)
122		Mutsuhito	918671867–1912	Emperor Meiji 明治天皇	The first Emperor of the Empire of Japan
123		Yoshihito	919121912–1926	Emperor Taishō 大正天皇	Crown Prince Hirohito served as Sesshō (摂政; "Regent") 1921–1926
124		Hirohito	919261926–1989	Emperor Shōwa 昭和天皇	Served as Sesshō (摂政; "Regent") 1921–1926. The last Emperor of the Empire of Japan
125		Akihito	919891989–2019	—	Abdicated at the end of 30 April 2019, first to abdicate in over 200 years. Referred to as Jōkō (上皇) in Japanese, and as "Emperor Emeritus" in English. He will be known as "Emperor Heisei" (平成天皇) posthumously.
126		Naruhito	920192019–present	—	Ascended on 1 May 2019. Referred to as Kinjō Tennō (今上天皇; "the Reigning Emperor") or Tennō Heika (天皇陛下; "His Majesty the Emperor") in Japanese, and as "Emperor Naruhito" in English. He will be known as "Emperor Reiwa" (令和天皇) posthumously.[130]

Related pages

• Japanese imperial family tree
• Line of succession to the Japanese throne