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.
Table of Contents
Japanese Emperors of the Pre-Yamato Period
Let's start by looking at the Japanese emperors of the ancient period or Pre-Yamato period. The first emperor of Japan, according to Shinto tradition, is called Jinmu. He is considered a direct descendant of the 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:
Nº | Years | Local | Kanji | Name |
1º | 660 a.C. - 585 a.C. | Jimmu | 神武天皇 | Kamuyamato Iwarebiko |
2º | 581 a.C. - 549 a.C. | Suizei | 綏靖天皇 | Kamununa Kawa Mimi no Mikoto |
3º | 549 a.C. - 511 a.C. | Annei | 磯城津彦玉手看尊 / 安寧天皇 | Sikitsuhiko Tamatemi no Mikoto |
4º | 510 a.C. - 476 a.C. | Itoku | 懿徳天皇 | Oho Yamatohiko Suki Tomonau no Mikoto |
5º | 475 a.C. - 393 a.C. | Koshō | 観松彦香殖稲尊 / 孝昭天皇 | Mima Tsuhiko Kaeshine no Mikoto |
6º | 392 a.C. - 291 a.C. | Koan | 孝安天皇 | Oho Yamato Tarasihiko Kuniosi Hito no Mikoto |
7º | 290 a.C. - 215 a.C. | Korei | 孝霊天皇 | Oho Yamato Nekohiko Futoni no Mikoto |
8º | 214 a.C. - a.C. | Kogen | 孝元天皇 | Oho Yamato Nekohiko Kuni Kuro no Mikoto |
9º | 157 a.C. - 98 a.C. | Kaika | 開化天皇 | Waka Yamato Nekohiko Oho Bibi no Mikoto |
10º | 97 a.C. - 30 a.C. | Sujin | 崇神天皇 | Mimaki Irihiko Isatsi no Mikoto |
11º | 29 a.C. - 70 | Suinin | 垂仁天皇 | Ikume Irihiko Isatsi no Mikoto |
12º | 71 - 130 | Keikō | 景行天皇 | Oho Tarasihiko Osirowake no Mikoto |
13º | 131 - 191 | Seimu | 成務天皇 | Waka Tarasihiko |
14º | 192 - 200 | Chuai | 仲哀天皇 | Tarasi Nakatsuhiko no Mikoto |
15º/ (Regente) | 169 - 269 | Jingo | 神功天皇 | |
15º | 270 - 310 | Ojin | 応神天皇 | Homuta Wake no Mikoto ou Honda Wake no Mikoto |
16º | 313 - 399 | Nintoku | 仁徳天皇 | Oho Sazaki no Mikoto |
Japanese Emperors of the Yamato Period
Below we will share a list of emperors of Japan during the Yamato Period:
Nº | Time | Name | Kanji Name | Romaji |
17º | 400 - 405 | Richu | 履中天皇 | Isavo Wake no Mikoto |
18º | 406 - 410 | Hanzei | 反正天皇 | Misu wa Wake no Mikoto |
19º | 411 - 453 | Ingyo | 允恭天皇 | Wo Atsumano Wakako no Sukune |
20º | 453 - 456 | Anko | 安康天皇 | Anahono no Mikoto |
21º | 456 - 479 | Yuryaku | 雄略天皇 | Oho Hatsuneno no Mikoto |
22º | 480 - 484 | Seinei | 清寧天皇 | Siraga Takehiro Kuni Osi Wakai Yamato Neko no Mikoto |
23º | 485 - 487 | Kenzo | 顕宗天皇 | Ohoke no Mikoto |
24º | 488 - 498 | Ninken | 仁賢天皇 | Oho Ai Azana Simano Irakko |
25º | 498 - 506 | Buretsu | 武烈天皇 | Wo Fatsuse Wakai Sazaki |
26º | 507 - 531 | Keitai | 継体天皇 | Wo Ofu Atonohiko Fudo no Mikoto |
27º | 531 - 536 | Ankan | 安閑天皇 | Hirokuni Oshitake Kanahi no Mikoto |
28º | 536 - 549 | Senka | 宣化天皇 | Takehi Hirokuni Oshitake no Mikoto |
29º | 539 - 571 | Kimmei | 钦明天皇 | Amekuni Oshiharaki Hironiwa no Mikoto |
30º | 572 - 585 | Bidatsu | 敏達天皇 | Nunakura no Futotamashiki no Mikoto |
31º | 585 - 587 | Yomei | 用明天皇 | Tachibana no Toyohi no Mikoto |
32º | 587 - 592 | Sushun | 崇峻天皇 | Hatsusebe no Mikoto |
33º | 593 - 628 | Suiko | 推古天皇 | Toyomike Kashikiyahime |
34º | 629 - 641 | Jomei | 舒明天皇 | Tamura |
35º | 642 - 645 | Kogyoku | 皇極天皇 | Takara |
Japanese Emperors of the Nara Period
Shotoku and Koken are the same person, she reigned twice as empress of Japan. Now we will see the Japanese emperors during the Nara Period.
Nº | Reinado | Nome comum | Nome em Kanji | Name |
44º | 715 - 724 | Gensho | 元正天皇 | Hidaka |
45º | 724 - 749 | Shōmu | 聖武天皇 | Obito |
46º | 749 - 758 | Koken | 孝謙天皇 | Abe |
47º | 758 - 764 | Junnin | 淳仁天皇 | Oi |
48º | 764 - 770 | Shotoku | 称徳天皇 | |
49º | 770 - 781 | Konin | 光仁天皇 | Shirakabe |
Japanese Emperors of the Heian Period
Below we will share a list of emperors of Japan during the Heian Period:
Nº | Years | Name | Kanji | Nome Pessoal |
50º | 781 - 806 | Kammu | 钦明天皇 | Yamabe |
51º | 806 - 809 | Heizei | 平城天皇 | Ate |
52º | 809 - 823 | Saga | 嵯峨天皇 | Kamino |
53º | 823 - 833 | Junna | 淳和天皇 | Odomo |
54º | 833 - 850 | Nimmyo | 仁明天皇 | Masara |
55º | 850 - 858 | Montoku | 文徳天皇 | Michiyasu |
56º | 858 - 876 | Seiwa | 清和天皇 | Korehito |
57º | 876 - 884 | Yozei | 陽成天皇 | Sadaakira |
58º | 884 - 887 | Koko | 光孝天皇 | Tokiyasu |
59º | 887 - 897 | Uda | 宇多天皇 | Sadami |
60º | 897 - 930 | Daigo | 醍醐天皇 | Atsuhito |
61º | 930 - 946 | Suzaku | 朱雀天皇 | Yutaakira |
62º | 946 - 967 | Murakami | 村上天皇 | Nariakira |
63º | 967 - 969 | Reizei | 冷泉天皇 | Norihira |
64º | 969 - 984 | En'yu | 円融天皇 | Morihira |
65º | 984 - 986 | Kazan | 花山天皇 | Morosada |
66º | 986 - 1011 | Ichijo | 一条天皇 | Yasuhito |
67º | 1011 - 1016 | Sanjo | 三条天皇 | Okisada/Iyasada |
68º | 1016 - 1036 | Go-Ichijo | 後一条天皇 | Atsunari |
69º | 1036 - 1045 | Go-Suzaku | 後朱雀天皇 | Atsuyoshi |
70º | 1045 - 1068 | Go-Reizei | 後冷泉天皇 | Chikahito |
71º | 1068 - 1073 | Go-Sanjo | 後三条天皇 | Takahito |
72º | 1073 - 1087 | Shirakawa | 白河天皇 | Sadahito |
73º | 1087 - 1107 | Horikawa | 堀河天皇 | Yoshihito |
74º | 1107 - 1123 | Toba | 鳥羽天皇 | Munehito |
75º | 1123 - 1142 | Sutoku | 崇徳天皇 | Akihito |
76º | 1142 - 1155 | Konoe | 近衛天皇 | |
77º | 1155 - 1158 | Go-Shirakawa | 後白河天皇 | |
78º | 1158 - 1165 | Nijo | 二条天皇 | |
79º | 1165 - 1168 | Rokujo | 六条天皇 | |
80º | 1168 - 1180 | Takakura | 高倉天皇 | |
81º | 1180 - 1185 | Antoku | 安徳天皇 | |
82º | 1183 - 1198 | Go-Toba | 後鳥羽天皇 |
Japanese Emperors of the Kamakura Period
Below we will share a list of Japanese emperors during the Kamakura Period:
No. | Anos | Nome | Kanji |
83º | 1198 - 1210 | Tsuchimikado | 土御門天皇 |
84º | 1210 - 1221 | Juntoku | 順徳天皇 |
85º | 1221 | Chukyo | 仲恭天皇 |
86º | 1221 - 1232 | Go-Horikawa | 後堀河天皇 |
87º | 1232 - 1242 | Shijo | 四条天皇 |
88º | 1242 - 1246 | Go-Saga | 後嵯峨天皇 |
89º | 1246 - 1260 | Go-Fukakusa | 後深草天皇 |
90º | 1260 - 1274 | Kameyama | 亀山天皇 |
91º | 1274 - 1287 | Go-Uda | 後宇多天皇 |
92º | 1287 - 1298 | Fushimi | 伏見天皇 |
93º | 1298 - 1301 | Go-Fushimi | 後伏見天皇 |
94º | 1301 - 1308 | Go-Nijo | 後二条天皇 |
95º | 1308 - 1318 | Hanazono | 花園天皇 |
96º | 1318 - 1336 | Go-Daigo | 後醍醐天皇 |
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.
Nº | Years | Name | Kanji | Name |
97 | 1339 - 1368 | Go-Murakami | 後村上天皇 | Noriyoshi |
98 | 1368 - 1383 | Chōkei | 長慶天皇 | Yutanari |
99 | 1383 - 1392 | Go-Kameyama | 後亀山天皇 | Hironari |
100 | 1392 - 1412 | Go-Komatsu | 後小松天皇 | Motohito |
101 | 1412 - 1428 | Shoko | 称光天皇 | Mihito |
102 | 1428 - 1464 | Go-Hanazono | 後花園天皇 | Hikohito |
103 | 1464 - 1500 | Go-Tsuchimikado | 後土御門天皇 | Fusahito |
104 | 1500 - 1526 | Go-Kashiwabara | 後柏原天皇 | Katsuhito |
105 | 1526 - 1557 | Go-Nara | 後奈良天皇 | Tomohito |
106 | 1557 - 1586 | Ogimachi | 正親町天皇 | Michihito |
107 | 1586 - 1611 | Go-Yozei | 後陽成天皇 | Kazuhito |
Corte do Norte | -- | -- | -- | -- |
1 | 1332 - 1334 | Kōgon | 光厳天皇 | Kazuhito |
2 | 1335 - 1348 | Kōmyō | 光明天皇 | Yutahito |
3 | 1348 - 1351 | Sukō | 崇光天皇 | Okihito |
4 | 1351 - 1371 | Go-Kogon | 後光厳天皇 | Iyahito |
5 | 1371 - 1382 | Go-En'yū | 後円融天皇 | Ohito |
6 | 1382 - 1392 | Go-Kamatsu | 後小松天皇 | Motohito |
Japanese Emperors of the Edo Period
In the Edo period we had the last woman to be empress of Japan (Go-Sakuramachi). It is important to remember that Japan had periods without an emperor, due to wars and instabilities, where Japan was under the power of generals during the Xogunato.
Nº | Years | Name | Kanji | Name |
108 | 1611 - 1629 | Go-Mizunoo | 後水尾天皇 | Kotohito |
109 | 1629 - 1643 | Miesho | 明正天皇 | Okiko |
110 | 1643 - 1654 | Go-Komyo | 後光明天皇 | Tsuguhito |
111 | 1654 - 1663 | Go-Sai | 後西天皇 | Nagahito |
112 | 1663 - 1687 | Reigen | 霊元天皇 | Satohito |
113 | 1687 - 1709 | Higashiyama | 東山天皇 | Asahito |
114 | 1709 - 1735 | Nakamikado | 中御門天皇 | Yasuhito |
115 | 1735 - 1747 | Sakuramachi | 桜町天皇 | Teruhito |
116 | 1747 - 1762 | Momozono | 桃園天皇 | Toohito |
117 | 1762 - 1771 | Go-Sakuramachi | 後桜町天皇 | Toshiko |
118 | 1771 - 1779 | Go-Momozono | 後桃園天皇 | Hidehito |
119 | 1779 - 1817 | Kokaku | 光格天皇 | Tomohito |
120 | 1817 - 1846 | Ninko | 仁孝天皇 | Ayahito |
121 | 1846 - 1867 | Komei | 孝明天皇 | Osahito |
Japanese Emperors of the Modern Period
The list below shows Japanese emperors from 1868 to the present day.
Imperial era | Original name | Name in Japanese | Reign | Coronation | Consort | Birth | Death |
Meiji | Mutsuhito | 明治天皇 | January 3, 1868 to July 30, 1912 | April 7, 1868 | Shoken | 03 November 1852 Kyoto | July 30, 1912 (59 years) Tóquio |
Taisho | Yoshihito | 大正天皇 | July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926 | November 10, 1915 | stubborn | 31 August 1879Tokyo | December 25, 1926 (47 years old)Tokyo |
Showa | Hirohito | 昭和天皇 | December 25, 1926 to January 7, 1989 | November 10, 1928 | Kojun | April 29, 1901 Tōkyō | January 7, 1989 (87 years old)Tokyo |
Heisei | Akihito | 平成天皇 | January 7, 1989 to April 30, 2019 | November 12, 1990 | Michiko | December 23, 1933 (86 years old)Tokyo | AT |
Reiwa | Naruhito | 令和天皇 | May 1, 2019 | October 22, 2019 | Masako | February 23, 1960 (59 years old)Tokyo | AT |
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.
Nº | Name | Years |
Asuka - Heian | ||
1 | Kose no Maro | 709 - 709 |
2 | Tajinohi no Agatamori | 720 - 721 |
3 | Ōtomo no Yakamochi (c. 718–785) | 784 - 785 |
4 | Ki no Kosami | 788 - 789 |
5 | Ōtomo no Otomaro (731–809) | 793 - 794 |
6 | Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (758–811) | 797 até 808 |
7 | Funya no Waramaro (765–823) | 811 até 816 |
8 | Fujiwara no Tadabumi (873–947) | 940 até 940 |
9 | Minamoto no Yoshinaka (1154–1184) | 1184 - 1184 |
Xogunato Kamakura | ||
1 | Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199) | 1192 - 1199 |
2 | Minamoto no Yoriie (1182–1204) | 1202 - 1203 |
3 | Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192–1219) | 1203 - 1219 |
4 | Kujō Yoritsune (1218–1256) | 1226 - 1244 |
5 | Kujō Yoritsugu (1239–1256) | 1244 - 1252 |
6 | Príncipe Munetaka (1242–1274) | 1252 - 1266 |
7 | Príncipe Koreyasu (1264–1326) | 1266 - 1289 |
8 | Príncipe Hisaaki (1276–1328) | 1289 - 1308 |
9 | Príncipe Morikuni (1301–1333) | 1308 - 1333 |
Restauração Kenmu | ||
1 | Príncipe Moriyoshi (1308–1335) | 1333 - 1333 |
2 | Príncipe Narinaga (1326–1338/1344) | 1335 - 1336 |
Xogunato Ashikaga | ||
1 | Ashikaga Takauji (1305–1358) | 1338 - 1358 |
2 | Ashikaga Yoshiakira (1330–1367) | 1358 - 1367 |
3 | Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358–1408) | 1368 - 1394 |
4 | Ashikaga Yoshimochi (1386–1428) | 1394 - 1423 |
5 | Ashikaga Yoshikazu (1407–1425) | 1423 - 1425 |
6 | Ashikaga Yoshinori (1394–1441) | 1429 - 1441 |
7 | Ashikaga Yoshikatsu (1434–1443) | 1442 - 1443 |
8 | Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436–1490) | 1449 - 1473 |
9 | Ashikaga Yoshihisa (1465–1489) | 1473 - 1489 |
10 | Ashikaga Yoshitane (1466–1523) | 1490 - 1493 |
11 | Ashikaga Yoshizumi (1481–1511) | 1494 - 1508 |
12 | Ashikaga Yoshitane (1466–1523) | 1508 - 1521 |
13 | Ashikaga Yoshiharu (1511–1550) | 1521 - 1546 |
14 | Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1536–1565) | 1546 - 1565 |
15 | Ashikaga Yoshihide (1538–1568) | 1568 - 1568 |
16 | Ashikaga Yoshiaki (1537–1597) | 1568 - 1573 |
Xogunato Tokugawa | ||
1 | Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616) | 1603 - 1605 |
2 | Tokugawa Hidetada (1579–1632) | 1605 - 1623 |
3 | Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604–1651) | 1623 - 1651 |
4 | Tokugawa Ietsuna (1641–1680) | 1651 - 1680 |
5 | Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646–1709) | 1680 - 1709 |
6 | Tokugawa Ienobu (1662–1712) | 1709 - 1712 |
7 | Tokugawa Ietsugu (1709–1716) | 1713 - 1716 |
8 | Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684–1751) | 1716 - 1745 |
9 | Tokugawa Ieshige (1712–1761) | 1745 - 1760 |
10 | Tokugawa Ieharu (1737–1786) | 1760 - 1786 |
11 | Tokugawa Ienari (1773–1841) | 1787 - 1837 |
12 | Tokugawa Ieyoshi (1793–1853) | 1837 - 1853 |
13 | Tokugawa Iesada (1824–1858) | 1853 - 1858 |
14 | Tokugawa Iemochi (1846–1866) | 1858 - 1866 |
15 | Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1837–1913) | 1866 - 1867 |