Know all the Emperors of Japan - List

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Do you know all the emperors of Japan? In this article, we will share a complete list of Japanese Emperors who ruled Japan during its history. Starting from the Jimmu Period until now.

Japanese Emperors of the Pre-Yamato Period 

Let's start by looking at the Japanese Emperors of the Ancient or Pre-Yamato period. The first emperor of Japan, according to Shinto tradition, is called Jinmu. He is considered a direct descendant of sun goddess, Amaterasu.

Japanese Emperors usually received their emperor name according to their place of birth or some defining characteristic. Let's leave the list of emperors in numerical order below:

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No.ReignName (Location)Name in Kanjiname in Romaji
1st660 BC to 585 BCJimmu神武天皇Kamuyamato Iwarebiko
2nd581 BC to 549 BCSwiss綏靖天皇 Kamununa Kawa Mimi no Mikoto
3rd549 BC to 511 BCAnnei 磯城津彦玉手看尊 / 安寧天皇 Sikitsuhiko Tamatemi no Mikoto
4th510 BC to 476 BCItoku 懿徳天皇 Oho Yamatohiko Suki Tomonau no Mikoto
5th475 BC to 393 BCKosho 観松彦香殖稲尊 / 孝昭天皇 Mima Tsuhiko Kaeshine no Mikoto
6th392 BC to 291 BCKoan 孝安天皇 Oho Yamato Tarasihiko Kuniosi Hito no Mikoto
7th290 BC to 215 BCkorei 孝霊天皇 Oho Yamato Nekohiko Futoni no Mikoto
8th214 BC to 158 BCKogen 孝元天皇 Oho Yamato Nekohiko Kuni Kuro no Mikoto
9th157 BC to 98 BCKaika 開化天皇 Waka Yamato Nekohiko Oho Bibi no Mikoto
10th97 BC to 30 BCdirty 崇神天皇 Mimaki Irihiko Isatsi no Mikoto
11th29 BC to 70swinin 垂仁天皇 Ikume Irihiko Isatsi no Mikoto (alternative spelling: Ikume Iribiko Isachi no Mikoto)
12th71 to 130Keiko 景行天皇 Oho Tarasihiko Osirowake no Mikoto (alternative spelling: Oo Tarashihiko Oshiro Wake no Mikoto)
13th131 to 191seimu 成務天皇 Waka Tarasihiko (or Tarashihiko)
14th192 to 200Chuai 仲哀天皇 Tarasi Nakatsuhiko no Mikoto
15th / (Regent)169 to 269Jingo 神功天皇
15th270 to 310Ojin 応神天皇 Homuta Wake no Mikoto or Honda Wake no Mikoto
16th313 to 399Nintoku 仁徳天皇 Oho Sazaki no Mikoto
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Japanese Emperors of the Yamato Period

Below we will share a list of Emperors of Japan during the Yamato period:

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No.ReignCommon nameName in Kanjiname in Romaji
17th400 to 405richu 履中天皇 Isavo Wake no Mikoto
18th406 to 410Hanzei 反正天皇 Misu wa Wake no Mikoto
19th411 to 453ingyo 允恭天皇 Wo Atsumano Wakako no Sukune
20th453 to 456anko 安康天皇 Anahono no Mikoto
21st456 to 479Yuryaku 雄略天皇 Oho Hatsuneno no Mikoto
22nd480 to 484seinei 清寧天皇 Siraga Takehiro Kuni Osi Wakai Yamato Neko no Mikoto
23rd485 to 487Kenzo 顕宗天皇 Ohoke no Mikoto
24th488 to 498ninken 仁賢天皇 Oho Ai Azana Simano Irakko
25th498 to 506buretsu 武烈天皇 Wo Fatsuse Wakai Sazaki
26th507 to 531Keitai 継体天皇 Wo Ofu Atonohiko Fudo no Mikoto
27th531 to 536ankan 安閑天皇 Hirokuni Oshitake Kanahi no Mikoto
28th536 to 549Senka 宣化天皇 Takehi Hirokuni Oshitake no Mikoto
29th539 to 571Kimmei 钦明天皇 Amekuni Oshiharaki Hironiwa no Mikoto
30th572 to 585bidatsu 敏達天皇 Nunakura no Futotamashiki no Mikoto
31st585 to 587Yomei 用明天皇 Tachibana no Toyohi no Mikoto
32nd587 to 592Sushun 崇峻天皇 Hatsusebe no Mikoto
33rd593 to 628Suiko 推古天皇 Toyomike Kashikiyahime
34th629 to 641jomei 舒明天皇 Tamura
35th642 to 645kogyoku 皇極天皇 Takara
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Japanese Emperors of the Nara Period

Shotoku and Koken are the same person, she twice reigned as Empress of Japan. Now we will see the Japanese emperors during the Nara period.

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No.ReignCommon nameName in KanjiPersonal Name
44th715 to 724Gensho 元正天皇 Hidaka
45th724 to 749Shōmu 聖武天皇 Death
46th749 to 758Koken 孝謙天皇 abe
47th758 to 764Junnin 淳仁天皇 Hey
48th764 to 770shotoku 称徳天皇 
49th770 to 781Konin 光仁天皇 Shirakabe
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Japanese Emperors of the Heian Period

Below we will share a list of Emperors of Japan during the Heian Period:

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No.ReignNameName in KanjiPersonal Name
50th781 to 806Kammu 钦明天皇 Yamabe
51st806 to 809heizei 平城天皇 Up until
52nd809 to 823Saga 嵯峨天皇 kamino
53rd823 to 833Junna 淳和天皇 Odomo
54th833 to 850Nimmyo 仁明天皇 masara
55th850 to 858Montoku 文徳天皇 michiyasu
56th858 to 876seiwa 清和天皇 korehito
57th876 to 884Yozei 陽成天皇 Sadaakira
58th884 to 887Koko 光孝天皇 tokiyasu
59th887 to 897uda 宇多天皇 sadami
60th897 to 930daigo 醍醐天皇 Atsuhito
61st930 to 946suzaku 朱雀天皇 Yutaakira
62nd946 to 967Murakami 村上天皇 nariakira
63rd967 to 969reizei 冷泉天皇 norihira
64th969 to 984En'yu 円融天皇 Morihira
65th984 to 986Kazan 花山天皇 morosada
66th986 to 1011Ichijo 一条天皇 Yasuhito
67th1011 to 1016Sanjo 三条天皇 Okisada/Iyasada
68th1016 to 1036Go-Ichijo 後一条天皇 atsunari
69th1036 to 1045Go-Suzaku 後朱雀天皇 Atsuyoshi
70th1045 to 1068Go-Reizei 後冷泉天皇 Chikahito
71st1068 to 1073Go-Sanjo 後三条天皇 Takahito
72nd1073 to 1087Shirakawa 白河天皇 Sadahito
73rd1087 to 1107Horikawa 堀河天皇 Yoshihito
74th1107 to 1123Toba 鳥羽天皇 Munehito
75th1123 to 1142sutoku 崇徳天皇 akihito
76th1142 to 1155Konoe 近衛天皇 
77th1155 to 1158Go-Shirakawa 後白河天皇 
78th1158 to 1165Nijo 二条天皇 
79th1165 to 1168Rokujo 六条天皇 
80th1168 to 1180Takakura 高倉天皇 
81st1180 to 1185antoku 安徳天皇 
82nd1183 to 1198Go-Toba 後鳥羽天皇 
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Japanese Emperors of the Kamakura Period

Below we will share a list of Emperors of Japan during the Kamakura period:

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No.ReignNameName in Kanji
83rd1198 to 1210Tsuchimikado 土御門天皇 
84th1210 to 1221Juntoku 順徳天皇 
85th1221Chukyo 仲恭天皇 
86th1221 to 1232Go-Horikawa 後堀河天皇 
87th1232 to 1242Shijo 四条天皇 
88th1242 to 1246Go-Saga 後嵯峨天皇 
89th1246 to 1260Go-Fukakusa 後深草天皇 
90º1260 to 1274Kameyama 亀山天皇 
91st1274 to 1287Go-Uda 後宇多天皇 
92nd1287 to 1298fushimi 伏見天皇 
93rd1298 to 1301Go-Fushimi 後伏見天皇 
94th1301 to 1308Go-Nijo 後二条天皇 
95th1308 to 1318Hanazono 花園天皇 
96th1318 to 1336Go-Daigo 後醍醐天皇 
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Japanese Emperors of the Muromachi Period

In the period there was a time when Japan was divided and there were emperors of the northern court.

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No.ReignNameName in KanjiPersonal Name
971339 to 1368Go-Murakami後村上天皇noriyoshi
981368 to 1383Chokei長慶天皇Yutanari
991383 to 1392Go-Kameyama後亀山天皇Hironari
1001392 to 1412Go-Komatsu後小松天皇Motohito
1011412 to 1428Shoko称光天皇Mihito
1021428 to 1464Go-Hanazono後花園天皇Hikohito
1031464 to 1500Go-tsuchimikado後土御門天皇Fusahito
1041500 to 1526Go-Kashiwabara後柏原天皇Katsuhito
1051526 to 1557Go-Nara後奈良天皇Tomohito
1061557 to 1586Ogimachi正親町天皇michihito
1071586 to 1611Go-Yozei後陽成天皇Kazuhito
northern court



11332 to 1334Kōgon光厳天皇Kazuhito
21335 to 1348Kōmyō光明天皇Yutahito
31348 to 1351Suko崇光天皇okito
41351 to 1371Go-Kogon後光厳天皇Iyahito
51371 to 1382Go-En'yū後円融天皇Ohito
61382 to 1392Go-Kamatsu後小松天皇Motohito
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Japanese Emperors of the Edo Period

At the Edo period we had the last woman to be empress of Japan (Go-Sakuramachi). Remembering that Japan had periods without an emperor, due to wars and instabilities, where Japan was in the power of the generals during the Shogunate.

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No.ReignNameName in KanjiPersonal Name
1081611 to 1629Go-Mizunoo後水尾天皇Kotohito
1091629 to 1643Miesho明正天皇okiko
1101643 to 1654Go-Komyo後光明天皇Tsuguhito
1111654 to 1663Go-Sai後西天皇nagahito
1121663 to 1687Reigen霊元天皇satohito
1131687 to 1709Higashiyama東山天皇asahito
1141709 to 1735nakamikado中御門天皇Yasuhito
1151735 to 1747Sakuramachi桜町天皇Teruhito
1161747 to 1762Momozono桃園天皇Toohito
1171762 to 1771Go-Sakuramachi後桜町天皇toshiko
1181771 to 1779Go-Momozono後桃園天皇hidehito
1191779 to 1817Kokaku光格天皇Tomohito
1201817 to 1846ninko仁孝天皇Ayahito
1211846 to 1867komei孝明天皇Osahito
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Japanese Emperors of the Modern Period

The list below shows Japanese emperors from 1868 to the present day.

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Imperial eraOriginal namename in japaneseReignCoronationConsortBirthDeath
MeijiMutsuhito明治天皇January 3, 1868 to July 30, 1912April 7, 1868Shoken03 November 1852 Kyoto30 July 1912 (59 years old) Tokyo
TaishoYoshihito大正天皇July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926November 10, 1915stubborn31 August 1879TokyoDecember 25, 1926 (47 years old)Tokyo
showaHirohito昭和天皇December 25, 1926 to January 7, 1989November 10, 1928KojunApril 29, 1901TokyoJanuary 7, 1989 (87 years old)Tokyo
heiseiakihito平成天皇January 7, 1989 to April 30, 2019November 12, 1990michikoDecember 23, 1933 (86 years old)TokyoAT
Reiwanaruhito令和天皇May 1, 2019October 22, 2019masakoFebruary 23, 1960 (59 years old)TokyoAT
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Complete List of Shoguns of Japan

Some emperors simply assigned power to the heads of armies called Shogun. There were times in Japan when no emperor was on the throne, creating countless war crises for the country's domination.

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No.NameReign
Asuka period to Heian

1Kose on March 709 to 709
2Tajinohi no Agatamori 720 to 721
3Ōtomo no Yakamochi (c. 718–785)784 to 785
4Ki no Kosami 788 to 789
5Ōtomo no Otomaro (731–809)793 to 794
6Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (758–811)797 to 808
7Funya no Waramaro (765–823)811 to 816
8Fujiwara no Tadabumi (873–947)940 to 940
9Minamoto no Yoshinaka (1154–1184)1184 to 1184
Kamakura Shogunate

1Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199)1192 to 1199
2Minamoto no Yoriie (1182–1204)1202 to 1203
3Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192–1219)1203 to 1219
4Kujō Yoritsune (1218–1256)1226 to 1244
5Kujō Yoritsugu (1239–1256)1244 to 1252
6Prince Munetaka (1242–1274)1252 to 1266
7Prince Koreyasu (1264–1326)1266 to 1289
8Prince Hisaaki (1276–1328)1289 to 1308
9Prince Morikuni (1301–1333)1308 to 1333
Kenmu Restoration

1Prince Moriyoshi (1308–1335)1333 to 1333
2Prince Narinaga (1326–1338/1344)1335 to 1336
Ashikaga shogunate

1Ashikaga Takauji (1305–1358)1338 to 1358
2Ashikaga Yoshiakira (1330–1367)1358 to 1367
3Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358–1408)1368 to 1394
4Ashikaga Yoshimochi (1386–1428)1394 to 1423
5Ashikaga Yoshikazu (1407–1425)1423 to 1425
6Ashikaga Yoshinori (1394–1441)1429 to 1441
7Ashikaga Yoshikatsu (1434–1443)1442 to 1443
8Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436–1490)1449 to 1473
9Ashikaga Yoshihisa (1465–1489)1473 to 1489
10Ashikaga Yoshitane (1466–1523)1490 to 1493
11Ashikaga Yoshizumi (1481–1511)1494 to 1508
12Ashikaga Yoshitane (1466–1523)1508 to 1521
13Ashikaga Yoshiharu (1511–1550)1521 to 1546
14Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1536–1565)1546 to 1565
15Ashikaga Yoshihide (1538–1568)1568 to 1568
16Ashikaga Yoshiaki (1537–1597)1568 to 1573
Tokugawa Shogunate

1Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616)1603 to 1605
2Tokugawa Hidetada (1579–1632)1605 to 1623
3Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604–1651)1623 to 1651
4Tokugawa Ietsuna (1641–1680)1651 to 1680
5Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646–1709)1680 to 1709
6Tokugawa Ienobu (1662–1712)1709 to 1712
7Tokugawa Yetsugu (1709–1716)1713 to 1716
8Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684–1751)1716 to 1745
9Tokugawa Ieshige (1712–1761)1745 to 1760
10Tokugawa Ieharu (1737–1786)1760 to 1786
11Tokugawa Ienari (1773–1841)1787 to 1837
12Tokugawa Ieyoshi (1793–1853)1837 to 1853
13Tokugawa Iesada (1824–1858)1853 to 1858
14Tokugawa Iemochi (1846–1866)1858 to 1866
15Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1837–1913)1866 to 1867

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