Empress Jitō

was the 41st Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.

Jitō's reign started in 686 and ended in 697.  Historians consider details about the life of Empress Jitō to be possibly legendary, but probable. The name Jitō_-tennō_ was created for him posthumously by later generations.

The conventionally accepted names and sequence of the early emperors were not to be confirmed as "traditional" until the reign of Emperor Kammu, who was the 50th monarch of the Yamato dynasty.

In the history of Japan, Jitō was the third of eight women to be empress.  The two female monarchs before Jitō were (a) Suiko and (b) Kōgyoku/Saimei.  The five women monarchs after Jitō were (c) Gemmei, (d) Genshō, (e) Kōken/Shōtoku, (f) Meishō, and (g) Go-Sakuramachi.

## Traditional narrative

Before she became the monarch, this princess's personal name (_imina_) was , or alternately Uno.

Princess Uno was the daughter of Emperor Tenji and she was the wife of Emperor Temmu, who was Tenji's brother.

### Events of Jitō's life

In this period, the court and the government was centered at Fujiwara Palace in Yamato.

- **686** : In the 15th year of Emperor Temmu's reign, he died. The succession (_senso_) was in effect received by his wife.  Princess Uno wanted to ensure that her son, Prince Kusakabe, would become the next monarch.
- **690** : In the 4th year of the period in which Princess Uno functioned as monarch, Prince Kusabake died.
- **691** : Princess Uno was formally established as the monarch (_sokui_); and she became known as Empress Jitō.  This was confirmed in ceremonies.
- **691** : Jito's grandson, was then named as Jitō's successor; and he would become known as Emperor Mommu.
- **697** : In the 11th year of Empress Jitō's reign, she abdicated. In retirement, she took the post-reign title _Daijō-tennō._  After this, other emperors who abdicated were known by the same title.
- **702** (_Taihō 2_): _Daijō-tennō_ Jitō died.

### After her death

The actual site of Jitō's grave is known.  This empress is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (_misasagi_) at Nara.

The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Jitō's mausoleum.  It is formally named _Ochi-no-Okanoe no misasagi_.

## Poetry

The _Man'yōshū_ includes a waka poem said to have been composed by Jitō

- **After the death of the Emperor Temmu**
- Oh, the autumn foliage
- Of the hill of Kamioka!
- My good Lord and Sovereign
- Would see it in the evening
- And ask of it in the morning.
- On that very hill from afar
- I gaze, wondering
- If he sees it to-day,
- Or asks of it to-morrow.
- Sadness I feel at eve,
- And heart-rending grief at morn --
- The sleeves of my coarse-cloth robe
- Are never for a moment dry.

## Related pages

- Emperor of Japan
- List of emperors of Japan
- Japanese imperial family tree
- Japanese empresses

## Other websites

- Asuka Historical National Government Park: image of Mausoleum Emperor Temmu and Empress Jitō , exterior view

## Infobox (monarch)

- **name**: Jitō
- **succession**: Empress of Japan
- **image**: Hyakuninisshu_002.jpg
- **reign**: 686–697
- **predecessor**: Emperor Temmu, Temmu
- **successor**: Emperor Mommu, Mommu
- **birth date**: 645
- **death date**: 703
- **death place**: Fujiwara-kyō, Japan
- **burial place**: _Hinokuma-no-Ōuchi no misasagi_  (Nara)