Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito
Encyclopedia
was the second head of the Higashifushimi-no-miya, an ōke
cadet branch of the Japanese imperial family.
, head of the Fushimi-no-miya
, one of the shinnōke
branches of the Imperial Family of Japan, which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne
in the event that the main line should die out. He was a younger half-brother of Field Marshal
Prince Komatsu Akihito
, Prince Kuni Asahiko
, General Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa
, Field Marshal Prince Kan'in Kotohito
and Field Marshal Prince Fushimi Sadanaru
.
Originally styled "Prince Fushimi Sadamaro", he was adopted into the Yamashina-no-miya
household in 1869, followed by the Komatsu-no-miya
house in 1885. He was then adopted by Emperor Meiji
as a potential heir to the throne in 1886. He succeeded to the Higashifushimi-no-miya title upon the death of the first head, Prince Komatsu Akihito
, on February 3, 1903.
King David Kalākaua
, the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii
, visited Japan during his round-the-world tour of 1881. He was the first foreign head of state
to visit Japan. During his visit, he proposed a marital alliance between the royal houses of Japan and Hawai'i, wherein his niece (Princess Ka'iulani) would marry Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito (then styled Prince Yamashina Yorihito). Nothing came of the proposal, which might have made a significant impact on the eventual fate of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Prince Higashifushimi Yoshihito attended the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
briefly, but was then sent to study at Dartmouth Royal Naval College in Great Britain
. He lived in France
from 1887–1890 and graduated from the École Navale
. He returned to Japan on October 7, 1891. After serving on the various vessels in the Imperial Japanese Navy
, including combat duty in the First Sino-Japanese War
, he became executive officer
of the battleship Fusō (1901). As captain of the from January 12, 1905, and later as captain of (1905), he served in combat during the Russo-Japanese War
, for which he was awarded with the Order of the Golden Kite
(3rd Class). After the end of the war, he served as captain of , before joining the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
in 1906. He was promoted to rear admiral
on December 1, 1909.
Prince and Princess Higashifushimi represented Emperor Meiji
at the coronation
ceremonies of King George V
of Great Britain (June 30, 1911).
After his promotion to vice admiral
on August 31, 1913, he served as Commander in Chief of the Yokosuka Naval District
in 1916, and Commander in Chief of the IJN 2nd Fleet
in 1917. Promoted to admiral
on July 2, 1918, he made one last trip to the United Kingdom from 1918–1919, and he was given the posthumous title of fleet admiral
and the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
on his death on June 27, 1922.
On February 10, 1898, Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito married Iwakura Kaneko (1876–1955), the eldest daughter of Prince Iwakura Tomomi
. As the couple remained childless, the Higashifushimi-no-miya lineage became extinct with the death of Prince Yorihito.
In 1931, Emperor Hirohito directed his brother-in-law, Prince Kuni Kunihide, to leave Imperial Family status and become Count
Higashifushimi Kunihide (hakushaku under the kazoku
peerage system), to prevent the Higashifushimi name from dying out.
Dowager Princess Higashifushimi Kaneko became a commoner on October 14, 1947, with the abolishment of the cadet branches of the Imperial Family by the American occupation authorities. She died in Tokyo in 1955.
Oke
The , were branches of the Japanese Imperial Family created from branches of the Fushimi-no-miya house. All but one of the ōke were formed by the descendants of Prince Fushimi Kuniye. The ōke were stripped of their membership in the Imperial Family by the American Occupation Authorities in...
cadet branch of the Japanese imperial family.
Early life
Born on September 19, 1867, as seventeenth (and posthumous) son of Prince Fushimi KuniyePrince Fushimi Kuniye
was a Japanese minor royal, he was the 20th prince Fushimi-no-miya 1817/1848, married and had issue, at least 17 sons and 4 daughters....
, head of the Fushimi-no-miya
Fushimi-no-miya
The ' is the oldest of the four shinnōke, branches of the Imperial Family of Japan which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne in the event that the main line should die out....
, one of the shinnōke
Shinnoke
was the collective name for the four cadet branches of the Imperial Household of Japan, which were until 1947 entitled to provide a successor to the Chrysanthemum throne if the main line failed to produce an heir...
branches of the Imperial Family of Japan, which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne
Chrysanthemum Throne
The is the English term used to identify the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term can refer to very specific seating, such as the takamikura throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace....
in the event that the main line should die out. He was a younger half-brother of Field Marshal
Field Marshal (Japan)
was the highest title in the prewar Imperial Japanese Military.The term gensui, which was used for both the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy, was at first a rank held by Saigō Takamori as the Commander of the Armies in 1872...
Prince Komatsu Akihito
Prince Komatsu Akihito
-External links:**...
, Prince Kuni Asahiko
Prince Kuni Asahiko
align=right|, was a member of a collateral line of the Japanese imperial family who played a key role in the Meiji Restoration. Prince Asahiko was an adopted son of Emperor Ninkō and later a close advisor to Emperor Kōmei and Emperor Meiji...
, General Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa
Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa
of Japan, was the 2nd head of a collateral branch of the Japanese imperial family.- Early life :Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa was the ninth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye . He entered the Buddhist priesthood under the title Rinnoji-no-miya...
, Field Marshal Prince Kan'in Kotohito
Prince Kan'in Kotohito
, wasthe sixth head of a cadet branch the Japanese imperial family, and a career army officer who served as Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff from 1931 to 1940.-Early years:...
and Field Marshal Prince Fushimi Sadanaru
Prince Fushimi Sadanaru
was the 22nd head of the Fushimi-no-miya shinnōke . He was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army.- Early life :...
.
Originally styled "Prince Fushimi Sadamaro", he was adopted into the Yamashina-no-miya
Yamashina-no-miya
The was the third oldest collateral branch of the Japanese Imperial Family created from the Fushimi-no-miya, the oldest of the four branches of the imperial dynasty allowed to provide a successor to the Chrysanthemum throne should the main imperial line fail to produce an heir.The...
household in 1869, followed by the Komatsu-no-miya
Komatsu-no-miya
The Komatsu House or Higashifushimi ōke was the sixth oldest branch of the Imperial House of Japan, created from branches of the Fushimi-no-miya house, presently extinct. It was founded by Imperial Prince Yoshiaki, the seventh son of Prince Fushimi-no-miya Kuniye, in 1872...
house in 1885. He was then adopted by Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
as a potential heir to the throne in 1886. He succeeded to the Higashifushimi-no-miya title upon the death of the first head, Prince Komatsu Akihito
Prince Komatsu Akihito
-External links:**...
, on February 3, 1903.
King David Kalākaua
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
, the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
, visited Japan during his round-the-world tour of 1881. He was the first foreign head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
to visit Japan. During his visit, he proposed a marital alliance between the royal houses of Japan and Hawai'i, wherein his niece (Princess Ka'iulani) would marry Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito (then styled Prince Yamashina Yorihito). Nothing came of the proposal, which might have made a significant impact on the eventual fate of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Military career
Imperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
briefly, but was then sent to study at Dartmouth Royal Naval College in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He lived in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1887–1890 and graduated from the École Navale
École Navale
The École Navale is the French Naval Academy in charge of the education of the officers of the French Navy.The academy was founded in 1830 by the order of King Louis-Philippe...
. He returned to Japan on October 7, 1891. After serving on the various vessels in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
, including combat duty in the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
, he became executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the battleship Fusō (1901). As captain of the from January 12, 1905, and later as captain of (1905), he served in combat during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, for which he was awarded with the Order of the Golden Kite
Order of the Golden Kite
The ' was an order of the Empire of Japan, established on 12 February 1890 by Emperor Meiji "in commemoration of Jimmu Tennō, the Romulus of Japan."-Background:...
(3rd Class). After the end of the war, he served as captain of , before joining the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.-History:...
in 1906. He was promoted to rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
on December 1, 1909.
Prince and Princess Higashifushimi represented Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
at the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
ceremonies of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
of Great Britain (June 30, 1911).
After his promotion to vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
on August 31, 1913, he served as Commander in Chief of the Yokosuka Naval District
Yokosuka Naval District
was the first of four main administrative districts of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Navy. Its territory included Tokyo Bay and the Pacific coasts of central and northern Honshū from the Kii Peninsula to Shimokita Peninsula.-History:...
in 1916, and Commander in Chief of the IJN 2nd Fleet
IJN 2nd Fleet
The was a fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy.-History:First established on 28 December 1903, the IJN 2nd Fleet was created by the Imperial General Headquarters as a mobile strike force of cruisers and destroyers to pursue the Imperial Russian Navy's Vladivostok-based cruiser squadron while the...
in 1917. Promoted to admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
on July 2, 1918, he made one last trip to the United Kingdom from 1918–1919, and he was given the posthumous title of fleet admiral
Admiral of the Fleet (Japan)
' was the highest rank in the prewar Imperial Japanese Navy. The term gensui was used for both the Navy and the Imperial Japanese Army, and was a largely honorific title awarded for extremely meritorious service to the Emperor. In the Meiji period, the title was awarded to 5 generals and 3 admirals...
and the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
Order of the Chrysanthemum
is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the collar of the Order was added on January 4, 1888. Although technically the order has only one class, it can either be awarded with collar , or with grand cordon...
on his death on June 27, 1922.
Marriage and family
Iwakura Tomomi
was a Japanese statesman in the Meiji period. The former 500 Yen banknote issued by the Bank of Japan carried his portrait.-Early life:Iwakura was born in Kyoto as the second son of a low-ranking courtier and nobleman . In 1836 he was adopted by another nobleman, , from whom he received his family...
. As the couple remained childless, the Higashifushimi-no-miya lineage became extinct with the death of Prince Yorihito.
In 1931, Emperor Hirohito directed his brother-in-law, Prince Kuni Kunihide, to leave Imperial Family status and become Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Higashifushimi Kunihide (hakushaku under the kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
peerage system), to prevent the Higashifushimi name from dying out.
Dowager Princess Higashifushimi Kaneko became a commoner on October 14, 1947, with the abolishment of the cadet branches of the Imperial Family by the American occupation authorities. She died in Tokyo in 1955.