Daijō Tennō
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Cloistered rule. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2006. |
Daijo Tenno or Dajō Tennō (both accepted readings of 太上天皇) was a Japanese Emperor (Tennō) who abdicated in favor of a successor. It is often shortened as Jōkō (上皇).
As defined in the Taihō Code, although retired, a Daijō Tennō could still exert power. The first such example of Daijō Tennō is the Empress Jitō in the 7th century.
A retired emperor sometimes entered the Buddhist monastic community, becoming a cloistered emperor.
This practice was rather common during the Heian period. The last Emperor to rule as a Jōkō was Emperor Kōkaku, in 1817. A total of 62 Japanese emperors abdicated.
See also
  | This Japanese history–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |