Reigning Emperor

Honorific title of the emperor of Japan

This article is about honorific title of the emperor of Japan. For current reigning emperor of the Reiwa era, see Naruhito.

Reigning Emperor (Japanese: 今上天皇, Hepburn: Kinjō Tennō) or Majesty (陛下, Heika), according to protocol, is the honorific title used in Japan to refer to the current Emperor of Japan instead of using their personal name (e.g. Hirohito), as is done in the West.[1][2] The only context where the personal name is used is when referring to their time before taking the throne (e.g. Prince Hirohito 裕仁親王 Hirohito shinnō).

## History

[edit]

Under the modern system, the posthumous name (諡号, shigō, colloquially gō) of the emperor will always match the era name or regnal year name (元号, gengō). However, this "one generation one title" (一世一元, issei ichigen) system was only implemented in the modern age of the Meiji Restoration.[3] In the past, the emperor's name never matched the era name, and the change of the era name (改元, kaigen) could occur any number of times. Additionally, some emperors had two gō titles, when reoccupying the throne in a process called chōso (重祚). One example of this was Empress Kōgyoku, who later mounted the throne as Empress Saimei.

Attaching the title "Emperor" and his Japanese era name has formed a posthumous name, from "Emperor Meiji" to "Emperor Taishō" and "Emperor Shōwa", so doing it to refer to still living Emperor Emeritus Akihito and the Reigning Emperor Naruhito is a faux pas.[4]

## See also

[edit]

* Arahitogami
* Kigensetsu
* Kofun

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Erskine, William Hugh (1933). Japanese Festival and Calendar Lore (snippet). Kyo Bun-kwan. p. 67\. ""In Japan, the personal name of the Emperor is never used by the people. He is always spoken of as the Heika or the Kinjo no Heika while living, and after his death is spoken of as the "Meiji Tenno" or " Taisho Tenno"."
2. ^ Izawa, Motohiko (井沢元彦) (2011). 井沢元彦の学校では教えてくれない日本史の授業 (Izawa Motohiko no gakko dewa oshiete kurenai Nihonshi no jugyo) (preview). PHP Kenkyujo. p. 180\. ISBN 9784569795232.
3. ^ Tanaka, Stefan (2006). New Times in Modern Japan (preview). Princeton University Press. p. 11\. ISBN 9780691128016.
4. ^ "上皇さまを「平成天皇」と呼ばない理由" [The reason why the Emperor Emeritus is not called "Emperor Heisei"]. BuzzFeed (in Japanese). 2019-05-03. Retrieved 2019-05-03.

* v
* t
* e

Japan articles

* Index
* Outline

History|

| Overviews|

* Lists
* Eras
* Clans
* Shoguns
* Wars
* Economic
* Education
* Foreign relations
* Military
* Naval
* Imperial Army
* Imperial Navy

|

Ancient|

* Paleolithic
* Jōmon period
* Yayoi period
* Kofun period
* Asuka period
* Taihō Code
* Asuka Kiyomihara Code
* Hakuhō period
* Taika Reform
* Monmu period
* Nara period
* Heian period

Post-Classical|

* Genpei War
* Kamakura period
* Kamakura shogunate
* Mongol invasions of Japan
* Genkō War
* Kenmu Restoration
* Muromachi period
* Ashikaga shogunate
* Nanboku-chō period
* Ōnin War
* Sengoku period
* Azuchi–Momoyama period
* Council of Five Elders
* Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598)

Early Modern|

* Edo period
* Tokugawa shogunate
* Bakumatsu
* Empire of Japan
* Meiji era
* Imperial Constitution (1890–1947)
* Government
* Meiji oligarchy
* Meiji Restoration
* Abolition of the han system
* Boshin War
* Satsuma Rebellion
* Kazoku (noble)
* First Sino-Japanese War
* Russo-Japanese War

Late Modern|

* Taishō era
* Japan during World War I
* 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
* Shōwa era
* Japan during World War II
* Mukden Incident
* Second Sino-Japanese War
* Pacific War
* Occupation
* Postwar
* Economic miracle
* Heisei era
* Great Hanshin earthquake
* 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

Contemporary|

* Reiwa era
* 2019 imperial transition
* COVID-19 pandemic

Geography|

* Addresses
* Archipelago
* Cities
* Districts
* Earthquakes
* Environment
* Extreme points
* Islands
* Lakes
* Prefectures
* Regions
* Rivers
* Towns
* Villages
* World Heritage Sites

Politics|

* Constitution
* Elections
* Emperor
* list
* Imperial House
* Foreign relations
* Human rights
* LGBTQ
* Judiciary
* Supreme Court
* Law
* Law enforcement
* National Diet
* House of Representatives
* House of Councillors
* List of members
* Political parties
* Self-Defense Forces
* Ground
* Maritime
* Air

Government|

* Cabinet
* list
* Fiscal policy
* Foreign policy
* Ministries
* Prime Minister
* list
* Deputy Prime Minister

Economy|

* Agriculture, forestry, fishing
* Central bank
* Labor
* Manufacturing
* Energy
* Science and technology
* Telecommunications
* Transport
* Yen

Society|

* Anti-monarchism
* Censorship
* Crime
* Demographics
* Education
* Etiquette
* Gambling
* Health
* Housing
* Homelessness
* Languages
* Japanese
* Life expectancy
* People
* Pornography
* Prostitution
* Religion
* Sex trafficking
* Sexual minorities
* Sexuality
* Smoking
* Women

Culture|

* Aesthetics
* Anime / Manga
* Architecture
* Art
* Bonsai
* Cinema
* Class S (genre)
* Cuisine (wine)
* Festivals
* Flag
* Folklore
* Gardens
* Geisha
* Games
* Hikikomori
* Hanami
* Henohenomoheji
* Icons
* Ikebana
* Irezumi
* Kawaii
* LGBTQ culture
* Literature
* Martial arts
* Media
* Music
* Mythology
* Names
* National symbols
* No-pan kissa
* Onsen / Sentō
* Otokonoko
* Origami
* Sport
* Shinto
* Tea ceremony
* Television
* Theatre
* Video games
* Zen

* Japan portal
* Category

* v
* t
* e

Emperors of Japan (list)

Legendary|

| Jōmon|

| 660 BC–291 BC|

* Jimmu
* Suizei
* Annei
* Itoku
* Kōshō
* Kōan

|

Yayoi|

| 290 BC–269 AD|

* Kōrei
* Kōgen
* Kaika
* Sujin
* Suinin
* Keikō
* Seimu
* Chūai
* Jingū*

|

Yamato|

| Kofun|

| 269–539|

* Ōjin
* Nintoku
* Richū
* Hanzei
* Ingyō
* Ankō
* Yūryaku
* Seinei
* Kenzō
* Ninken
* Buretsu
* Keitai
* Ankan
* Senka

|

Asuka|

| 539–710|

* Kinmei
* Bidatsu
* Yōmei
* Sushun
* Suiko
* Jomei
* Kōgyoku
* Kōtoku
* Saimei
* Tenji
* Kōbun
* Tenmu
* Jitō
* Monmu
* Genmei

|

Nara|

| 710–794|

* Genmei
* Genshō
* Shōmu
* Kōken
* Junnin
* Shōtoku
* Kōnin
* Kanmu

|

Heian|

| 794–1185|

* Kanmu
* Heizei
* Saga
* Junna
* Ninmyō
* Montoku
* Seiwa
* Yōzei
* Kōkō
* Uda
* Daigo
* Suzaku
* Murakami
* Reizei
* En'yū
* Kazan
* Ichijō
* Sanjō
* Go-Ichijō
* Go-Suzaku
* Go-Reizei
* Go-Sanjō
* Shirakawa
* Horikawa
* Toba
* Sutoku
* Konoe
* Go-Shirakawa
* Nijō
* Rokujō
* Takakura
* Antoku
* Go-Toba

|

Kamakura|

| 1185–1333|

* Go-Toba
* Tsuchimikado
* Juntoku
* Chūkyō
* Go-Horikawa
* Shijō
* Go-Saga
* Go-Fukakusa
* Kameyama
* Go-Uda
* Fushimi
* Go-Fushimi
* Go-Nijō
* Hanazono
* Go-Daigo

|

Northern Court|

| 1333–1392|

* Kōgon
* Kōmyō
* Sukō
* Go-Kōgon
* Go-En'yū
* Go-Komatsu

|

Muromachi|

| 1333–1573|

* Go-Murakami
* Chōkei
* Go-Kameyama
* Go-Komatsu
* Shōkō
* Go-Hanazono
* Go-Tsuchimikado
* Go-Kashiwabara
* Go-Nara
* Ōgimachi

|

Azuchi-Momoyama|

| 1573–1603|

* Ōgimachi
* Go-Yōzei

|

Edo|

| 1603–1868|

* Go-Yōzei
* Go-Mizunoo
* Meishō
* Go-Kōmyō
* Go-Sai
* Reigen
* Higashiyama
* Nakamikado
* Sakuramachi
* Momozono
* Go-Sakuramachi
* Go-Momozono
* Kōkaku
* Ninkō
* Kōmei
* Meiji

|

Empire of Japan|

| 1868–1947|

* Meiji
* Taishō
* Shōwa

|

Japan|

| 1947–present|

* Shōwa
* Akihito
* Naruhito

|

Unless otherwise noted (as BC), years are in CE / AD * Imperial Consort and Regent Empress Jingū is not traditionally listed.

* Imperial family tree
* Imperial House
* Order of succession
* Imperial tombs
* Category

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template