Empress Jitō

Traditional narrative

Empress Jitō was the daughter of Emperor Tenji. Her mother was Ochi-no-Iratsume, the daughter of Minister Ō-omi Soga no Yamada-no Ishikawa Maro. She was the wife of Emperor Tenmu, who was Tenji's half brother by another woman, and she succeeded him on the throne.

Empress Jitō's given name was Unonosarara or Unonosasara (鸕野讚良), or alternately Uno.

Events of Jitō's reign

Jitō took responsibility for court administration after the death of her husband, Emperor Tenmu, who was also her uncle. She acceded to the throne in 687 in order to ensure the eventual succession of her son, Kusakabe-shinnō. Throughout this period, Empress Jitō ruled from the Fujiwara Palace in Yamato. In 685, Jitō prohibited Sugoroku and in 692 she travailed to Ise against counil of minister Miwa-no-Asono-Takechimaro.

Prince Kusabake was named as crown prince to succeed Jitō, but he died at a young age. Kusabake's son, Karu-no-o, was then named as Jitō's successor. He eventually would become known as Emperor Monmu.

Empress Jitō reigned for eleven years. Although there were seven other reigning empresses, their successors were most often selected from amongst the males of the paternal Imperial bloodline, which is why some conservative scholars argue that the women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century. Empress Genmei, who was followed on the throne by her daughter, Empress Genshō, remains the sole exception to this conventional argument.

In 697, Jitō abdicated in Mommu's favor; and as a retired sovereign, she took the post-reign title daijō-tennō. After this, her imperial successors who retired took the same title after abdication.

Jitō continued to hold power as a cloistered ruler, which became a persistent trend in Japanese politics.

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.

Kugyō

Kugyō (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras.

In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Jitō's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:

Daijō-daijin, Takechi-shinnō (the 3rd son of Emperor Tenmu)

Sadaijin

Udaijin

Naidaijin

Non-nengō period

Jitō's reign is not linked by scholars to any era or nengō. The Taika era innovation of naming time periods – nengō – languished until Mommu reasserted an imperial right by proclaiming the commencement of Taihō in 701.

See Japanese era name – "Non-nengo periods"

See Jitō period (687–697).

However, Brown and Ishida's translation of Gukanshō offers an explanation which muddies a sense of easy clarity:

"The eras that fell in this reign were: (1) the remaining seven years of Shuchō [(686+7=692?)]; and (2) Taika, which was four years long [695–698]. (The first year of this era was kinoto-hitsuji [695].) ... In the third year of the Taka era [697], Empress Jitō yielded the throne to the Crown Prince."

Man'yōshū poetry

The Man'yōshū includes a poem said to have been composed by Jitō

After the death of the Emperor Tenmu 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. Composed when the Empress climbed the Thunder Hill Lo, our great Sovereign, a goddess, Tarries on the Thunder In the clouds of heaven!

Hyakunin Isshu poetry

One of the poems attributed to Empress Jitō was selected by Fujiwara no Teika for inclusion in the very popular anthology Hyakunin Isshu.

Poem number 2