Emperors of Japan

The following is a traditional list of emperors of Japan, and certain dates and details may be in dispute among Japanese historians. Even a quick perusal shows that some of the people mentioned here died at a very young age and can hardly be said to have "ruled" in any serious sense of the world. Others were overshadowed by their predecessors, who had ostensibly retired to a monastery but continued to exert influence in a process called "cloistered rule". It is nevertheless important to maintain the entire list, because the dating the reigns of emperors is the standard way of referencing Japanese history.

Although the Emperor has been a symbol of continuity with the past, the amount of power exercised by the Emperor of Japan has varied considerably across Japanese history. The emperor's role is defined by the Japanese constitution as that of a symbol of state. Succession is regulated by a law passed by the Japanese Diet. This law currently excludes females from the succession despite the historical existence of female occupants to the throne.

Legendary emperors

1 Jimmu
2 Suizei?
3 Annei?
4 Itoku?
5 Kosho?
6 Koan?
7 Korei?
8 Kogen?
9 Kaika?
10 Sujin?
11 Suinin?
12 Keiko?
13 Seimu?
14 Chuai?
15 Ojin?

Early 5th century

16 Nintoku?
17 Richu?
18 Hanzei?

Middle of the 5th century

19 Ingyo?
20 Angko?

Late 5th century

21 Yuryaku?
22 Seinei?
23 Kenzo?
24 Ninken?
25 Buretsu?

Early 6th century

26 Keitai?
27 Ankan?
28 Senka?

Clearly dated emperors and empresses

29 Kimmei? (509-571, r. 539-571)
30 Bidatsu? (538-585, r. 772-585)
31 Yomei? (?-587, r. 585-587)
32 Sushun? (?-592?, r. 587-592?)
33 Suiko? (554-628, r. 593?-628)
34 Jomei? (593?-641?, r. 629-641?)
35 Kogyoku? (594?-661, r. 642?-645?) *
36 Kotoku? (597-654?, r. 645?-654?)
37 Saimei? (594?-661, r. 655?-661) *
38 Tenji? (626-672?, r. 661-672?)
39 Kobun? (648?-672?, r. 672?)
40 Temmu? (?-686?, r. 672?-686?)
41 Jito? (645?-703?, r. 686?-697?) *
42 Mommu? (683?-707, r. 697?-707)
43 Gemmei (661-722, r. 707-715?) *
44 Gensho? (680?-748, r. 715?-724) *
45 Shomu (701-756, r. 724-749)
46 Koken? (718-770, r. 749-758) *
47 Junnin? (733?-765, r. 758-764)
48 Shotoku (718-770, r. 764-770) *
49 Konin? (709?-782, r. 770-781)
50 Kammu (737-806, r. 781-806)
51 Heizei? (774-824, r. 806-809)
52 Saga? (786-842, r. 809-823)
53 Junna? (786-840, r. 823-833)
54 Nimmyo? (810-850, r. 833-850)
55 Montoku? (827-858, r. 850-858)
56 Seiwa? (850-881?, r. 858-876?)
57 Yozei? (869-949?, r. 876?-884?)
58 Koko? (830-887?, r. 884?-887?)
59 Uda? (867-931?, r. 887?-897?)
60 Daigo? (885-930?, r. 897?-930?)
61 Suzaku? (923?-952?, r. 930?-946?)
62 Murakami? (926?-967, r. 946?-967)
63 Reizei? (950?-1011?, r. 967-969)
64 En'yu? (959?-991, r. 969-984?)
65 Kazan? (968?-1008, r. 984?-986?)
66 Ichijo? (980?-1011?, r. 986?-1011?)
67 Sanjo? (976?-1017?, r. 1011?-1016)
68 Go-Ichijo? (1008-1036?, r. 1016-1036?)
69 Go-Suzaku? (1009-1045?, r. 1036?-1045?)
70 Go-Reizei? (1025?-1068?, r. 1045?-1068?)
71 Go-Sanjo? (1034?-1073?, r. 1068?-1073?)
72 Shirakawa? (1053?-1129?, r. 1073?-1087 and cloistered rule 1086?-1129?)
73 Horikawa? (1079-1107?, r. 1087-1107?)
74 Toba? (1103?-1156, r. 1107?-1123 and cloistered rule 1129?-1156)
75 Sutoku? (1119?-1164?, r. 1123-1142)
76 Konoe? (1139-1155?, r. 1142-1155?)
77 Go-Shirakawa? (1127?-1192?, r. 1155?-1158? and cloistered rule 1158?-1192?)
78 Nijo? (1143-1165?, r. 1158?-1165?)
79 Rokujo? (1164?-1176?, r. 1165?-1168?)
80 Takakura? (1161?-1181?, r. 1168?-1180?)
81 Antoku? (1178?-1185?, r. 1180?-1185?)
82 Go-Toba? (1180?-1239?, r. 1183?-1198?)
83 Tsuchimikado? (1195?-1231?, r. 1198?-1210?)
84 Juntoku? (1197?-1242?, r. 1210?-1221)
85 Chukyo? (1218?-1234, r. 1221)
86 Go-Horikawa? (1212?-1234, r. 1221-1232)
87 Shijo? (1231?-1242?, r. 1232-1242?)
88 Go-Saga? (1220-1272?, r. 1242?-1246?)
89 Go-Fukakusa? (1243?-1304?, r. 1246?-1260?)
90 Kameyama? (1249?-1305?, r. 1260?-1274?)
91 Go-Uda? (1267?-1324?, r. 1274?-1287?)
92 Fushimi? (1265?-1317?, r. 1287?-1298?)
93 Go-Fushimi? (1288?-1336?, r. 1298?-1301?)
94 Go-Nijo? (1285?-1308?, r. 1301?-1308?)
95 Hanazono? (1297-1348, r. 1308?-1318?)
96 Go-Daigo? (1288?-1339?, r. 1318?-1339?)
97 Go-Murakami? (1328?-1368?, r. 1339?-1368?)
98 Chokei? (1343?-1394, r. 1368?-1383?)
99 Go-Kameyama? (?-1424?, r. 1383?-1392?)
Northern Ashikaga Pretender 1: Kogon? (1313?-1364, r. 1331?-1333?)
Northern Ashikaga Pretender 2: Komyo? (1322?-1380, r. 1336?-1348)
Northern Ashikaga Pretender 3: Suko? (1334?-1308?, r. 1348-1341?)
Northern Ashikaga Pretender 4: Go-Kogon? (1338?-1374?, r. 1351?-1371?)
Northern Ashikaga Pretender 5: Go-En'yu? (1359-1393?, r. 1371?-1382?)
100 Go-Komatsu? (1377?-1433?, r. 1382?-1412?)
101 Shoko? (1401?-1428?, r. 1412?-1428?)
102 Go-Hanazono? (1419?-1471, r. 1428?-1464?)
103 Go-Tsuchimikado? (1442?-1500, r. 1464?-1500)
104 Go-Kashiwabara? (1464?-1526?, r. 1500-1526?)
105 Go-Nara? (1497?-1557, r. 1526?-1557)
106 Ogimachi? (1517?-1593, r. 1557-1586?)
107 Go-Yozei? (1572-1617, r. 1586?-1611)
108 Go-Mizunoo? (1596-1680, r. 1611-1629)
109 Meisho? (1624-1696?, r. 1629-1643) *
110 Go-Komyo? (1633-1654?, r. 1643-1654?)
111 Gosai? (1637-1685, r. 1655-1663?)
112 Reigen? (1654?-1732, r. 1663?-1687)
113 Higashiyama? (1675?-1709?, r. 1687-1709?)
114 Nakamikado? (1702?-1737, r. 1709?-1735)
115 Sakuramachi? (1720-1750, r. 1735-1747)
116 Momozono? (1741-1762, r. 1747-1762)
117 Go-Sakuramachi? (1740-1813, r. 1762-1771) *
118 Go-Momozono? (1758-1759, r. 1771-1779)
119 Kokaku? (1771-1840, r. 1780-1817)
120 Ninko? (1800-1846, r. 1817-1846)
121 Komei? (1831-1867, r. 1846-1867)
122 Meiji? (1852-1912, r. 1867-1912)
123 Taisho? (1879-1926, r. 1912-1926)
124 Hirohito (1901-1989, r. 1926-1989)
125 Akihito (1937- , r. 1989-present)

* empresses

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