Emperor Ninmyō


Emperor Ninmyō was the 54th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Ninmyō's reign lasted from 833 to 850.

Traditional narrative

Ninmyō was the second son of Emperor Saga and the Empress Tachibana no Kachiko. His personal name was Masara. After his death, he was given the title Ninmyō.
Ninmyō had nine Empresses, Imperial consorts, and concubines ; and the emperor had 24 Imperial sons and daughters.
Emperor Ninmyō is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates, in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, as the location of Ninmyō's mausoleum.

Events of Ninmyō's life

Ninmyō ascended to the throne following the abdication of his uncle, Emperor Junna.
Shortly after Ninmyo was enthroned, he designated an heir. He named Prince Tsunesada, a son of former Emperor Junna, as the crown prince.
In his lifetime, Ninmyō could not have anticipated that his third son, Prince Tokiyasu, would eventually ascend the throne in 884 as Emperor Kōkō.
The years of Ninmyō's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name.
Kugyō 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 Ninmyō's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
Consort later Empress Dowager : Fujiwara no Junshi, Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu’s daughter
Consort : Fujiwara no Takushi/Sawako, Fujiwara no Fusatsugu’s daughter
Consort : Fujiwara no Teishi/Sadako, Fujiwara no Tadamori’s daughter
Court lady: Shigeno no Tsunako, Shigeno no Sadanushi’s daughter
Consort : Tachibana no Kageko, Tachibana no Ujikimi’s daughter
Consort : Fujiwara Musuko
Court Attendant : Ki no Taneko, Ki no Natora’s daughter
Court Attendant : Mikuni-machi, daughter of Mikuni clan
Court lady: Fujiwara no Katoko, Fujiwara no Fukutomaro’s daughter
Court lady: Fujiwara no Warawako, Fujiwara no Michitō’s daughter
Court lady: Princess Takamune, Prince Okaya’s daughter
Court lady: daughter of Yamaguchi clan
Nyoju: Kudaraō Toyofuku’s daughter
Court lady : Kudara no Yōkyō, Kudara no Kyōfuku’s daughter