Emperor Kimmei
Encyclopedia
was the 29th emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
His reign is said to have spanned the years from 539 through 571.
. Rather, it was presumably Sumeramikoto or Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi (治天下大王), meaning "the great king who rules all under heaven." Alternatively, Kimmei might have been referred to as (ヤマト大王/大君) or the "Great King of Yamato."
, some believe that his was actually a rival court to that of Emperors Ankan
and Senka
. Nevertheless, according to the traditional account, it was not until the death of Emperor Kimmei's older brother Emperor Senka
that he gained the throne.
According to this account, Emperor Senka died in 539 at the age of 73; and succession passed to the third son of Emperor Keitai
. This Imperial Prince was the next youngest brother of Emperor Senka. He would come to be known as Emperor Kimmei. He established his court at Shikishima no Kanazashi Palace (磯城嶋金刺宮) in Yamato
.
The emperor's chief counselors were:
Although the imperial court was not moved to the Asuka
region of Japan until 592, Emperor Kimmei's rule is considered by some to be the beginning of the Asuka period
of Yamato
Japan, particularly by those who associate the Asuka period primarily with the introduction of Buddhism
to Japan from Korea
.
According to the Nihon Shoki, Emperor Kimmei received a bronze statue of Buddha
as a gift from the king of Paekche
King Song Myong (聖明王, Seimei Ō) along with a significant envoy of artisans, monks, and other artifacts in 552. (However, according to the Jōgū Shōtoku Hōō Teisetsu
, Buddhism was introduced in 538.) This episode is widely regarded as the official introduction of Buddhism to the country.
With the introduction of a new religion to the court, a deep rift developed between the Mononobe clan
, who supported the worship of Japan's traditional deities
, and the Soga clan, who supported the adoption of Buddhism. According to one famous episode, shortly after the Soga's began worshipping the new Buddha statue, a plague broke out, which the Mononobe's promptly attributed to a curse by Japan's traditional deities as punishment for worshipping the foreign god. Mononobe no Okoshi and his men promptly threw the statue into a river in Naniwa
and burned the temple that the Soga's had built to hold it.
According to the Nihon Shoki, Emperor Kimmei ruled until his death in 571 and was buried in the Hinokuma no Sakai Burial Mound (桧隈坂合陵). An alternate stronger theory holds that he was actually buried in the Misemaruyama Tumulus (見瀬丸山古墳) located in Kashihara City (橿原市).
This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Shinto
shrine
(misasagi) at Nara. The Imperial Household Agency
designates the Nara location as Kimmei's mausoleum
. It is formally named Hinokuma no saki Ai no misasagi; however, the actual sites of the graves
of the early emperors remain problematic, according to some historians and archaeologists.
and his mother was Emperor Ninken
's daughter, . In his lifetime, he was known by the name .
Kimmei had six Empresses and 25 Imperial children (16 sons and 9 daughters). According to Nihongi, he had six wives; but Kojiki only gives five wives, identifying the third consort to the sixth one. The first three were his nieces, daughters of his half brother Senka; two others were sisters, daughters of the Omi Soga no Iname
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.
His reign is said to have spanned the years from 539 through 571.
Traditional narrative
Kimmei's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Emperor Tenmu and Empress JitōEmpress Jito
was the 41st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.In the history of Japan, Jitō was the third of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The two female monarchs before Jitō were Suiko and Kōgyoku/Saimei...
. Rather, it was presumably Sumeramikoto or Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi (治天下大王), meaning "the great king who rules all under heaven." Alternatively, Kimmei might have been referred to as (ヤマト大王/大君) or the "Great King of Yamato."
Events of Kimmei's life
Because of several chronological discrepancies in the account of Emperor Kimmei in the Nihon ShokiNihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
, some believe that his was actually a rival court to that of Emperors Ankan
Emperor Ankan
was the 27th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 531–536.-Legendary narrative:...
and Senka
Emperor Senka
, also known as Senkwa, was the 28th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 536–539.-Legendary narrative:...
. Nevertheless, according to the traditional account, it was not until the death of Emperor Kimmei's older brother Emperor Senka
Emperor Senka
, also known as Senkwa, was the 28th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 536–539.-Legendary narrative:...
that he gained the throne.
According to this account, Emperor Senka died in 539 at the age of 73; and succession passed to the third son of Emperor Keitai
Emperor Keitai
, also known as Keitai-okimi, was the 26th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 507–531....
. This Imperial Prince was the next youngest brother of Emperor Senka. He would come to be known as Emperor Kimmei. He established his court at Shikishima no Kanazashi Palace (磯城嶋金刺宮) in Yamato
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...
.
The emperor's chief counselors were:
- ŌomiOmiwas an ancient Japanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing that, along with muraji, was reserved for the most powerful clans during the Kofun period...
(Great Imperial chieftain): Soga no Iname no Sukune, also known as Soga no InameSoga no Iname. Soga no Iname was a leader of the Soga clan and a statesman during the reign of Emperor Kimmei in the Asuka period. He was the first person to hold the position of Ōomi that can be verified with reasonable accuracy, in 536 AD...
. - ŌmurajiMurajiMuraji . Muraji was an ancient Japanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing that was reserved for the most powerful among the Tomo no Miyatsuko clans, which were clans associated with particular occupations...
(Great Deity chieftain): Monotobe Okoshi no Muraji, also known as Mononobe no Okoshi. - ŌmurajiMurajiMuraji . Muraji was an ancient Japanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing that was reserved for the most powerful among the Tomo no Miyatsuko clans, which were clans associated with particular occupations...
(Great Deity chieftain): Ōtomo Kanamura Maro, also known as Nakatomi no Kanamura.
Although the imperial court was not moved to the Asuka
Asuka, Nara
is a village located in Takaichi District, Nara, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the village has an estimated population of 6,146 and a density of 255.23 persons per km². The total area is 24.08 km².Asuka is the land where ancient palaces were located...
region of Japan until 592, Emperor Kimmei's rule is considered by some to be the beginning of the Asuka period
Asuka period
The , was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 , although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period...
of Yamato
Yamato period
The is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
Japan, particularly by those who associate the Asuka period primarily with the introduction of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
to Japan from Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
According to the Nihon Shoki, Emperor Kimmei received a bronze statue of Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
as a gift from the king of Paekche
Baekje
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
King Song Myong (聖明王, Seimei Ō) along with a significant envoy of artisans, monks, and other artifacts in 552. (However, according to the Jōgū Shōtoku Hōō Teisetsu
Jogu Shotoku Hoo Teisetsu
, also read as Jōgū Shōtoku Hōō Taisetsu, is a biography of Shōtoku Taishi. It is one scroll in length and is a National Treasures of Japan.-Background:...
, Buddhism was introduced in 538.) This episode is widely regarded as the official introduction of Buddhism to the country.
With the introduction of a new religion to the court, a deep rift developed between the Mononobe clan
Mononobe clan
The was a Japanese clan of the Kofun period, known for its military opposition to the Soga clan. The Mononobe were opposed to the spread of Buddhism, not on religious grounds, but more so as the result of feelings of conservatism and a degree of xenophobia...
, who supported the worship of Japan's traditional deities
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
, and the Soga clan, who supported the adoption of Buddhism. According to one famous episode, shortly after the Soga's began worshipping the new Buddha statue, a plague broke out, which the Mononobe's promptly attributed to a curse by Japan's traditional deities as punishment for worshipping the foreign god. Mononobe no Okoshi and his men promptly threw the statue into a river in Naniwa
Naniwa
Naniwa can refer to:* The former name of Osaka, Japan* Naniwa-ku , a ward in Osaka* The Naniwa Vehicle Registration Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which issues "Naniwa" license plates for automobiles registered in the city of Osaka* Naniwa, an express train that once...
and burned the temple that the Soga's had built to hold it.
According to the Nihon Shoki, Emperor Kimmei ruled until his death in 571 and was buried in the Hinokuma no Sakai Burial Mound (桧隈坂合陵). An alternate stronger theory holds that he was actually buried in the Misemaruyama Tumulus (見瀬丸山古墳) located in Kashihara City (橿原市).
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 Nara. 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 the Nara location as Kimmei'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 Hinokuma no saki Ai no misasagi; however, the actual sites of the graves
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....
of the early emperors remain problematic, according to some historians and archaeologists.
Genealogy
Emperor Kimmei's father was Emperor KeitaiEmperor Keitai
, also known as Keitai-okimi, was the 26th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 507–531....
and his mother was Emperor Ninken
Emperor Ninken
, also known as Ninken-okimi, was the 24th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 488–498....
's daughter, . In his lifetime, he was known by the name .
Kimmei had six Empresses and 25 Imperial children (16 sons and 9 daughters). According to Nihongi, he had six wives; but Kojiki only gives five wives, identifying the third consort to the sixth one. The first three were his nieces, daughters of his half brother Senka; two others were sisters, daughters of the Omi Soga no Iname
- Princess Ishi-Hime (or Iwa-hime), daughter of Emperor Senka by his Empress Tachibana no Nakatsu; Empress 540 ; Grand Empress 572; 3 imperial children :
- Imperial Prince Yata no Tamakatsu no Oe (eldest son)
- Imperial Prince Nunakura Futotama-Shiki (Emperor Bidatsu); born 538 (second son)
- Imperial Princess Kasanui (also named Princess Satake)
- Princess Kura Wayaka-Hime, daughter of Emperor Senka by his Empress Tachibana no Nakatsu; second consort; 1 imperial Prince :
- Imperial Prince Iso no Kami, born 539/540
- Princess Hikage, daughter of Emperor Senka probably by a concubine; third consort; 1 imperial Prince:
- Imperial Prince Kura (Prince Soga no Kura)
- Soga no Kitashi Hime, daughter of Soga no Iname ; fourth consort; died before 612; 13 imperial children :
-
- Imperial Prince Oe or Ikebe (Emperor YOMEI); born 540 (fourth son)
- Imperial Princess Ihane-hime or Ihakumo, Ise Virgin; had to resign her charge being convicted of intrigue with her half brother Imperial Prince Mubaragi
- Imperial Prince Atori
- Imperial Princess Nukatabe (Empress SUIKO), born 553, died 626
- Imperial Prince Maroko
- Imperial Princess Ohoyake
- Imperial Prince Iso no Kami Be (Imigako)
- Imperial Prince Yamashiro
- Imperial Princess Ohotomo or Ohomata; born about 560; married to her nephew Prince Oshisako no Hikohito no Oe, son of Emperor Bidatsu
- Imperial Prince Sakurawi
- Imperial Princess Katano
- Imperial Prince Tachibana Moto no Wakugo
- Imperial Princess Toneri, born about 565; died 603; married to her nephew Prince Tame Toyora, son of Emperor Yomei
- Soga no Oane hime, daughter of Soga no Iname ; fifth consort ; 5 imperial children:
- Imperial Prince Mubaragi
- Imperial Prince Katsuraki
- Imperial Princess Hasetsukabe no Anahobe no Hashihito, born about 560; died 621; married (A) to her half brother Emperor Yomei; married (B) to her nephew and stepson Prince Tame Toyora, son of Emperor Yomei
- Imperial Prince Amatsukabe Anahobe (Prince Sume-Irodo), killed 7 VI 587
- Imperial Prince Hatsusebe (Emperor SUSHUN)
- Nukako no Iratsume, daughter of Kasuga no Hifuri no Omi ;sixth consort; 2 imperial children:
- Imperial Princess Kasuga no Yamada no Iratsume
- Imperial Prince Tachibana no Maro