by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2012

The Imperial Household Agency is responsible for the oversight of nearly 900 Imperial tombs in 457 different locations. These include tombs of Emperors as well as other members of the Imperial Family. Some are very much like cemeteries, others are more like small temples, and some are simple burial mounds.

The earliest tombs were typically large and keyhole-shaped. The most impressive of this design is the tomb of the Emperor Nintoku, believed to have reigned from 313-399. Located in Osaka, the site is a keyhole-shaped island surrounded by three moats. It is considered to be one of the largest tombs in the world. The Imperial Household Agency considers this to be his mausoleum, although the site of his actual grave on the island is not known.

From the Imperial Household Agency:
“With the trend to simplify burial rites and due to the influence of Buddhism, the scale of these burial mounds gradually diminished with the introduction of cremation. From the end of the Heian period in the 12th century the increasing preponderance of temple and pagoda ensured that from the time of the building of the mausoleum of Emperor Koumei, mausolea and tombs had become the circular-shaped mounded or the mounded tomb having a dome-shaped knoll on a square base.”

From 1629 through 1867, the traditional burial site of the rulers of Japan was the Sennyū-ji Temple complex in Kyoto. In the 13th century, two Emperors – Go-Horikawa and Shijō – were buried here, each in separate mausoleums within the grounds of the burial ground, called ‘Tsukinowa no misasagi’. Later, in 1629, Emperor Go-Mizunoo was buried here as well, followed by the next thirteen Emperors. Emperor Meiji is buried at the nearby Fushimi Momoyama Ryo, the last to be buried in Kyoto.

Beginning with Emperor Taishō who died in 1926, the Emperors and Empresses have been buried at the Musashino Imperial Mausoleum, a complex in Hachiōji, Tokyo. It has been reported that Retired Emperor Akihito and Retired Empress Michiko wish to be cremated, and for their burials to be more simplified and scaled down. The Japanese Imperial Family practices the Shinto religion, the traditional religion of Japan that focuses on rituals that make connections with present-day Japan and its ancient past.

Since the modern era, the reign of Emperor Meiji, a deceased Emperor is referred to by his posthumous name, which is the name of the era coinciding with the Emperor’s reign.  Emperor Meiji was born Prince Mutsuhito but having ruled during the Meiji Era, he is posthumously known as “the Meiji Emperor” or simply “Emperor Meiji”. His personal name, which was not used in any formal or official context, except for his signature, was Mutsuhito. Deceased Empresses are also given a posthumous name. After the death of Emperors and Empresses, their posthumous names are the only names that Japanese speakers use when referring to them. For more information see Unofficial Royalty: Japanese Naming Conventions

• Unofficial Royalty: Japanese Index
• Official Website: Imperial Household Agency

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Emperors of Japan: 1867 – present

• Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji: reigned February 3, 1867 – July 30, 1912
• Yoshihito, Emperor Taishō: reigned July 30, 1912 – December 25, 1926
• Hirohito, Emperor Shōwa: reigned December 25, 1926 – January 7, 1989
• Akihito, Emperor Emeritus: reigned January 7, 1989 – April 30, 2019 (abdicated)
• Naruhito, Emperor of Japan: reigned April 30, 2019 – present

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Mutsuhito
Emperor Meiji
reigned February 3, 1867 – July 30, 1912

Unofficial Royalty: Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji was born Prince Mutsuhito on November 3, 1852, the son of Osahito, Emperor Kōmei and his concubine Nakayama Yoshiko. On January 11, 1869, he married Lady Ichijō Masako, the daughter of an Imperial minister. The couple had no children together, but the Emperor had 15 children with his official concubines. Emperor Meiji died on July 30, 1912. He is buried in the East Mount of the Fushimi Momoyama Ryo in Kyoto.

Lady Ichijō Masako (Haruko)
Empress Shōken

Unofficial Royalty: Empress Shōken
Lady Ichijō Masako was born May 9, 1849, in Kyoto, daughter of an Imperial minister. She married Emperor Meiji in 1869 and took on the name Haruko. They had no children together, but the Empress later adopted one of her husband’s children with a concubine, allowing him to become heir to the throne. Empress Shōken died on April 9, 1914, and was buried in the East Mound of the Fushimi Momoyama Ryo in Kyoto.

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Yoshihito
Emperor Taishō
reigned July 30, 1912 – December 25, 1926

Unofficial Royalty: Emperor Taishō
Emperor Taishō was born Prince Yoshihito on August 31, 1879, the son of Emperor Meiji and his concubine Yanagiwara Naruko. He was later adopted by Empress Shōken and became the official heir to the throne. In May 1900, he married Lady Sadako Kujō and the couple had four sons. He succeeded his father as Emperor on July 30, 1912. Emperor Taishō died on December 25, 1926, and was buried at the Musashi Imperial Graveyard in Hachiōji, Tokyo.

Lady Sadako Kujō
Empress Teimei

Unofficial Royalty: Empress Teimei
Lady Sadako Kujō was born June 25, 1884, daughter of Michitaka Kujō and Noma Ikuko. She married Yoshihito in 1900 and had four sons. Empress Teimei survived her husband by 25 years and died on May 17, 1951, and was buried at the Musashi Imperial Graveyard in Hachiōji, Tokyo.

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Hirohito
Emperor Shōwa
reigned December 25, 1926 – January 7, 1989

Unofficial Royalty: Emperor Shōwa
Emperor Shōwa was born Prince Hirohito on April 29, 1901, the son of Emperor Yoshihito and Lady Sadako Kujō. On January 24, 1924, he married Princess Nagako Kuni, a distant cousin. They had seven children. Emperor Shōwa died on January 7, 1989, and was buried at the Musashi Imperial Graveyard in Hachiōji, Tokyo.

Princess Nagako
Empress Kōjun

Unofficial Royalty: Empress Kōjun
Empress Kōjun was born Princess Nagako Kuni on March 6, 1903, the daughter of Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni and Shimazu Chikako. She married Emperor Shōwa in 1924 and the couple had seven children. Empress Kōjun died on June 16, 2000, and was buried at the Musashi Imperial Graveyard in Hachiōji, Tokyo.

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