Empress of Japan

Japanese empresses or Empress of Japan means a .  The term also mean the wife of the Emperor, or .

The wife of Naruhito is Empress Masako. She became the current Empress of Japan when her husband accepted his role as emperor.Nussbaum, "Michiko" at p. 627. Compare Imperial Household Agency (Kunaichō), Ceremony of Accession (Sokui-no-Rei); retrieved 2013-3-5.

 Empresses regnant 
There were eight female monarchs.  In other words, there were six female emperors including two who reigned twice."Life in the Cloudy Imperial Fishbowl," Japan Times. March 27, 2007. 

 Empress Jingū r. 206–269 —legendary/mythical; removed from the list of emperors in the 19th century 
 Empress Suiko (554–628), r. 593–628—first ruling empress
 Empress Kōgyoku (594–661), r. 642–645—formerly Princess Takara (Empress Consort of Jomei)
 Empress Saimei (594–661), r. 655–661 (same person as Empress Kōgyoku)
 Empress Jitō (645–702), r. 690–697
 Empress Gemmei (661–721), r. 707–715
 Empress Genshō (680–748), r. 715–724—formerly Princess Hidaka
 Empress Kōken (718–770), r. 749–758
 Empress Shōtoku (718–770), r. 764–770 (same person as Empress Kōken)
 Empress Meishō (1624–1696), r. 1629–1643
 Empress Go-Sakuramachi (1740–1813), r. 1762–1771—most recent ruling empress

 Empresses consort 
The wife of an Japanese emperor is called empress in English, but her title in Japanese is a little different.

Kōgō is the title of a non-reigning empress consort.  The title, still in use, is generally conferred on an emperor's wife who had given birth to the heir to the throne.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005).  "Kōgō" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 543.  The title was first awarded posthumously in 806 to the late mother of Emperor Heizei.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial Family, p. 318.

Chūgū was a term which evolved during the Heian period; and it came to be understood as the title of the empress.  For a time, chūgū replaced kōgō; and then the titles became interchangeable.Nussbaum, "Chūgū" at p. 127.

The numbers of kōgō varied, but there was only one Chūgū at a time.Ponsonby-Fane, pp. 300–302.

The title kōtaigō was given to the wife of an ex-emperor; and the title tai-kōtaigō came to be used by a dowager empress.

Related pages
Imperial House of Japan

References

Category:History of Japan
Category:Lists of Japanese people
Category:Emperors and empresses