Emperor Horikawa
Encyclopedia
was the 73rd emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Horikawa's reign spanned the years from 1087 through 1107.
, his personal name (imina) was Taruhito-shinnō (善仁親王). He was also known as Yoshihito-tennō.
Horikawa was the son of Emperor Shirakawa
. His mother was Fujiwara no Kenshi (藤原賢子), adopted daughter of Fujiwara Morozane (藤原師実).
and became emperor on the same day that his father abdicated. His reign was overshadowed by the cloistered rule
of former emperor Emperor Shirakawa
.
His father's kampaku, Fujiwara Morozane became sesshō (regent
), but Shirakawa held actual power as cloistered Emperor
. Horikawa filled his reign with scholarship, tanka, and music.
When his empress consort (kōgō) died, his son, Imperial Prince Munehito, who had become Crown Prince
(and later became Emperor Toba
) was taken to be raised by Horikawa's father, the retired Emperor Shirakawa
.
Horikawa died at age 29 in Kajō 2, on the 19th day of the 7th month 1107. He had reigned 20 years—seven years in the nengō Kanji, two years in Kahō, one year in the nengō Eichō, two years in Jōtoku, five years in the nengō Kōwa, two years in Chōji, and two years in the nengō Kajō.
The actual site of Horikwawa's grave
is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Shinto
shrine
(misasagi) at Kyoto.
The Imperial Household Agency
designates this location as Horikawa's mausoleum
. It is formally named Nochi no Yenkyō-ji no misasagi.
Horikawa is buried amongst the "Seven Imperial Tombs" at Ryoan-ji
in Kyoto
. The mound which commemorates the Emperor Horikawa today named Kinugasa-yama. The emperor's burial place would have been quite humble in the period after Horikawa died. These tombs reached their present state as a result of the 19th century restoration of imperial sepulchers (misasagi) which were ordered by Emperor Meiji
.
Emperor Horikawa was succeeded by his son, Munehito, who would take the name Emperor Toba.
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 Horikawa'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.
Horikawa's reign spanned the years from 1087 through 1107.
Traditional narrative
Before his 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 Taruhito-shinnō (善仁親王). He was also known as Yoshihito-tennō.
Horikawa was the son of Emperor Shirakawa
Emperor Shirakawa
was the 72nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.-Genealogy:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadahito-shinnō ....
. His mother was Fujiwara no Kenshi (藤原賢子), adopted daughter of Fujiwara Morozane (藤原師実).
- 1099-1162 Imperial Princess ?? (悰子内親王)
- 1103-1156 Imperial Prince Munehito (宗仁親王) (Emperor TobaEmperor Tobawas the 74th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Toba's reign spanned the years from 1107 through 1123.- Genealogy :...
) - note: raised by his father, Emperor ShirakawaEmperor Shirakawawas the 72nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.-Genealogy:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadahito-shinnō ....
after Munehito's mother's death - 1103-1159 Kangyō (寛暁) - High Priest
- 1105-1162 Prince ?? (最雲法親王) - Buddhist Priest; head priest of TendaiTendaiis a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school.Chappell frames the relevance of Tendai for a universal Buddhism:- History :...
sect - Imperial Princess Kishi (喜子内親王)
- Imperial Princess ?? (懐子内親王)
Events of Horikawa's life
He became Crown PrinceCrown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
and became emperor on the same day that his father abdicated. His reign was overshadowed by the cloistered rule
Cloistered rule
The Insei system , or cloistered rule, was a specific form of government in Japan during the Heian period. In this bifurcated system, an Emperor abdicated, but he retained power and influence. The emperors who withdrew to live in monasteries continued to act in ways which were intended to...
of former emperor Emperor Shirakawa
Emperor Shirakawa
was the 72nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.-Genealogy:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadahito-shinnō ....
.
- January 3, 1087 (ŌtokuOtokuwas a after Eihō and before Kanji. This period spanned the years from February 1084 through April 1087. The reigning emperor was .-Change of Era:* February 9, 1084 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
3, 26th day of the 11th month): In the 14th year of Emperor Shirakawa-tennō 's reign (白河天皇14年), the emperor died; and the succession (‘‘senso’’) was received by his second son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Horikawa is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).
His father's kampaku, Fujiwara Morozane became sesshō (regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
), but Shirakawa held actual power as cloistered Emperor
Cloistered rule
The Insei system , or cloistered rule, was a specific form of government in Japan during the Heian period. In this bifurcated system, an Emperor abdicated, but he retained power and influence. The emperors who withdrew to live in monasteries continued to act in ways which were intended to...
. Horikawa filled his reign with scholarship, tanka, and music.
When his empress consort (kōgō) died, his son, Imperial Prince Munehito, who had become Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
(and later became Emperor Toba
Emperor Toba
was the 74th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Toba's reign spanned the years from 1107 through 1123.- Genealogy :...
) was taken to be raised by Horikawa's father, the retired Emperor Shirakawa
Emperor Shirakawa
was the 72nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.-Genealogy:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadahito-shinnō ....
.
- 1105 (ChōjiChojiwas a after Kōwa and before Kajō. This period spanned the years from February 1104 through April 1106. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* January 30, 1104 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
2, 6th month): A red-colored snow fell over a large area in Japan.
- August 9, 1107 (KajōKajo, also romanized as Kashō, was a after Chōji and before Tennin. This period spanned the years from April 1106 through August 1108. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
2, 19th day of the 7th month): Horikawa died at the age of 29.
The actual site of Horikwawa's grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
(misasagi) at Kyoto.
The Imperial Household Agency
Imperial Household Agency
The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
designates this location as Horikawa's mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
. It is formally named Nochi no Yenkyō-ji no misasagi.
Horikawa is buried amongst the "Seven Imperial Tombs" at Ryoan-ji
Ryoan-ji
is a Zen temple located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. Belonging to the Myoshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism, the temple and karesansui garden is one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site....
in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. The mound which commemorates the Emperor Horikawa today named Kinugasa-yama. The emperor's burial place would have been quite humble in the period after Horikawa died. These tombs reached their present state as a result of the 19th century restoration of imperial sepulchers (misasagi) which were ordered by Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
.
Emperor Horikawa was succeeded by his son, Munehito, who would take the name Emperor Toba.
Kugyō
Kugyō (公卿) 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 Horikawa's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Sesshō, Fujiwara Morozane, 1043-1101.
- Kampaku, Fujiwara Moromichi, 1062-1099.
- Kampaku, Fujiwara Tadazane.
- Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara Morozane.
- 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...
, Fujiwara Tadazane. - Nadaijin, Fujiwara Moromichi.
- 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....
, Fujiwara Tadazane.
Eras of Horikawa's reign
The years of Horikawa's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- ŌtokuOtokuwas a after Eihō and before Kanji. This period spanned the years from February 1084 through April 1087. The reigning emperor was .-Change of Era:* February 9, 1084 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1084–1087) - KanjiKanji (era)was a after Ōtoku and before Kahō. This period spanned the years from April 1087 through December 1094. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* February 6, 1087 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1087–1094) - KahōKahowas a after Kanji and before Eichō. This period spanned the years from December 1094 through December 1096. The reigning emperor was .-Change of Era:* January 19, 1094 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1094–1096) - EichōEichowas a after Kahō and before Jōtoku. This period spanned the years from December 1096 through November 1097. The reigning emperor was .-Change of Era:* January 28, 1096 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1096–1097) - JōtokuJotokuwas a after Eichō and before Kōwa. This period spanned the years from November 1097 through August 1099. The reigning emperor was .-Change of Era:* January 16, 1097 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1097–1099) - KōwaKowa (Heian period)was a after Jōtoku and before Chōji. This period spanned the years from August 1099 through February 1104. The reigning emperor was .-Change of Era:* January 24, 1099 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1099–1104) - ChōjiChojiwas a after Kōwa and before Kajō. This period spanned the years from February 1104 through April 1106. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* January 30, 1104 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(1104–1106) - KajōKajo, also romanized as Kashō, was a after Chōji and before Tennin. This period spanned the years from April 1106 through August 1108. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
(1106–1108)
Empresses and consorts
- 1060-1114 Empress (chūgū): Imperial Princess Princess TokushiPrincess TokushiPrincess Tokushi was an Empress consort of Japan. She was the consort of Emperor Horikawa of Japan.- Sources :...
(篤子内親王) - fourth daughter of Emperor Go-SanjōEmperor Go-Sanjowas the 71st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Sanjō's reign spanned the years from 1068 through 1073.This 11th century sovereign was named after Emperor Sanjō and go- , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Sanjō"...
, and hence his aunt - 1076-1103 Empress (kōgō): Fujiwara ?? (藤原苡子)
- ????-1126 Lady-in-waitingLady-in-waitingA lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
: Minamoto ?? (源仁子) - Daughter of Prince ?? (康資王) - ????-1129 Lady-in-waiting: Fujiwara ?? (藤原宗子), daughter of Fujiwara (藤原隆宗) - later wife of Fujiwara ?? (藤原家保)
- Daughter of Fujiwara ?? (藤原時経)
See also
- Emperor of JapanEmperor of JapanThe 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...
- List of Emperors of Japan
- Imperial cultImperial cultAn imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor, or a dynasty of emperors , are worshipped as messiahs, demigods or deities. "Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejorative sense...
- Emperor Go-HorikawaEmperor Go-Horikawawas the 86th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years from 1221 through 1232....