Emperor Monmu

• Reign: 697-707AD
• Period: Asuka Period
• Family: Prince Kusakabe (father) Empress Genmei (mother) Empress Jitō (grandmother)
• Burial Place: –
• Order of Succession: Predecessor Empress Jitō * Successor Empress Genmei

Emperor Monmu

Emperor Monmu (文武天皇) was the 42nd Emperor of Japan. He was the son of Prince Kusakabe and Empress Genmei, and he was father to Prince Obito through his marriage with Fujiwara no Miyako.

Reign

His grandmother Empress Jitō abdicates for him and so he came to the throne aged 15. His grandmother aided him in holding onto power, meaning that when she died six years later his rule came under threat.¹

The Bell of Dōdōji

According to notes by Toriyama Sekien, a bell now housed in Myōmanji in Kyoto, was once a bell from Dōjōji forged under the instructions of Emperor Monmu. This bell has connections with the yōkai Dōjōji no kane.²

Footnotes

1. Tsurumi, P. (1981) “Early Female Emperors” Historical Reflections Vol.8 No.1 pp.41-49.
2. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: over Publications, Inc.

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