Imperial Household (Japan)
The Imperial Household (内廷皇族 Naitei kōzoku, also known as the Inner court), is the term for the Emperor of Japan's direct family and includes the Empress, the Empress dowager, the Grand Empress Dowager, the Imperial Crown Prince, (皇太子, kōtaishi, the heir to the throne who is son of the current Emperor), and the Imperial Crown Princess (皇太子妃, kōtaishihi, the wife of the Imperial Crown Prince), and any unmarried children of the above.[1]
Currently Prince Fumihito holds the title of kōshi (皇嗣) as he is not the son of the current emperor, thus is not part of the Imperial household. His wife, Princess Kiko, currently holds the title kōshihi (皇嗣妃), as she is the wife of the crown prince, and not the wife of the Imperial Crown Prince. Princess Abe is the only woman to have held the title Imperial Crown Prince in her own right.[2]
The Empress Emerita, based on the Emperor Abdication Law, is considered an equivalent to Empress Dowager (a title she will receive should her husband predecease her). The Emperor and Emperor Emeritus are usually excluded from this.[3]
History
During the Taishō era, the Imperial Household comprised the following:
| The Imperial Household members[4] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Name and Image | Birthday | Ceased to be part of the Imperial Household | Reason | Relationship to the Emperor | Marriage date |
| Empress | Sadako | 25 June, 1884 | N/A | N/A | Wife | 10 May, 1900 |
| Imperial Crown Prince | Hirohito | 29 April, 1901 | N/A | N/A | Son | 26 January, 1924 (As the Imperial Crown Prince, his marriage did not establish a new household) |
| Imperial Crown Princess | Nagako | 6 March, 1903 | N/A | N/A | Daughter-in-law (As wife of Hirohito) | 26 January, 1924 |
| Teru-no-miya[a] | Shigeko | 6 December, 1925 | N/A | N/A | Granddaughter | N/A |
| Atsu-no-miya | Yasuhito | 25 June, 1902 | N/A | N/A | Son | N/A |
| Teru-no-miya[b] | Nobuhito | 3 January, 1905 | N/A | N/A | Son | N/A |
| Sumi-no-miya | Takahito | 2 December, 1915 | N/A | N/A | Son | N/A |
| Empress Dowager | Shōken | 9 May, 1849 | N/A | Never formally ceased to be part of the Imperial Household. Passed away aged 64 on 9 April, 1914. | Step-mother[c] | 11 January, 1869 |
During the Shōwa era, the Imperial Household comprised the following:
| The Imperial Household members[4] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Name and Image | Birthday | Ceased to be part of the Imperial Household | Reason | Relationship to the Emperor | Marriage date |
| Empress | Nagako | 6 March, 1903 | N/A | N/A | Wife | 26 January, 1924 |
| Imperial Crown Prince | Akihito | 23
December, 1933 |
N/A | N/A | Son | 10 April, 1959 (As the Imperial Crown Prince, his marriage did not establish a new household) |
| Imperial Crown Princess | Michiko | 20 October, 1934 | N/A | N/A | Daughter-in-law (As wife of Akihito) | 10 April, 1959 |
| Hiro-no-miya | Naruhito | 23 February, 1960 | N/A | N/A | Grandson | N/A |
| Aya-no-miya | Fumihito | 30 November, 1965 | N/A | N/A | Grandson | N/A |
| Nori-no-miya | Sayako | 18 April, 1969 | N/A | N/A | Granddaughter | N/A |
| Yoshi-no-miya (Before marriage, Hitachi-no-miya after) | Masahito | 28 November, 1935 | 30 September, 1964 | Marriage to Hanako Tsugaru | Son | 30 September, 1964 |
| Teru-no-miya | Shigeko | 6 December, 1925 | 10 October, 1943 | Marriage to Morihiro Higashikuni(then Prince Morihiro) | Daughter | 10 October, 1943 |
| Hisa-no-miya | Sachiko | 10 September, 1927 | N/A | Never formally ceased to be part of the Imperial Household. Passed away at 5 months old on 8 March, 1928. | Daughter | N/A |
| Taka-no-miya | Kazuko | 30 September, 1929 | 20 May, 1950 | Marriage to Toshimichi Takatsukasa | Daughter | 20 May, 1950 |
| Yori-no-miya | Atsuko | 7 March, 1931 | 10 October, 1952 | Marriage to Takamasa Ikeda | Daughter | 10 October, 1952 |
| Suga-no-miya | Takako | 2 March, 1939 | 10 March, 1960 | Marriage to Hisanaga Shimazu | Daughter | 10 March, 1960 |
| Empress Dowager | Sadako | 25 June, 1884 | N/A | Never formally ceased to be part of the Imperial Household. Passed away aged 66 on 17 May, 1951. | Mother | 10 May, 1900 |
During the Heisei era, the Imperial Household comprised the following:
| The Imperial Household members[4] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Name and Image | Birthday | Ceased to be part of the Imperial Household | Reason | Relationship to the Emperor | Marriage date |
| Empress | Michiko | 20 October, 1934 | N/A | N/A | Wife | 10 April, 1959 |
| Imperial Crown Prince | Naruhito | 23 February, 1960 | N/A | N/A | Son | 19 January, 1993 (As the Imperial Crown Prince, his marriage did not establish a new household) |
| Imperial Crown Princess | Masako | 9 December, 1963 | N/A | N/A | Daughter-in-law (As wife of Naruhito) | 19 January, 1993 |
| Toshi-no-miya | Aiko | 1 December, 2001 | N/A | N/A | Granddaughter | N/A |
| Aya-no-miya (Akishino-no-miya after marriage) | Fumihito | 30 November, 1965 | 29 June, 1990 | Marriage to Kiko Kawashima and establishment of own household | Son | 29 June, 1990 |
| Nori-no-miya | Sayako | 18 April, 1969 | 15 November, 2005 | Marriage to Yoshiki Kuroda and loss of title | Daughter | 15 November, 2005 |
Current members
These are the current members of the Imperial Household:
| The Imperial Household members[4] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Name and Image | Birthday | Ceased to be part of the Imperial Household | Reason | Relationship to the Emperor | Marriage date |
| Empress | Masako | 9 December, 1963 | N/A | N/A | Wife | 19 January, 1993 |
| Toshi-no-miya | Aiko | 1 December, 2001 | N/A | N/A | Daughter | N/A |
| Empress Emerita | Michiko | 20 October, 1934 | N/A | N/A | Mother | 10 April, 1959 |
Despite Akihito's abdication, Michiko is still part of the Imperial Household.[3] Should Akihito die before her, Michiko would become Empress Dowager.
Extended imperial family
The imperial family of Japan is split into the following branches:
- The Imperial Household[1]
- The Akishino-no-miya, led by Prince Fumihito[1]
- The Hitachi-no-miya, led by Prince Masahito[1]
- The Tomohito Mikasa-no-miya, led by Princess Tomohito of Mikasa[5][6]
- The Mikasa-no-miya, led by Princess Akiko of Mikasa[5][6]
- The Takamado-no-miya, led by Princess Hisako[1]
Notes
- ^ 照宮
- ^ 光宮
- ^ Emperor Taishō's birth mother was a concubine named Yanagiwara Naruko. However, Shōken was Emperor Meiji's official wife, adoptive mother of Emperor Taishō, and held the title Kōgō (empress consort). As the official widow of the emperor (due to holding the title Kōgō) she is the Empress Dowager. As for Taishō's birth mother, while she remained a part of the Imperial court until her death, since she did not hold any of the titles needed to be considered part of the Inner-court/Imperial Household, she is not counted as a member.
References
- ^ a b c d e "The Imperial family". The Imperial Household Agency. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
- ^ McKay, Dr Natalie (8 December 2022). "More than placeholders: The 'century of empresses' against modern succession laws". Melbourne Asia Review. 2022 (12).
- ^ a b "Budgetary Matters". The Imperial Household Agency. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
These are the personal expenses to be spent by His Majesty, His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus and inner-court members of the Imperial Family (Naitei-Kozoku)". Later it distinguishes the other households "In order that the Imperial Family is able to maintain a life-style that befits its position, each member of the Imperial Family, excluding His Majesty and inner-court members of the Imperial Family (Naitei-Kozoku)
- ^ a b c d "Personal Histories". The Imperial Household Agency. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
- ^ a b 日本放送協会 (30 September 2025). "不在の三笠宮家当主は彬子さまに 母・信子さまは新宮家創設へ". NHKニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 October 2025.
- ^ a b "三笠宮家の新当主に彬子さま 母・信子さまは新宮家創設で分裂". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 October 2025.