Emperor Annei

Hear this tale on Episode B13 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives.

• • Reign: 548-511BC
  • Born: 568/567BC
  • Period: Legendary Period
  • Family: Emperor Suizei (father) Isuzuyorihime (mother) Nunasoko Nakatsuhime (wife) Tokotsuhikoirone (son) Emperor Itoku (son) Shikitsuhiko (son) Ikishimimi? (son)
  • Burial place: misasagi on Mount Unebi
  • Order of Succession: Predecessor Emperor Suizei  * Successor Emperor Itoku

Emperor Annei

Emperor Annei (安寧 天皇) was the third Emperor of Japan also known as Shikitsuhiko tamatemi (師木津日子玉手見命).¹² He ruled from 548-511BC.¹

Family

Emperor Annei was the son of Isuzuyorihime and Emperor Suizei.²³⁴ He was married to Nanasoko Nakatsuhime²³⁵ and together they had three sons.

The sons differ depending on the source.

In the Kojiki the three sons are said to have been Tokotsuhikoirone, Emperor Itoku and Shikitsuhiko. This is agreed in an alternate narrative in the Nihongi²⁵ but the main text of the Nihongi lists only two sons, these being Ikishimimi and Emperor Itoku.²

Reign

Annei ascended to the throne in 548BC²⁴ taking the throne two months after his fathers death. He was made heir to the throne in 557BC.²

Events from his reign detailed in the Nihongi are as follows:

• • 1st year, Winter, 10th month, 11th day. Emperor Suizei buried in his misasagi. He also gives the Empress the title Kodaigo.
  • 2nd year, capital moved to Katashio residing in the Palace of Ukiana.
  • 3rd year, Spring, 1st month, 5th day. Nunasoko Nakatsuhime made empress.
    • Two alternative versions say this was:
      • Kahatsuhime, daughter of Haye, Agatanushi of Shiki.
      • Daughter of Ohama no Sukune.
    • Before making her Empress she bore him two sons, Ikishimimi and Itoku.
      • An alternative version says Tokotsuhikoirone, Itoku, then Shikutsuhiko.
  • 11th year, 1st month, 1st day. Itoku made Prince Imperial.
  • 38th year, Winter, 11th month, 6th day the Emperor passes away.²

Emperor Annei died aged 57³⁴ and his misasagi is located on Mount Unebi.⁵

He was buried in his masasagi in the 1st year, Autumn, 8th month, 1st day of Emperor Itoku’s reign.²

The Kojiki satates he reigned for 49 years and not 38 like in other sources.⁵

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
3. Ponsonby, F. (1959) “The Imperial House of Japan.” Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society.
4. Varley, H.P (1980) “A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa.” New York: Columbia University Press.
5. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.

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