Prince Yamashina Akira
Encyclopedia
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was the founder of a collateral line
of the Japanese imperial family.
, the eldest son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye
(1802–1875), the twentieth head of 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 house fail to produce an heir.
He was thus a half-brother of Prince Kuni Asahiko
, Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa
, Prince Fushimi Sadanaru
, and Prince Kan'in Kotohito
.
during the Edo period
. At the age of two, he was officially adopted by Emperor Kōkaku
(1779–1817;, died in 1840) as a potential heir.
Prince Akira took the tonsure
and entered the priesthood under the title Saihan Hoshinnō. he was later appointed prince-abbot of the monzeki
temple of Kajū-ji in Yamashina
, outside of Kyoto. In 1842, he angered the Tokugawa bakufu, which stripped him of his post and confined him to the temple of Tō-ji
. In 1864, the Tokugawa government reinstated him to his former post. However, with the growing movement to overthrow the Tokugawa government in the years leading up to the Meiji Restoration
, Emperor Kōmei
returned him to secular status, adopted him as a potential heir, and created the title "Yamashina-no-miya" as a new branch of the Imperial house in 1858.
to foreign trade, and meeting with foreign dignitaries and royalty. He was one of the few Imperial princes to refuse a military commission, remaining a civilian all his life.
and the half-sister of Emperor Kōmei. Princess Sumiko succeeded to the head of the Katsura-no-miya
house in her own right upon the death of the eleventh head, Prince Katsura Misahito.
The couple had no children, but Prince Yamashina Akira had a son by a concubine, Nakajo Chieko, who was officially adopted to carry on the Yamashina line.
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was the founder of a collateral line
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...
of the Japanese imperial family.
Early life
Prince Akira was born in KyotoKyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, the eldest son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye
Prince 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....
(1802–1875), the twentieth 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....
, the oldest of the four branches of the imperial dynasty allowed to provide a successor 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....
should the main imperial house fail to produce an heir.
He was thus a half-brother of 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...
, 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...
, 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 :...
, and 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:...
.
Buddhist priest
From an early age, Prince Akira was groomed to pursue a career as a Buddhist priest, the traditional career path for non-heir sons in the ShinnōkeShinnoke
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...
during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. At the age of two, he was officially adopted by Emperor Kōkaku
Emperor Kokaku
was the 119th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Kōkaku's reign spanned the years from 1780 through 1817.-Genealogy:...
(1779–1817;, died in 1840) as a potential heir.
Prince Akira took the tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
and entered the priesthood under the title Saihan Hoshinnō. he was later appointed prince-abbot of the monzeki
Monzeki
Monzeki were Japanese Buddhist priests of aristocratic or imperial lineage. The term was also applied to the temples in which they lived....
temple of Kajū-ji in Yamashina
Yamashina
Yamashina is a Japanese family name, and can stand for:* Yamashina-no-miya ōke , the third oldest branch of the Japanese Imperial Family created from branches of the Fushimi-no-miya house, presently extinct* Yamashina-ku, Kyoto...
, outside of Kyoto. In 1842, he angered the Tokugawa bakufu, which stripped him of his post and confined him to the temple of Tō-ji
To-ji
is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon sect in Kyoto, Japan. Its name means East Temple, and it once had a partner, Sai-ji . They stood alongside the Rashomon, the gate to the Heian capital. It is formally known as which indicates that it previously functioned as a temple providing protection for the...
. In 1864, the Tokugawa government reinstated him to his former post. However, with the growing movement to overthrow the Tokugawa government in the years leading up to the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, Emperor Kōmei
Emperor Komei
was the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kōmei's reign spanned the years from 1846 through 1867.-Genealogy:Before Kōmei's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was ;, his title was ....
returned him to secular status, adopted him as a potential heir, and created the title "Yamashina-no-miya" as a new branch of the Imperial house in 1858.
Meiji period
After the Meiji restoration, Prince Yamashina served the new Meiji government as a diplomat, assisting in the opening of KobeKobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
to foreign trade, and meeting with foreign dignitaries and royalty. He was one of the few Imperial princes to refuse a military commission, remaining a civilian all his life.
Marriage and family
Prince Yamashina Akira married Princess Sumiko (1838–1881), a daughter of Emperor NinkōEmperor Ninko
was the 120th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Ninkō's reign spanned the years from 1817 through 1846.-Genealogy:Before Ninkō's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was ....
and the half-sister of Emperor Kōmei. Princess Sumiko succeeded to the head of the Katsura-no-miya
Katsura-no-miya
The ' was the one 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. It was founded by Prince Toshihito, a grandson of Emperor Ōgimachi and brother of Emperor Go-Yōzei...
house in her own right upon the death of the eleventh head, Prince Katsura Misahito.
The couple had no children, but Prince Yamashina Akira had a son by a concubine, Nakajo Chieko, who was officially adopted to carry on the Yamashina line.
- Prince Yamashina KikumaroPrince Yamashina Kikumaroalign=right|, was the second head of the Yamashina-no-miya, a collateral line of the Japanese imperial family.-Early life:Prince Yamashina Kikumaro was the son of Prince Yamashina Akira...
(3 July 1873– 2 May 1902)