Who was Emperor Meiji?
In short: Emperor Meiji (1852–1912) was the 122nd emperor of Japan. Under his reign the country opened to the world from 1868 and, within a few decades, transformed from a feudal realm into a modern industrial nation.
Profile
- Lifespan: 1852–1912
- Reign: from 1867 as the 122nd emperor
- Era: Meiji ("enlightened rule"), 1868–1912
- Father: Emperor Kōmei
- Known for: the Meiji Restoration and Japan's modernisation
- Dynasty: the Japanese imperial house — the world's longest continuous monarchy
5 facts about Emperor Meiji
- The Meiji Restoration of 1868 ended the rule of the shōguns and formally returned power to the emperor.
- The capital was moved from Kyōto to Edo and renamed Tōkyō ("eastern capital").
- Within a few years Japan introduced railways, the telegraph, a modern army and a constitution.
- In 1889 Japan gained its first modern constitution, the Meiji Constitution.
- Emperor Meiji stands in a line of ancestors that traditionally reaches back to the legendary first emperor, Jimmu.
Origins and significance
Meiji was the son of Emperor Kōmei, the last emperor of the Edo period. When he took the throne in 1867, Japan was still largely closed off. Within a single generation the country caught up technologically and politically without giving up its imperial continuity.
This blend of tradition and rapid modernisation makes the Meiji era a key chapter of Japanese history to this day.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the father of Emperor Meiji?
His father was Emperor Kōmei, the 121st emperor and the last of the Edo period.
What was the Meiji Restoration?
The Meiji Restoration of 1868 ended the Tokugawa shogunate and formally returned power to the emperor — the start of Japan's modernisation.
How many emperors came before Meiji?
By tradition Meiji was the 122nd emperor in a line traced back to the legendary Emperor Jimmu.
More from the Japanese imperial house
Emperor Meiji is part of the world's longest continuous monarchy. Open the example tree to explore the imperial line generation by generation.