Emperor Go-Sai
Encyclopedia
, also known as was the 111th emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Go-Sai's reign spanned the years from 1654 through 1663.
This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Junna
and go- (後), translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could have been called the "Later Emperor Junna". Emperor Go-Sai could not pass the throne onto his descendants. For this reason, he was known as the Go-Saiin emperor, after an alternate name of Emperor Junna
, who had confronted and reached an accommodation with similar issues. This emperor was also called . The Japanese word "go" has also been translated to mean the "second one;" and thus, this emperor might be identified as "Junna II". During the Meiji Era, the name became just Go-Sai.
, his personal name (imina) was or Yoshihito; and his pre-accession title was or Momozono-no-miya.
He was the eighth son of Emperor Go-Mizunoo
. He was raised as if he were the son of Tōfuku-mon'in. Former Empress Meishō
was his elder sister by a different mother; and former Emperor Go-Kōmyō
was his older brother by a different mother.
Emperor Go-Sai's Imperial family lived with him in the Dairi
of the Heian Palace
. This family included at least 11 sons and 17 daughters, none of whom would ascend to the throne.
was the leader at the pinnacle of the Tokugawa shogunate
.
Go-Sai married the daughter of the first ; and he succeeded as second Takamatsu-no-miya. Then this Imperial prince became the emperor as a temporary measure until his younger brother, could grow older.
After abdicating, Go-sai put his heart into scholarship and he left behind many books, including the "Water and Sun Collection" (Suinichishū, 水日集). He was talented in waka
; and he had a profound understanding of the classics.
During his reign, because of great fires at the Grand Ise Shrine
, Osaka Castle
, and the Imperial Palace
, among others, the Great Meireki Fire, earthquakes in the region, and because of repeated floods, many people blamed the Emperor, saying he lacked moral virtue.
Emperor Go-Sai is enshrined in the imperial mausoleum, Tsukinowa no misasagi, at Sennyū-ji
in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
. Also enshrined are Go-Sai's immediate predecessors, Emperor Go-Mizunoo
, Empress Meishō
and Go-Kōmyō
. Go-Sai's immediate Imperial successors, including Reigen
, Higashiyama
, Nakamikado
, Sakuramachi
, Momozono
, Go-Sakuramachi
and Go-Momozono
, are enshrined here as well.
At the at Kitano Shrine, a tablet over the Chu-mon entryway reads tenmangu in the calligraphy of Emperor Go-sai.
in pre-Meiji
eras. Even during those years in which the court's actual influence outside the palace walls was minimal, the hierarchic organization persisted.
In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Go-Sai's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Go-Sai's reign spanned the years from 1654 through 1663.
This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Junna
Emperor Junna
was the 53rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Junna reigned from 823 to 833.-Traditional narrative:Junna had six Empresses and Imperial consorts and 13 Imperial sons and daughters...
and go- (後), translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could have been called the "Later Emperor Junna". Emperor Go-Sai could not pass the throne onto his descendants. For this reason, he was known as the Go-Saiin emperor, after an alternate name of Emperor Junna
Emperor Junna
was the 53rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Junna reigned from 823 to 833.-Traditional narrative:Junna had six Empresses and Imperial consorts and 13 Imperial sons and daughters...
, who had confronted and reached an accommodation with similar issues. This emperor was also called . The Japanese word "go" has also been translated to mean the "second one;" and thus, this emperor might be identified as "Junna II". During the Meiji Era, the name became just Go-Sai.
Genealogy
Before Go-Sai's ascension to the Chrysanthemum ThroneChrysanthemum Throne
The is the English term used to identify the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term can refer to very specific seating, such as the takamikura throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace....
, his personal name (imina) was or Yoshihito; and his pre-accession title was or Momozono-no-miya.
He was the eighth son of Emperor Go-Mizunoo
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Seiwa and , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later...
. He was raised as if he were the son of Tōfuku-mon'in. Former Empress Meishō
Empress Meisho
was the 109th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Meishō's reign spanned the years from 1629 to 1643.In the history of Japan, Meishō was the seventh of eight women to become empress regnant. The six female monarchs who reigned before Meishō-tennō were Suiko, ...
was his elder sister by a different mother; and former Emperor Go-Kōmyō
Emperor Go-Komyo
was the 110th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Kōmyō's reign spanned the years from 1643 through 1654.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 14th century Nanboku-chō Emperor Kōmyō and go- , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called...
was his older brother by a different mother.
Emperor Go-Sai's Imperial family lived with him in the Dairi
Dairi
Dairi may refer to:* The building in which the Japanese Imperial family resided , the women of the Imperial family , the Imperial court of Japan, or an indirect way of referring to the Emperor himself....
of the Heian Palace
Heian Palace
The Heian Palace was the original imperial palace of Heian-kyō , the capital of Japan, from 794 to 1227. In Japan, this palace is called Daidairi...
. This family included at least 11 sons and 17 daughters, none of whom would ascend to the throne.
- Court lady: Princess Akiko (明子女王) - first daughter of Imperial Prince Takamatsu-no-miya Yoshihito (高松宮好仁親王)
- First daughter: Imperial Princess Tomoko (誠子内親王)
- First son: Imperial Prince Hachijō-no-miya Osahito (八条宮長仁親王) - fourth Hachijō-no-miya
- Lady-in-waiting Seikanji Tomoko (清閑寺共子)
- Second son: Imperial Prince Arisugawa-no-miya Yukihito (有栖川宮幸仁親王) - 3rd Arisugawa-no-miya
- Second daughter: Ni-no-miya (女二宮)
- Third daughter: Princess Sōei (宗栄女王)
- Fourth daughter: Princess Sonsyū (尊秀女王)
- Fourth son: Prince Yoshinobu (義延法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Sixth daughter: Enkōin-no-miya (円光院宮)
- Fifth son: Prince Tenshin (天真法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Seventh daughter: Kaya-no-miya (賀陽宮)
- Tenth daughter: Imperial Princess Mashiko (益子内親王)
- Eleventh daughter: Princess Rihō (理豊女王)
- Thirteenth daughter: Princess Zuikō (瑞光女王)
- Consort: Daughter of Iwakura ?? (岩倉具起)
- Third son: Prince ?? (永悟法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Consort: Daughter of Tominokōji Yorinao (富小路頼直)
- Fifth daughter: Tsune-no-miya (常宮)
- Consort: Umenokōji Sadako (梅小路定子)
- Eighth daughter: Kaku-no-miya (香久宮)
- Ninth daughter: Princess Syō'an (聖安女王)
- Sixth son: Prince Gōben (公弁法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Seventh son: Imperial Prince Dōyū (道祐法親王)
- Eighth son: Imperial Prince Hachijō-no-miya Naohito (八条宮尚仁親王) - fifth Hachijō-no-miya
- Eleventh daughter: Princess Rihō (理豊女王)
- Twelfth daughter: Mitsu-no-miya (満宮)
- Fourteenth daughter: Princess Sonkō (尊杲女王)
- Fifteenth daughter: Princess Sonsyō (尊勝女王)
- Eleventh son: Prince Ryō'ou (良応法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Consort: Daughter of Takatsuji Toyonaga
- Ninth son: ?? (道尊法親王) (Buddhist Priest)
- Consort: Daughter of Matsuki ?? (松木宗条)
- Tenth son
- Consort: Unknown
- Sixteenth daughter: ?? (涼月院)
Events of Go-Sai's life
Nagahito-shinnō became emperor when his emperor-brother died. This death left the throne vacant and the succession (senso) was received by the new monarch. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Go-Sai is considered to have acceded to the throne (sokui). The events during his lifetime shed light on his reign. The years of Go-Sai's reign correspond with a period in which Tokugawa IetsunaTokugawa Ietsuna
was the fourth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan who was in office from 1651 to 1680. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Iemitsu, thus making him the grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Early Life :...
was the leader at the pinnacle of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
.
Go-Sai married the daughter of the first ; and he succeeded as second Takamatsu-no-miya. Then this Imperial prince became the emperor as a temporary measure until his younger brother, could grow older.
- January 1, 1638: The birth of an Imperial prince who will become known by the posthumous name of Go-Sai-tennō.
- January 5, 1655: The death of Go-Kōmyō caused the succession (senso) to be passed to his brother; and when the succession (senso) was received, the reign of Emperor Go-Sai was deemed to commence.
- 1655 (MeirekiMeirekiwas a after Jōō and before Manji. This period spanned the years from April 1655 to July 1658. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 1655 : The era name was changed to mark the enthronement of Emperor Go-Sai...
1): The new ambassador of Korea, arrived in Japan.
- March 2–3, 1657 (Meireki 3, 18-19th days of the 1st month): The city of EdoEdo, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
was devastated by a violent fire.
- 1658(MeirekiMeirekiwas a after Jōō and before Manji. This period spanned the years from April 1655 to July 1658. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 1655 : The era name was changed to mark the enthronement of Emperor Go-Sai...
2): Fire destroys much of Edo.
- 1659 (ManjiManji (era)was a after Meireki and before Kanbun. This period spanned the years from July 1658 through April 1661. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 1658 : The era name was changed to mark a disastrous, great fire in Edo...
5): In Edo, construction begins on the Ryogoku Bridge (ryogokubashi).
- 1661 (ManjiManji (era)was a after Meireki and before Kanbun. This period spanned the years from July 1658 through April 1661. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 1658 : The era name was changed to mark a disastrous, great fire in Edo...
6): Imperial Palace in Kyoto is burnt to the ground; and the GekūIse Shrineis a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
at Yamada was seriously damaged by fire.
- March 20, 1662 (KanbunKanbun (era), also romanized as Kambun, was a after Manji and before Enpō. This period spanned the years from April 1661 to September 1673. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
2, 1st day of the 2nd month): There was a violent earthquake in Kyoto which destroyed the tomb of the Taiko.
- 1662 (Kanbun 2): Emperor Gosai ordered Tosa Hiromichi 土佐広通 (1561–1633), a Tosa school disciple, to adopt the name Sumiyoshi (probably in reference to a 13th century painter, Sumiyoshi Keinin 住吉慶忍), upon assuming a position as official painter for the Sumiyoshi Taisha 住吉大社).
- March 5, 1663 (KanbunKanbun (era), also romanized as Kambun, was a after Manji and before Enpō. This period spanned the years from April 1661 to September 1673. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
3, 26th day of the 1st month): Emperor Go-Sai abdicated, which meant that the Prince Satohito received the succession (senso). Shortly thereafter, Emperor Reigen formally acceded to the throne (sokui).
After abdicating, Go-sai put his heart into scholarship and he left behind many books, including the "Water and Sun Collection" (Suinichishū, 水日集). He was talented in waka
Waka (poetry)
Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
; and he had a profound understanding of the classics.
During his reign, because of great fires at the Grand Ise Shrine
Ise Shrine
is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
, Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle
is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan.Originally called Ozakajō, it is one of Japan's most famous castles, and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.-Description:...
, and the Imperial Palace
Kokyo
is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda area of Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains several buildings including the main palace , the emperor left Kyoto Imperial Palace for Tokyo...
, among others, the Great Meireki Fire, earthquakes in the region, and because of repeated floods, many people blamed the Emperor, saying he lacked moral virtue.
- March 26, 1685 (JōkyōJokyowas a after Tenna and before Genroku. This period spanned the years from February 1684 through September 1688. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
2, 22nd day of the 2nd month): Former-Emperor Go-Sai died; and a great comet was observed crossing the night sky.
Emperor Go-Sai is enshrined in the imperial mausoleum, Tsukinowa no misasagi, at Sennyū-ji
Sennyu-ji
, formerly written as , is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku in Kyoto, Japan. For centuries, Sennyū-ji was a mortuary temple for aristocrats and the imperial house. Located here are the official tombs of Emperor Shijō and many of the emperors who came after him....
in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
' is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was created in 1929 when it was split off from Shimogyō-ku. During the years 1931 to 1976 it also covered the area of present-day Yamashina-ku, which was an independent town until its merger into the city in 1931...
. Also enshrined are Go-Sai's immediate predecessors, Emperor Go-Mizunoo
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Seiwa and , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later...
, Empress Meishō
Empress Meisho
was the 109th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Meishō's reign spanned the years from 1629 to 1643.In the history of Japan, Meishō was the seventh of eight women to become empress regnant. The six female monarchs who reigned before Meishō-tennō were Suiko, ...
and Go-Kōmyō
Emperor Go-Komyo
was the 110th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Kōmyō's reign spanned the years from 1643 through 1654.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 14th century Nanboku-chō Emperor Kōmyō and go- , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called...
. Go-Sai's immediate Imperial successors, including Reigen
Emperor Reigen
was the 112th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Reigen's reign spanned the years from 1663 through 1687.-Genealogy:...
, Higashiyama
Emperor Higashiyama
was the 113th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Higashiyama's reign spanned the years from 1687 through 1709.-Genealogy:...
, Nakamikado
Emperor Nakamikado
was the 114th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Nakamikado's reign spanned the years from 1709 through 1735.-Genealogy:...
, Sakuramachi
Emperor Sakuramachi
was the 115th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1735 through 1747.-Genealogy:...
, Momozono
Emperor Momozono
was the 116th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Momazono's reign spanned the years from 1747 until his death in 1762.-Genealogy:...
, Go-Sakuramachi
Empress Go-Sakuramachi
was the 117th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1762 through 1771....
and Go-Momozono
Emperor Go-Momozono
was the 118th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Momozono's reign spanned the years from 1771 through his death in 1779....
, are enshrined here as well.
At the at Kitano Shrine, a tablet over the Chu-mon entryway reads tenmangu in the calligraphy of Emperor Go-sai.
Kugyō
is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of JapanEmperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
in pre-Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
eras. Even during those years in which the court's actual influence outside the palace walls was minimal, the hierarchic organization persisted.
In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Go-Sai's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Kampaku, Nijō MitsuhiraNijo Mitsuhira, son of Nijō Yasumichi, was a Japanese kugyō of the early Edo period. He held regent positions kampaku from 1653 to 1663 and sesshō from 1663 to 1664. Nijō Tsunahira was his adopted son. A daughter of his was a consort of the third head of Kōfu Domain Tokugawa Tsunashige.-References:...
, 1653–1663 - SadaijinSadaijin, most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Sadaijin in the context of a central...
- UdaijinUdaijinUdaijin , most commonly translated as the "Minister of the Right", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Udaijin in the context of a central...
- Nadaijin
- DainagonDainagonwas a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
Eras of Go-Sai-tennō's reign
The years of Go-Sai's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- Jōō (1652–1655)
- MeirekiMeirekiwas a after Jōō and before Manji. This period spanned the years from April 1655 to July 1658. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 1655 : The era name was changed to mark the enthronement of Emperor Go-Sai...
(1655–1658) - ManjiManji (era)was a after Meireki and before Kanbun. This period spanned the years from July 1658 through April 1661. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 1658 : The era name was changed to mark a disastrous, great fire in Edo...
(1658–1661) - KanbunKanbun (era), also romanized as Kambun, was a after Manji and before Enpō. This period spanned the years from April 1661 to September 1673. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
(1661–1673)
External links
- National Museum of Japanese History -- see example of Emperor Go-sai's calligraphy