Emperor Sakuramachi
Encyclopedia
was the 115th emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1735 through 1747.
, his personal name (imina) was ; and his pre-accession title was Waka-no-miya (若宮).
He was the firstborn son of Emperor Nakamikado
.
Sakuramaichi's Imperial family lived with him in the Dairi
of the Heian Palace
. This family included at least 3 children who were born to 2 consorts:
of Prince Shōtoku
. With the support of Tokugawa Yoshimune
, he worked for the restoration of Imperial rites, bringing back the Daijōsai (大嘗祭, the first ceremonial rice-offering by a newly-enthroned emperor) and the Shinjōsai (新嘗祭, a ceremonial rice-offering by the emperor) among others, and concentrated on restoring other courtesies.
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.
Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1735 through 1747.
Genealogy
Before Nakamikado'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 ; and his pre-accession title was Waka-no-miya (若宮).
He was the firstborn son of Emperor 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:...
.
Sakuramaichi'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 3 children who were born to 2 consorts:
- Court lady Nijō Ieko (二条舎子)
- First daughter: Princess Sakariko (盛子内親王)
- Second daughter: Princess Toshiko (智子内親王) (Empress Go-SakuramachiEmpress Go-Sakuramachiwas the 117th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1762 through 1771....
)
- Lady-in-waiting Anekōji Sadako (姉小路定子)
- First son: Prince Toohito (遐仁親王) (Emperor MomozonoEmperor Momozonowas 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:...
)- Grandson: Prince Hidehito (英仁親王) (Emperor Go-MomozonoEmperor Go-Momozonowas 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....
)- Great-granddaughter: Princess Yoshiko (欣子内親王) (Empress Yoshikō)
- Great Great-grandson: Prince Masuhito (温仁親王)
- Great Great-grandson: Prince Toshihito (悦仁親王)
- Great-granddaughter: Princess Yoshiko (欣子内親王) (Empress Yoshikō)
- Grandson: Prince Hidehito (英仁親王) (Emperor Go-Momozono
- First son: Prince Toohito (遐仁親王) (Emperor Momozono
Events of Sakuramachi's life
He was said to be the reincarnationReincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of Prince Shōtoku
Prince Shotoku
, also known as or , was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko. He was a son of Emperor Yōmei and his younger half-sister Princess Anahobe no Hashihito. His parents were relatives of the ruling Soga clan, and was involved in the defeat...
. With the support of Tokugawa Yoshimune
Tokugawa Yoshimune
was the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1716 until his abdication in 1745. He was the son of Tokugawa Mitsusada, the grandson of Tokugawa Yorinobu, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Lineage:...
, he worked for the restoration of Imperial rites, bringing back the Daijōsai (大嘗祭, the first ceremonial rice-offering by a newly-enthroned emperor) and the Shinjōsai (新嘗祭, a ceremonial rice-offering by the emperor) among others, and concentrated on restoring other courtesies.
- July 17. 1728: Akihito-shinnō was named Crown Prince.
- April 13, 1735: Prince Akihito became emperor upon the abdication of his father.
- 1736 (Genbun 1): The shogunate published an edict declaring that henceforth, the sole, authorized coinage in the empire would be those copper coins which were marked n the obverse with the character 文
- 1737 (Genbun 2, 11th month): A comet is noticed in the western part of the sky.
- 1738 (Genbun 3): Esoteric Shinto rituals were performed by the emperor.
- 1739 (Genbun 4): Some foundrymen in Edo are commanded to create iron coins for use across the empire.
- 1739 (Genbun 4): Hosokawa Etchū-no-kami of Higo was killed in Edo castle by Itakura Katsukane, and the killer was ordered to commit suicide as just punishment; however, Shogun YoshimuneTokugawa Yoshimunewas the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1716 until his abdication in 1745. He was the son of Tokugawa Mitsusada, the grandson of Tokugawa Yorinobu, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Lineage:...
personally intervened to mitigate the adverse consequences for the killer's fudai family.
- August 8, 1740 (Genbun 5, 16th day of the 7th month): Great floods in Heian-kyō. Sanjo Bridge is washed away.
- January 11, 1741 (Genbun 5, 24th day of the 11th month): The esoteric Niiname-matsuri ceremonies were performed. This specific ceremony had otherwise been held in abeyance for the previous 280 years.
- January 12, 1741 (Genbun 5, 25th day of the 11th month): The esoteric Toyonoakari-no-sechiye ceremonies were performed.
- 1742 (Kanpō 2): A comet was seen in the sky.
- 1742 (Kanpō 2, 8th month): Persistent heavy rains create floods throughout the country, with noteworthy devastation in Musashi provinceMusashi Provincewas a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...
, Kōzuke provinceKozuke Provincewas an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture. It is nicknamed as or .The ancient provincial capital was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and...
, Shimotsuke provinceShimotsuke Provinceis an old province of Japan in the area of Tochigi Prefecture in the Kanto region. It was sometimes called or .The ancient capital of the province was near the city of Tochigi, but in feudal times the main center of the province was near the modern capital, Utsunomiya.-History:Different parts of...
, and Shinano provinceShinano Provinceor is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture.Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces...
. In Heian-kyōHeian-kyoHeian-kyō , was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180....
, the Sanjo Bridge is washed away in this destructive storm cycle.
- 1743 (Kanpō 3, 11th month): A comet was sighted in the night sky; and this comet is likely to have been what is today identified as C/1743 C1 (De-Cheseaux).
- 1744 (Enkyō 1): Great comet was visible in sky for many months; this comet is likely to have been what is today identified as C/1743 X1 (De Cheseaux).
- 1745 (Enkyō 2): Tokugawa IeshigeTokugawa IeshigeTokugawa Ieshige; 徳川 家重 was the ninth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.The first son of Tokugawa Yoshimune, his mother was the daughter of Okubo Tadanao, known as Osuma no kata. His childhood name was Nagatomi-maru. He underwent the genpuku coming-of-age ceremony in 1725...
became shogun of the Edo bakufuTokugawa shogunateThe 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...
.
- 1745 (Enkyō 2): First establishment of a market fair in the capital was to be found at the temple of HiranoHirano- People named Hirano include :*Aya Hirano,voice actor and J-pop singer*Fumi Hirano,voice actor and essayist*Hideaki Hirano, sociology professor, Hosei University*Imao Hirano,poet and translator of French literature...
, in the Ōmi provinceOmi Provinceis an old province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō circuit. It is nicknamed as .Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is located at the center of the province...
.
- 1745 (Enkyō 3, 2nd month): A great fire sweeps through 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...
.
- June 9, 1747: The emperor abdicated.
- May 28, 1750: Sakuramachi died at the age of 30.
Sakuramachi's kamiKamiis 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...
is enshrined in an Imperial mausoleum (misasagi), Tsukinowa no misasagi, at Sennyū-jiSennyu-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, KyotoHigashiyama-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...
. Sakuramachi's immediate Imperial predecessors since Emperor Go-MizunooEmperor Go-Mizunoowas 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...
-- MeishōEmpress Meishowas 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, ...
, Go-KōmyōEmperor Go-Komyowas 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-SaiEmperor Go-Sai, 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....
, ReigenEmperor Reigenwas the 112th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Reigen's reign spanned the years from 1663 through 1687.-Genealogy:...
, HigashiyamaEmperor Higashiyamawas the 113th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Higashiyama's reign spanned the years from 1687 through 1709.-Genealogy:...
and NakamikadoEmperor Nakamikadowas the 114th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Nakamikado's reign spanned the years from 1709 through 1735.-Genealogy:...
, are also enshrined along with his immediate Imperial successors, including MomozonoEmperor Momozonowas 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-SakuramachiEmpress Go-Sakuramachiwas 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-MomozonoEmperor Go-Momozonowas 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....
.
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 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...
in pre-MeijiMeiji periodThe , 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 Sakuramachi's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:- 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 Sakuramachi's reign
The years of Sakuramachi's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- KyōhōKyohowas a after Shōtoku and before Gembun. This period spanned the years from July 1716 through April 1736. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
(1716–1736) - GembunGenbunwas a , also Gembun, after Kyōhō and before Kanpō. This period spanned the years from April 1736 through February 1741. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(1736–1741) - KampōKampo, alternatively shortened as just , is the Japanese study and adaptation of Traditional Chinese medicine. The basic works of Chinese medicine came to Japan between the 7th and 9th centuries. Since then, the Japanese have created their own unique herbal medical system and diagnosis...
(1741–1744) - Enkyō (1744–1748)
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...
- Empress Go-SakuramachiEmpress Go-Sakuramachiwas the 117th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years from 1762 through 1771....