(645–703) by
Katsukawa Shunsho, 18th century
Titles •
Josei Tennō (女性天皇, lit. "female heavenly emperor") or
Jotei (, lit. "female emperor") – Because there is no feminine equivalent to king and emperor in East Asian languages, different titles are used for female monarchs and female consorts.
Josei Tennō refers only to an
empress regnant of Japan, and
Jotei refers to an empress regnant of any countries. •
Tennō (天皇, lit. "heavenly emperor") or
Kōtei (皇帝, lit. "emperor") – Unlike European languages, in East Asia, the titles of female monarchs can also be abbreviated as "king" or "emperor", much like their male counterparts. However, to avoid confusion with male monarchs, they are usually referred to as "female king" or "female emperor".
List of empresses regnant There were eight female imperial reigns (six empresses regnant including two who reigned twice) in Japan's early history between 593 and 770, and two more in the early modern period (
Edo period). Although there were eight reigning empresses, with only one exception their successors were selected from amongst the males of the paternal Imperial bloodline. After many centuries, female reigns came to be officially prohibited only when the
Imperial Household Law was issued in 1889 alongside the new
Meiji Constitution. The eight historical empresses regnant are: • Nukatabe,
Empress Suiko (推古天皇 Suiko Tennō) was the 33rd
empress of Japan from 593 until 628, according to the traditional order of succession, and the first historically attested woman to hold this position. She was the granddaughter of Tashiraga of Yamato, herself sister of the childless
Emperor Buretsu, transferring some legitimacy in succession to the throne of
Yamato to her husband
Emperor Keitai. Tashiraga's mother had been Kasuga of Yamato, sister of the childless
Emperor Seinei, whose own marriage with the future
Emperor Ninken had a similar effect a generation earlier. According to legends, these ladies descended from the legendary
Empress Jingū, who had been ruler (since Meiji-era rewrites of history, Regent) of
Yamato for decades at some time in the past, probably in the mid-4th century (if she really existed), and who herself descended, according to legends, from
Amaterasu omikami, the Sun Goddess of the Japanese pantheon. • Takara,
Empress Kōgyoku (皇極天皇 Kōgyoku Tennō), also Empress Saimei (斉明天皇 Saimei Tennō) was the 35th and 37th
empress of Japan, initially from February 18, 642, to July 12, 645, ascending upon the death of her uncle
Emperor Jomei (who had also been her second husband). When she abdicated, her own younger brother succeeded her. However, upon the death of the said younger brother, she reascended the throne as
Empress Saimei on February 14, 655, and ruled until her death on August 24, 661. She was succeeded by her and Emperor Jomei's son, Naka no Ōe, as
Emperor Tenji. • Unonosasara,
Empress Jitō (持統天皇 Jitō Tennō) was the 41st imperial ruler of Japan, and ruled from 686 until 697. The previous emperor was her uncle and husband,
Emperor Tenmu, and she later abdicated the throne to her grandson
Emperor Monmu. • Ahe,
Empress Genmei (also Empress Genmyō; 元明天皇 Genmei Tennō) was the 43rd imperial ruler of Japan ruling 707–715 (died December 7, 721). She was Empress Jitō's younger half-sister and the mother of
Emperor Monmu, who died at a young age. • Hitaka,
Empress Genshō (元正天皇 Genshō Tennō) was the 44th monarch of Japan (715–724). She succeeded after her mother Empress Genmei and later abdicated to her nephew
Emperor Shōmu, son of Emperor Monmu. • Abe,
Empress Kōken (孝謙天皇 Kōken Tennō) also Empress Shōtoku (称徳天皇 Shōtoku Tennō) was the 46th imperial ruler of Japan from 749 to 758, and the 48th from 764 to 770. Her posthumous name for her second reign (764–770) was
Empress Shōtoku. She never married and her ex-crown prince was
Prince Bunado, her first cousin twice removed, but after her death, another of her cousins ascended the throne as
Emperor Kanmu, who was also her brother-in-law. • Okiko,
Empress Meishō (明正天皇 Meishō Tennō) was the 109th
empress of Japan, reigning from December 22, 1629, to November 14, 1643. She ascended upon the abdication of her father, being the eldest surviving child of her parents (the empress,
Tokugawa Masako, had only four daughters without surviving sons), holding priority over her younger half-brothers. • Toshiko,
Empress Go-Sakuramachi (後桜町天皇 Go-Sakuramachi Tennō) was the 117th
empress of Japan, and ruled from September 15, 1762, to January 9, 1771. She abdicated in favor of her young nephew. Surviving over forty years, the retired Empress held all those decades the position of Dajo Tenno, and acted as sort of guardian of subsequent emperors. Other than the eight historical empresses regnant, two additional empress are traditionally believed to have reigned, but historical evidence for their reigns is scant and they are not counted among the officially numbered Emperors/Empresses regnant: •
Empress Jingū r. 206–269 (empress consort of
Emperor Chūai)—not counted among the officially numbered Emperors •
Princess Iitoyo: Imperial princess and possibly empress regnant. She was baptized as Empress Tsunuzashi in the
list of emperors of Japan. Under
Shinto religious influence, the goddess
Amaterasu, who is of the highest rank in the
kami system, might suggest that Japan's first rulers were women. According to the and
Nihon Shoki chronicles in
Japanese mythology, the
Emperors of Japan are considered to be
direct descendants of Amaterasu. ==Empress consort==