Insei

, also known as "cloistered rule," is an ancient Japanese term which means a special form of Imperial government. 

In the Insei system, the monarch abdicated or retired and a new emperor was named; however, the old emperor held on to significant power and influence in the court and in the nation.Former emperors are called Daijō Tennō or Jōkō. Those former emperors who lived in a Buddhist temple or monastery were called .  The emperors who withdrew from public life did not give up any of their many powers.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005).  "Insei" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 391.  In practice, the retired emperor only gave up the time-consuming burden of his ceremonial roles and formal duties.

There were emperors who abdicated before and after the Heian period; however, the term Insei is most often used to mean the kind of Imperial system put in place by Emperor Shirakawa in 1086.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, pp. 257-258. This system was very important in the years before the rise of the Kamakura shogunate in 1192. 

 Heian period 
The succession of power in the Insei system was complex.Sansom, George Bailey. (1958). History of Japan to 1334, p. 200.

Insei System of Imperial Rule  Emperor's Ordinal Number   Reign dates  Emperor of Japan   Senior Insei Emperor   Other Insei Emperors     71  1067—1072   Emperor Go-Sanjō      72  1072—1073   Emperor Shirakawa  Go-Sanjō        1072—1073   Shirakawa      73  1086—1107  Emperor Horikawa  Shirakawa     74   1107—1123  Emperor Toba  Shirakawa     75  1123—1129  Emperor Sutoku  Shirakawa  Toba      1129—1141  Sutoku  Toba      76  1141—1155  Emperor Konoe  Toba  Sutoku    77  1155—1156  Emperor Go-Shirakawa   Toba  Sutoku       1156—1158  Go-Shirakawa    Sutoku     78  1158—1165  Emperor Nijō  Go-Shirakawa       79  1165—1168  Emperor Rokujō  Go-Shirakawa       80  1168—1180  Emperor Takakura  Go-Shirakawa  Rokujō (until 1176)     81  1180—1185  Emperor Antoku  Go-Shirakawa  Takakura (until 1181)      82  1184—1192  Emperor Go-Toba  Go-Shirakawa         1192—1198  Go-Toba     

Edo period
The last retired emperor with an Insei title was Emperor Reigen in the Edo period.Nussbaum,  "Hō-ō" at p. 351.

Notes

Category:History of Japan
Category:11th century
Category:12th century