Emperor Kinmei

• Reign: 539-571AD
• Period: Asuka Period
• Family: Emperor Keitai (father) Emperor Senka (brother) Emperor Bidatsu (son) Emperor Yomei (son) Empress Suiko (daughter)
• Burial Place: –
• Order of Succession: Predecessor Emperor Senka * Successor Emperor Bidatsu

Emperor Kinmei

Emperor Kinmei (欽明天皇) is the twenty-ninth Emperor of Japan. His brother was the Emperor Senka, his sons being Bidatsu and Yomei, his daughter is known to have been the First Empress Suiko.¹

During his reign Buddhism first made an appearance in the country. Emperor Kudara from Korea gifted images of the Buddha and scriptures. The Emperor, unsure what to do with them asked his Ministers at the time. Soga no Iname decided that Buddhism should be tried, whereas the Mononobe and Nakatomi Clans opposed the idea. The Emperor decided to give the gifts to Iname, asking him to giv Buddhism a try, however soon after a pestilence ensued pushing back the acceptence of Buddhism.

He took as his consorts two of Soga no Iname’s daughters.²

Some tales, relating to En no Ozunu, state that the Mountain known as Golden Peak came to Japan during his reign, the mountain moving itself from India. Inside of it was said to be all the gold in the world which would one day cover everything.³

Footnotes

1. Tsurumi, P. (1981) “Early Female Emperors” Historical Reflections Vol.8 No.1 pp.41-49.
2. Martin, P. (1997) ”The Chrysanthemum Throne”. Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited.
3. Tyler, R. (1987) “Japanese Tales.” New York: Pantheon Books.

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