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.
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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:
| Nº | Reign | Name (Location) | Name in Kanji | name in Romaji |
| 1º | 660 BC to 585 BC | Jimmu | 神武天皇 | Kamuyamato Iwarebiko |
| 2º | 581 BC to 549 BC | Swiss | 綏靖天皇 | by Kamununa Kawa Mimi no Mikoto |
| 3º | 549 BC to 511 BC | Annei | 磯城津彦玉手看尊 / 安寧天皇 | Sikitsuhiko Tamatemi no Mikoto |
| 4º | 510 BC to 476 BC | Itoku | 懿徳天皇 | Oho Yamatohiko Suki Tomonau at Mikoto |
| 5º | 475 BC to 393 BC | Koshō | 観松彦香殖稲尊 / 孝昭天皇 | by Mima Tsuhiko Kaeshine no Mikoto |
| 6º | 392 BC to 291 BC | Koan | 孝安天皇 | Oho Yamato Tarashihiko Kunioshi Hito no Mikoto |
| 7º | 290 BC to 215 BC | Korei | 孝霊天皇 | Oho Yamato Nekohiko Futoni at Mikoto |
| 8º | 214 BC to 158 BC | Kogen | 孝元天皇 | Oho Yamato Nekohiko Kuni Kuro no Mikoto |
| 9º | 157 BC to 98 BC | Kaika | 開化天皇 | Waka Yamato Nekohiko Oho Bibi in Mikoto |
| 10º | 97 BC to 30 BC | dirty | 崇神天皇 | by Mimaki Irihiko Isatsi no Mikoto |
| 11º | 29 BC to 70 | swinin | 垂仁天皇 | Ikume Irihiko Isatsi no Mikoto (alternative spelling: Ikume Iribiko Isachi no Mikoto) |
| 12º | 71 to 130 | Keikō | 景行天皇 | Oho Tarasihiko Osirowake no Mikoto (alternative spelling: Oo Tarashihiko Oshiro Wake no Mikoto) |
| 13º | 131 to 191 | Seimu | 成務天皇 | Waka Tarasihiko (or Tarashihiko) |
| 14º | 192 to 200 | Chuai | 仲哀天皇 | Tarasi Nakatsuhiko no Mikoto |
| 15th / (Regent) | 169 to 269 | Jingo | 神功天皇 | |
| 15º | 270 to 310 | Ojin | 応神天皇 | Homuta Wake no Mikoto or Honda Wake no Mikoto |
| 16º | 313 to 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 | Reign | Common name | Name in Kanji | name in Romaji |
| 17º | 400 to 405 | Richu | 履中天皇 | Isavo Wake no Mikoto |
| 18º | 406 to 410 | Hanzei | 反正天皇 | MISU WAKE NO MIKOTO |
| 19º | 411 to 453 | Ingyo | 允恭天皇 | Wo Atsumano Wakako no Sukune |
| 20º | 453 to 456 | Anko | 安康天皇 | Anahono no Mikoto |
| 21º | 456 to 479 | Yuryaku | 雄略天皇 | Oho Hatsuneno no Mikoto |
| 22º | 480 to 484 | Seinei | 清寧天皇 | Siraga Takehiro Kuni Osi Wakai Yamato Neko no Mikoto |
| 23º | 485 to 487 | Kenzo | 顕宗天皇 | Ohoke no Mikoto |
| 24º | 488 to 498 | Ninken | 仁賢天皇 | by Ai Azana Simano Irakko |
| 25º | 498 to 506 | Buretsu | 武烈天皇 | Wo Fatsuse Wakai Sazaki |
| 26º | 507 to 531 | Keitai | 継体天皇 | Wo Ofu Atonohiko Fudo no Mikoto |
| 27º | 531 to 536 | Ankan | 安閑天皇 | Hirokuni Oshitake by Kanahi no Mikoto |
| 28º | 536 to 549 | Senka | 宣化天皇 | Takehi Hirokuni and Oshitake no Mikoto |
| 29º | 539 to 571 | Kimmei | 钦明天皇 | Amekuni Oshiharaki Hironiwa in Mikoto |
| 30º | 572 to 585 | Bidatsu | 敏達天皇 | Nunakura at Futotamashiki in Mikoto |
| 31º | 585 to 587 | Yomei | 用明天皇 | Tagged as Toyohi no Mikoto |
| 32º | 587 to 592 | Sushun | 崇峻天皇 | Hatsusebe no Mikoto |
| 33º | 593 to 628 | Suiko | 推古天皇 | Toyomike Kashikiyahime |
| 34º | 629 to 641 | Jomei | 舒明天皇 | Tamura |
| 35º | 642 to 645 | Kogyoku | 皇極天皇 | Takara |
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.
| Nº | Reign | Common name | Name in Kanji | Personal Name |
| 44º | 715 to 724 | Gensho | 元正天皇 | Hidaka |
| 45º | 724 to 749 | Shōmu | 聖武天皇 | Death |
| 46º | 749 to 758 | Cooking | 孝謙天皇 | Abe |
| 47º | 758 to 764 | Junnin | 淳仁天皇 | Hello |
| 48º | 764 to 770 | Shotoku | 称徳天皇 | |
| 49º | 770 to 781 | Konin | 光仁天皇 | Shirakabe |
The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:
Japanese Emperors of the Heian Period
Below we will share a list of Emperors of Japan during the Heian period:
| Nº | Reign | Name | Name in Kanji | Personal Name |
| 50º | 781 to 806 | Kammu | 钦明天皇 | Yamabe |
| 51º | 806 to 809 | Heizei | 平城天皇 | Ate |
| 52º | 809 to 823 | Saga | 嵯峨天皇 | Kamino |
| 53º | 823 to 833 | Junna | 淳和天皇 | Odomo |
| 54º | 833 to 850 | Nimmyo | 仁明天皇 | Masara |
| 55º | 850 to 858 | Montoku | 文徳天皇 | Michiyasu |
| 56º | 858 to 876 | Seiwa | 清和天皇 | Korehito |
| 57º | 876 to 884 | Yozei | 陽成天皇 | Sadaakira |
| 58º | 884 to 887 | Koko | 光孝天皇 | Tokiyasu |
| 59º | 887 to 897 | Uda | 宇多天皇 | Sadami |
| 60º | 897 to 930 | Daigo | 醍醐天皇 | Atsuhito |
| 61º | 930 to 946 | Suzaku | 朱雀天皇 | Yutaakira |
| 62º | 946 to 967 | Murakami | 村上天皇 | Nariakira |
| 63º | 967 to 969 | Reizei | 冷泉天皇 | Norihira |
| 64º | 969 to 984 | En'yu | 円融天皇 | Morihira |
| 65º | 984 to 986 | Kazan | 花山天皇 | Morosada |
| 66º | 986 to 1011 | Ichijo | 一条天皇 | Yasuhito |
| 67º | 1011 to 1016 | Sanjo | 三条天皇 | Okisada/Iyasada |
| 68º | 1016 to 1036 | Go-Ichijo | 後一条天皇 | Atsunari |
| 69º | 1036 to 1045 | Go-Suzaku | 後朱雀天皇 | Atsuyoshi |
| 70º | 1045 to 1068 | Go-Reizei | 後冷泉天皇 | Chikahito |
| 71º | 1068 to 1073 | Go-Sanjo | 後三条天皇 | Takahito |
| 72º | 1073 to 1087 | Shirakawa | 白河天皇 | Sadahito |
| 73º | 1087 to 1107 | Horikawa | 堀河天皇 | Yoshihito |
| 74º | 1107 to 1123 | Toba | 鳥羽天皇 | Munehito |
| 75º | 1123 to 1142 | Sutoku | 崇徳天皇 | Akihito |
| 76º | 1142 to 1155 | Konoe | 近衛天皇 | |
| 77º | 1155 to 1158 | Go-Shirakawa | 後白河天皇 | |
| 78º | 1158 to 1165 | Nijo | 二条天皇 | |
| 79º | 1165 to 1168 | Rokujo | 六条天皇 | |
| 80º | 1168 to 1180 | Takakura | 高倉天皇 | |
| 81º | 1180 to 1185 | Antoku | 安徳天皇 | |
| 82º | 1183 to 1198 | Go-Toba | 後鳥羽天皇 |
Japanese Emperors of the Kamakura Period
Below we will share a list of Emperors of Japan during the Kamakura period:
| Nº | Reign | Name | Name in Kanji |
| 83º | 1198 to 1210 | Tsuchimikado | 土御門天皇 |
| 84º | 1210 to 1221 | Juntoku | 順徳天皇 |
| 85º | 1221 | Chukyo | 仲恭天皇 |
| 86º | 1221 to 1232 | Go-Horikawa | 後堀河天皇 |
| 87º | 1232 to 1242 | Shijo | 四条天皇 |
| 88º | 1242 to 1246 | Go-Saga | 後嵯峨天皇 |
| 89º | 1246 to 1260 | Go-Fukakusa | 後深草天皇 |
| 90º | 1260 to 1274 | Kameyama | 亀山天皇 |
| 91º | 1274 to 1287 | Go-Uda | 後宇多天皇 |
| 92º | 1287 to 1298 | Fushimi | 伏見天皇 |
| 93º | 1298 to 1301 | Go-Fushimi | 後伏見天皇 |
| 94º | 1301 to 1308 | Go-Nijo | 後二条天皇 |
| 95º | 1308 to 1318 | Hanazono | 花園天皇 |
| 96º | 1318 to 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 | Reign | Name | Name in Kanji | Personal Name |
| 97 | 1339 to 1368 | Go-Murakami | 後村上天皇 | Noriyoshi |
| 98 | 1368 to 1383 | Chōkei | 長慶天皇 | Yutanari |
| 99 | 1383 to 1392 | Go-Kameyama | 後亀山天皇 | Hironari |
| 100 | 1392 to 1412 | Go-Komatsu | 後小松天皇 | Motohito |
| 101 | 1412 to 1428 | Shoko | 称光天皇 | Mihito |
| 102 | 1428 to 1464 | Go-Hanazono | 後花園天皇 | Hikohito |
| 103 | 1464 to 1500 | Go-Tsuchimikado | 後土御門天皇 | Fusahito |
| 104 | 1500 to 1526 | Go-Kashiwabara | 後柏原天皇 | Katsuhito |
| 105 | 1526 to 1557 | Go-Nara | 後奈良天皇 | Tomohito |
| 106 | 1557 to 1586 | Ogimachi | 正親町天皇 | Michihito |
| 107 | 1586 to 1611 | Go-Yozei | 後陽成天皇 | Kazuhito |
| northern court | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 1 | 1332 to 1334 | Kōgon | 光厳天皇 | Kazuhito |
| 2 | 1335 to 1348 | Kōmyō | 光明天皇 | Yutahito |
| 3 | 1348 to 1351 | Sukō | 崇光天皇 | okito |
| 4 | 1351 to 1371 | Go-Kogon | 後光厳天皇 | Iyahito |
| 5 | 1371 to 1382 | Go-En'yū | 後円融天皇 | Ohito |
| 6 | 1382 to 1392 | Go-Kamatsu | 後小松天皇 | Motohito |
Japanese Emperors of the Edo Period
No 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.
| Nº | Reign | Name | Name in Kanji | Personal Name |
| 108 | 1611 to 1629 | Go-Mizunoo | 後水尾天皇 | Kotohito |
| 109 | 1629 to 1643 | Miesho | 明正天皇 | Okiko |
| 110 | 1643 to 1654 | Go-Komyo | 後光明天皇 | Tsuguhito |
| 111 | 1654 to 1663 | Go-Sai | 後西天皇 | Nagahito |
| 112 | 1663 to 1687 | Reigen | 霊元天皇 | Satohito |
| 113 | 1687 to 1709 | Higashiyama | 東山天皇 | Asahito |
| 114 | 1709 to 1735 | Nakamikado | 中御門天皇 | Yasuhito |
| 115 | 1735 to 1747 | Sakuramachi | 桜町天皇 | Teruhito |
| 116 | 1747 to 1762 | Momozono | 桃園天皇 | Toohito |
| 117 | 1762 to 1771 | Go-Sakuramachi | 後桜町天皇 | Toshiko |
| 118 | 1771 to 1779 | Go-Momozono | 後桃園天皇 | Hidehito |
| 119 | 1779 to 1817 | Kokaku | 光格天皇 | Tomohito |
| 120 | 1817 to 1846 | Ninko | 仁孝天皇 | Ayahito |
| 121 | 1846 to 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 | 30 July 1912 (59 years old) Tokyo |
| 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, 1901Tokyo | 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 | Reign |
| Asuka period to Heian | ||
| 1 | Kose on March | 709 to 709 |
| 2 | Tajinohi no Agatamori | 720 to 721 |
| 3 | ŌTomo on Yakamochi (c. 718–785) | 784 to 785 |
| 4 | Ki no Kosami | 788 to 789 |
| 5 | Ōtomo no Otomaro (731–809) | 793 to 794 |
| 6 | Sakanoue no Tamuramaro (758–811) | 797 to 808 |
| 7 | Funya no Waramaro (765–823) | 811 to 816 |
| 8 | Fujiwara no Tadabumi (873–947) | 940 to 940 |
| 9 | Minamoto no Yoshinaka (1154–1184) | 1184 to 1184 |
| Kamakura Shogunate | ||
| 1 | Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199) | 1192 to 1199 |
| 2 | Minamoto no Yoriie (1182–1204) | 1202 to 1203 |
| 3 | Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192–1219) | 1203 to 1219 |
| 4 | Kujō Yoritsune (1218–1256) | 1226 to 1244 |
| 5 | Kujō Yoritsugu (1239–1256) | 1244 to 1252 |
| 6 | Prince Munetaka (1242–1274) | 1252 to 1266 |
| 7 | Prince Koreyasu (1264–1326) | 1266 to 1289 |
| 8 | Prince Hisaaki (1276–1328) | 1289 to 1308 |
| 9 | Prince Morikuni (1301–1333) | 1308 to 1333 |
| Kenmu Restoration | ||
| 1 | Prince Moriyoshi (1308–1335) | 1333 to 1333 |
| 2 | Prince Narinaga (1326–1338/1344) | 1335 to 1336 |
| Ashikaga shogunate | ||
| 1 | Ashikaga Takauji (1305–1358) | 1338 to 1358 |
| 2 | Ashikaga Yoshiakira (1330–1367) | 1358 to 1367 |
| 3 | Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358–1408) | 1368 to 1394 |
| 4 | Ashikaga Yoshimochi (1386–1428) | 1394 to 1423 |
| 5 | Ashikaga Yoshikazu (1407–1425) | 1423 to 1425 |
| 6 | Ashikaga Yoshinori (1394–1441) | 1429 to 1441 |
| 7 | Ashikaga Yoshikatsu (1434–1443) | 1442 to 1443 |
| 8 | Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436–1490) | 1449 to 1473 |
| 9 | Ashikaga Yoshihisa (1465–1489) | 1473 to 1489 |
| 10 | Ashikaga Yoshitane (1466–1523) | 1490 to 1493 |
| 11 | Ashikaga Yoshizumi (1481–1511) | 1494 to 1508 |
| 12 | Ashikaga Yoshitane (1466–1523) | 1508 to 1521 |
| 13 | Ashikaga Yoshiharu (1511–1550) | 1521 to 1546 |
| 14 | Ashikaga Yoshiteru (1536-1565) | 1546 to 1565 |
| 15 | Ashikaga Yoshihide (1538–1568) | 1568 to 1568 |
| 16 | Ashikaga Yoshiaki (1537–1597) | 1568 to 1573 |
| Tokugawa Shogunate | ||
| 1 | Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616) | 1603 to 1605 |
| 2 | Tokugawa Hidetada (1579–1632) | 1605 to 1623 |
| 3 | Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604–1651) | 1623 to 1651 |
| 4 | Tokugawa Ietsuna (1641–1680) | 1651 to 1680 |
| 5 | Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1646–1709) | 1680 to 1709 |
| 6 | Tokugawa Ienobu (1662–1712) | 1709 to 1712 |
| 7 | Tokugawa Yetsugu (1709–1716) | 1713 to 1716 |
| 8 | Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684–1751) | 1716 to 1745 |
| 9 | Tokugawa Ieshige (1712–1761) | 1745 to 1760 |
| 10 | Tokugawa Ieharu (1737–1786) | 1760 to 1786 |
| 11 | Tokugawa Ienari (1773–1841) | 1787 to 1837 |
| 12 | Tokugawa Ieyoshi (1793–1853) | 1837 to 1853 |
| 13 | Tokugawa Iesada (1824–1858) | 1853 to 1858 |
| 14 | Tokugawa Iemochi (1846–1866) | 1858 to 1866 |
| 15 | Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1837–1913) | 1866 to 1867 |
