Japanese Emperors

This list is comprised of Japanese Emperors and Empresses (天皇 Tenno). The first emperor, Jimmu, and his successors are widely considered to be legendary. It is not until the 6th-century that names and dates can be assigned with more certainty. For much of their history the emperors have only been ceremonial rulers, with actual power in the hands of others (such as the shoguns who ruled from 1192 to 1867).

The name listed is the personal name, if known. Deceased emperors are in fact usually referred to by a posthumous name. Since the time of emperor Meiji, this posthumous name coincides with the name of the era.

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NameHistorical NameYearsTypeOther Names
JimmuJimmuc. 660-c. 585 BCemperor(Jinmu)
SuizeiSuizeic. 581-c. 549 BCemperor
AnneiAnneic. 549-c. 511 BCemperor
ItokuItokuc. 510-c. 476 BCemperor
KoshoKoshoc. 475-c. 393 BCemperor
KoanKoanc. 392-c. 291 BCemperor
KoreiKoreic. 290-c. 215 BCemperor
KogenKogenc. 214-c. 158 BCemperor
KaikaKaikac. 157-c. 98 BCemperor
SujinSujinc. 97-c. 30 BCemperor
SuininSuininc. 29 BC-c. 70emperor
KeikoKeikoc. 71-c. 130emperor
SeimuSeimuc. 131-c. 191emperor
ChuaiChuaic. 192-c. 200emperor
JinguJinguc. 201-c. 269empress
OjinOjinc. 270-c. 310emperor(Homutawake, Hondawake)
NintokuNintokuc. 313-c. 399emperor
RichuRichuc. 400-c. 405emperor
HanzeiHanzeic. 406-c. 410emperor(Hansho)
IngyoIngyoc. 410-c. 453emperor
AnkoAnkoc. 453-c. 456emperor
OhatsuseYuryakuc. 456-c. 479emperor(Yuryaku)
ShirakaSeineic. 480-c. 484emperor(Seinei)
OkaKenzoc. 485-c. 487emperor(Kenzo)
OyokeNinkenc. 488-c. 498emperor(Ninken)
BuretsuBuretsuc. 498-c. 506emperor
KeitaiKeitaic. 507-c. 531emperor
AnkanAnkanc. 531-c. 536emperor
SenkaSenkac. 536-c. 539emperor
KinmeiKinmei539-571emperor
BidatsuBidatsu572-585emperor
OeYomei585-587emperor(Tachibana, Yomei)
HatsusebeSushun587-592emperor(Sushun)
NukatabeSuiko593-628empress(Suiko, Toyomike)
TamuraJomei629-641emperor(Jomei)
TakaraKogyoku642-645; 655-661empress(Kogyoku, Saimei)
KaruKotoku645-654emperor(Kotoku)
Naka-no-OeTenji661-671emperor(Tenji)
OtomoKobun672emperor(Kobun)
OamaTenmu673-686emperor(Tenmu)
UnonosararaJito686-697empress(Jito, Uno)
KaruMonmu697-707emperor(Monmu)
AheGenmei707-715empress(Abe, Genmei, Genmyo)
HidakaGensho715-724empress(Gensho)
ObitoShomu724-749emperor(Shomu)
AbeKoken749-758; 765-770empress(Koken, Shotoku)
OiJunnin758-764emperor(Junnin)
ShirakabeKonin770-781emperor(Konin)
YamabeKanmu781-806emperor(Kanmu)
AteHeizei806-809emperor(Heizei)
KaminoSaga809-823emperor(Saga)
OtomoJunna823-833emperor(Junna)
MasaraNinmyo833-850emperor(Ninmyo)
MichiyasuMontoku850-858emperor(Montoku)
KorehitoSeiwa858-876emperor(Seiwa)
SadaakiraYozei876-884emperor(Yozei)
TokiyatsuKoko884-887emperor(Koko, Komatsu)
SadamiUda887-897emperor(Uda)
AtsuhitoDaigo897-930emperor(Daigo)
HiroakiraSuzaku930-946emperor(Suzaku, Yutaakira)
NariakiraMurakami946-967emperor(Murakami)
NorihiraReizei967-969emperor(Reizei)
MorihiraEn'yu969-984emperor(En'yu)
MorosadaKazan984-986emperor(Kazan)
KanehitoIchijo986-1011emperor(Ichijo, Yasuhito)
IyasadaSanjo1011-1016emperor(Okisada, Sanjo)
AtsuhiraGo-Ichijo1016-1036emperor(Ichijo)
AtsunagaGo-Suzaku1036-1045emperor(Atsuyoshi, Suzaku)
ChikahitoGo-Reizei1045-1068emperor(Reizei)
TakahitoGo-Sanjo1068-1073emperor(Sanjo)
SadahitoShirakawa1073-1086emperor(Shirakawa)
TaruhitoHorikawa1087-1107emperor(Horikawa)
MunehitoToba1107-1123emperor(Toba)
AkihitoSutoku1123-1142emperor(Sutoku)
NarihitoKonoe1142-1155emperor(Konoe)
MasahitoGo-Shirakawa1155-1158emperor(Shirakawa)
MorihitoNijo1158-1165emperor(Nijo)
NobuhitoRokujo1165-1168emperor(Rokujo, Yorihito)
NorihitoTakakura1168-1180emperor(Takakura)
TokohitoAntoku1180-1185emperor(Antoku)
TakahiraGo-Toba1183-1198emperor(Takanari, Toba)
TamehitoTsuchimikado1198-1210emperor(Tsuchimikado)
MorinariJuntoku1210-1221emperor(Juntoku)
KanenariChukyo1221emperor(Chukyo)
YutahitoGo-Horikawa1221-1232emperor(Horikawa, Motsihito)
MitsuhitoShijo1232-1242emperor(Shijo, Tosihito)
KunihitoGo-Saga1242-1246emperor(Saga)
HisahitoGo-Fukakusa1246-1260emperor(Fukakusa)
TsunehitoKameyama1259-1274emperor(Kameyama)
YohitoGo-Uda1274-1287emperor(Uda)
HirohitoFushimi1287-1298emperor(Fushimi)
TanehitoGo-Fushimi1298-1301emperor(Fushimi)
KuniharuGo-Nijo1301-1308emperor(Nijo)
TomihitoHanazono1308-1318emperor(Hanazono)
TakaharuGo-Daigo1318-1339emperor(Daigo)
NoriyoshiGo-Murakami1339-1368emperor(Murakami)
YutanariChokei1368-1383emperor(Chokei)
HironariGo-Kameyama1383-1392emperor(Kameyama)
MotohitoGo-Komatsu1392-1412emperor(Komatsu)
MihitoShoko1412-1428emperor(Shoko)
HikohitoGo-Hanazono1428-1464emperor(Hanazono)
FusahitoGo-Tsuchimikado1464-1500emperor(Tsuchimikado)
KatsuhitoGo-Kashiwabara1500-1526emperor(Kashiwabara)
TomohitoGo-Nara1526-1557emperor(Nara)
MichihitoOgimachi1557-1586emperor(Ogimachi)
KatahitoGo-Yozei1586-1611emperor(Yozei)
KotohitoGo-Mizunoo1611-1629emperor(Masahito, Mizunoo)
OkikoMeisho1629-1643empress(Meisho)
TsuguhitoGo-Komyo1643-1655emperor(Komyo)
NagahitoGo-Sai1655-1663emperor(Junna, Sai)
SatohitoReigen1663-1687emperor(Reigen)
AsahitoHigashiyama1687-1709emperor(Higashiyama)
YasuhitoNakamikado1709-1735emperor(Nakamikado)
TeruhitoSakuramachi1735-1747emperor(Sakuramachi)
ToohitoMomozono1747-1762emperor(Momozono)
ToshikoGo-Sakuramachi1762-1770empress(Sakuramachi)
HidehitoGo-Momozono1771-1779emperor(Momozono)
TomohitoKokaku1780-1817emperor(Kokaku)
AyahitoNinko1817-1846emperor(Ninko)
OsahitoKomei1846-1867emperor(Komei)
MutsuhitoMeiji1867-1912emperor(Meiji)
YoshihitoTaisho1912-1926emperor(Taisho)
HirohitoShowa1926-1989emperor(Showa)
AkihitoAkihito1989-2019emperor
NaruhitoNaruhito2019-emperor