Japanese rulers and citizens long believed that the emperor was a direct descendant of the gods who created japan. The nihon shoki encapsulates these familial dynamics, illustrating the importance of lineage and relationships among both gods and humans. Of the eight female tennō (reigning empress) of japan, none married or gave birth after ascending the throne.
The japanese language has two words equivalent to the english word emperor: Other terms used for the dynasty are also kōka (皇家, imperial house). Out of these families further branches split through male descent who were also considered noble japanese clans.
In the succession, children of the empress were preferred over sons of secondary consorts. Over time, this led to inbreeding, which weakened the family’s health. Family relationships hold a profound significance in japanese culture, where familial bonds dictate social interactions, governance, and moral values. Some of them, being widows, had produced children prior to their reigns.
Initially, marriages between distant relatives were preferred to keep the imperial bloodline intact. This belief legitimized imperial rule and reinforced the idea that japanese people were all connected to the imperial family. The imperial family members were deeply involved in shaping japanese politics by acting as patrons of art and literature and maintaining close alliances with powerful noble families, like the fujiwara clan, who often married into the royal line to consolidate influence. The line of legitimate direct male descendants of emperors is therefore numerous.
They reside in the crown prince palace on the grounds of the akasaka detached palace.