Figure 1.--This is Emperor Komei as a child. He was born in 1831. This must have been one of the earlisest photographs taken in Japan, presumably a Daguerreotype. Komei was the father of the Emperor Menji. |
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The Japanese imperial family is the world's oldest hereditary monarchy. The family dates in lineage back to the sixth century BC. The title of Tenno (emperor) or Sumera-Mikoto (heavenly sovereign) was assumed by rulers in the sixth or seventh century. Emperors were, and are known by the name, or names of their reigns. The current reigning Emperor, Akihito is number 125 in the unbroken chain of sucession. The first was, Jimmu (660-585 B.C.). Japanese imperial history has been one of the struggle netween the emperor on one hand and powerful nobels known as daimos. In addition emperor's have varied as to their involvement. Some emperors have actually ruled. Others have disabced themselves and allowed appointed officials to rule. Some emperors have governmed a united countries. Other emperors have been unavlke to prevent civil war between competing nobels. Several emperors tried to bring the regional clans under central Imperial control (7th-8th centuries AD). Emperor Tenji is the best remembered of the early emperors (661-672 AD). Tenji succeeded in establishing direct imperial rule, based on the ruling Tang dynasty in China. Prince Shotoku, son of the Empress Suiko, was a noted figure in the Nara Period (710~794). He issued Japan's first constitution and installed Buddhism as Japan's principal religion.
Emperor Kammu at the onset of the Heian Period (794~1185) founded a new capital in Kyoto. The new capital was built on the basis of the Chinese capital. The emperor at the time was encumbered by a traditional bureaucracy. The court was occupied withh arts and literature. Japan came to be ruled by reget and advisors depending on the age age of the emperors. These offices came to largely hereditary in nature and dominated by powerful aristocratic families. These clans did not attemp to seize the imperial title because it would have been resisted by other clans, but these essentially ruled in the emperor's name.
The Emperor Godaigo briefly restored imperial rule (14th century), but this was the exception. Japan was for centurues ruled by military war lords or shoguns. Depending on the power off the shogun, Japan experienced peace ir civil war. The last great shogun was Tokugawa Ieyasu seized control of recently united Japan. Ironically, under the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo Period (1600~1868), the imperial institutions began to increase in prestige. The Tokugawa shoguns uled from Edo (now Tokyo). The emperors held court in Kyoto and performed their mostly religious duties.
The Japanese imperial family is the world's oldest hereditary monarchy. The family dates in lineage back to the sixth century BC. The title of Tenno (emperor) or Sumera-Mikoto (heavenly sovereign) was assumed by rulers in the sixth or seventh century. Emperors were, and are known by the name, or names of their reigns. The first emperor was, Jimmu (660-585 B.C.). Japanese imperial history has been one of the struggle netween the emperor on one hand and powerful nobels known as daimos. In addition emperor's have varied as to their involvement. Some emperors have actually ruled. Others have disabced themselves and allowed appointed officials to rule. Some emperors have governmed a united countries. Other emperors have been unavlke to prevent civil war between competing nobels. Several emperors tried to bring the regional clans under central Imperial control (7th-8th centuries AD).
Emperor Tenji is the best remembered of the early emperors (661-72 AD). Tenji succeeded in establishing direct imperial rule, based on the ruling Tang dynasty in China.
Prince Shotoku, son of the Empress Suiko, was a noted figure in the Nara Period (710-94). He issued Japan's first constitution and installed Buddhism as Japan's principal religion.
Emperor Kammu at the onset of the Heian Period (794-1185) founded a new capital in Kyoto. The new capital was built on the basis of the Chinese capital. The emperor at the time was encumbered by a traditional bureaucracy. The court was occupied withh arts and literature. Japan came to be ruled by reget and advisors depending on the age age of the emperors. These offices came to largely hereditary in nature and dominated by powerful aristocratic families. These clans did not attemp to seize the imperial title because it would have been resisted by other clans, but these essentially ruled in the emperor's name.
The Emperor Godaigo briefly restored imperial rule (14th century), but this was the exception. Japan was for centurues ruled by military war lords or shoguns. Depending on the power off the shogun, Japan experienced peace ir civil war.
Europeans reached Japan in the 16th century. First the Portuguese and then the Dutch and others. A lively trade developed and missionaries were active.
The last great shogun was Tokugawa Ieyasu seized control of recently united Japan. Ironically, under the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo Period (1600~1868), the imperial institutions began to increase in prestige. The Tokugawa shoguns uled from Edo (now Tokyo). The emperors held court in Kyoto and performed their mostly religious duties. It was during the Edo period that the Tokogawa showguns decided to isolate Japan and supress the Christiansm including some Christian daimos. The Edo Period despite Japan's isolation was one of cultural achievement. It was also one of cuktural ferment. Japan was not totally isolated and some intelectuals began to discuss the obvious Western superiority in science and technology. Other intelectuals known as "kinno-ha" (imperial loyalists) began to develop a new sense of a Japanese identity with the emperor at its symbolic center.
The Tokogawa Shogunate even in the 19th century were determined to maintain Japan's isolation. This proved impossible given the technological superority of the West. Commodore Matthew C. Perry'and his Black Ships were the first to arrive (1853).
, this concept was adopted as a rallying cry to defenders from the foreign threat. By 1868, they had succeeded in toppling the Tokugawa shogunate and establishing a new national government under direct imperial rule - the Meiji Restoration (analogies to this period of revolutionary change are often made by today's radical politicians).
The Western opening of Japan weakened the Showgunate. Interesting the imperial loyalist used the Showgun's inability to standup to the westerners as a example of why the government need to be changed. The victorious imperial loyalists instituted many western reforms to modernize Japan.
The Meiji leaders after their victory took about 20 years to decide on the details of the new imperial system. This was decided with a new Constotution (1889). Under the Constitution, the emperor was 'sacred and inviolable'. Japan's sovereignty rested with him as the Head of the Empire. The emperor commanded the armed forces whoch were created on western models. The emperor declared war and concluded treaties. Laws required his approval and were enforced in his name. Yet in a typically Japanese twist, the emperor had no real political power. He was like so many emperor's in Japan's history was to ratify and give the imperial stamp of approval to yhe governing decisions made by his ministers.
WE have collected some basic information on Japan's modern emperprs. The best known of those emperor's is Hirohito who reigned during the World War II conflict with China and America.
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