Emperor Ninken

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Ninken
Emperor of Japan
Reign488–498 (traditional)[1]
PredecessorKenzō
SuccessorBuretsu
Born449
Died498 (aged 48–49)
Burial
Hanyū no Sakamoto no misasagi (Osaka)
SpouseKasuga no Ōiratsume
IssueEmperor Buretsu
Princess Kasuga no Yamada no Himemiko
Princess Tashiraka no Himemiko
HouseYamato
FatherIchinobe-no Oshiwa

Emperor Ninken (仁賢天皇, Ninken-tennō) was the 24th emperor of Japan,[2] according to the traditional order of succession.[3] Historians consider details about the life of Emperor Ninken to be possibly legendary, but probable.[4] The name Ninken-tennō was created for him posthumously by later generations.

No certain dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign.[5] 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.[6]

Traditional history[change | change source]

Ninken was a grandson of Emperor Richū; and he was adopted by the childless Emperor Seinei.[7]

Events of Ninken's life[change | change source]

Very little is known about the events of Ninken's life and reign. Only limited information is available for study prior to the reign of the 29th monarch, Emperor Kimmei.[8]

After his death[change | change source]

This emperor's official name after his death (his posthumous name) was regularized many centuries after the lifetime which was ascribed to Ninken.[9]

According to the Imperial Household Agency, the emperor's final resting place is in an earthen tumulus (kofun). Ninken is venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) which is associated with the burial mound.[2]

Related pages[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

The chrysanthemum symbol of the Japanese emperor and his family.
  1. "Genealogy of the Emperors of Japan" at Kunaicho.go.jp; retrieved 2013-8-30.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Imperial Household Agency (Kunaichō), 仁賢天皇 (24); retrieved 2011-10-17.
  3. Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, pp. 30; Varley, Paul. (1980). Jinnō Shōtōki, p. 117; Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric et al. (2002). "Traditional order of Tennō" in Japan encyclopedia, pp. 962-963.
  4. Kelly, Charles F. "Kofun Culture," Japanese Archaeology. April 27, 2009; retrieved 2011-10-17.
  5. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 30.
  6. Aston, William George. (1896). Nihongi, pp. 109.
  7. Aston, William. (1998). Nihongi, Vol. 1, pp. 373-377.
  8. Titsingh, pp. 34-36; Brown, pp. 261-262; Varley, pp. 123-124.
  9. Aston (1998), pp. 146-147.


Preceded by
Emperor Kenzō
Legendary Emperor of Japan
Ninken

488-498
(traditional dates)
Succeeded by
Emperor Buretsu