In Japan, Sesshō (摂政) was a regent who was named to act on behalf of either a child emperor before his coming of age, or an empress regnant. The Kampaku (関白) was theoretically a sort of chief advisor for the Emperor, but was in practice the title of both first secretary and regent who assisted an adult Emperor. The duties of the Sesshō and Kampaku were to convey to the Emperor the policies formulated by the Sadaijin (左大臣, Minister of the Left) and other senior officials of the Daijō-kan (太政官, Council of State), and to convey the Emperor's decisions to them. As regents of the Emperor, the Sesshō and Kampaku sometimes made decisions on behalf of the Emperor, but their positions were not defined by law and they had no specific political authority. The two titles were collectively known as sekkan (摂関), and the families that exclusively held the titles were called sekkan-ke (sekkan family).[1]

Imperial Standard of the Regent

During the Heian period (794–1185), from the middle of the 9th century, the Fujiwara clan began to marry off their daughters to the Emperor and assume the positions of Sesshō and Kampaku, thereby excluding other clans from the political centre and increasing their political power. From the 10th century, the Fujiwara clan monopolized the Sesshō and Kampaku, and at the end of the 10th century, around the time of Fujiwara no Michinaga and Fujiwara no Yorimichi, the power of the Fujiwara clan reached its zenith. In the mid-11th century, Emperor Go-Sanjo ran his own government, and the next Emperor, Shirakawa, abdicated to become Cloistered Emperor, beginning the cloistered rule. From then on, the cloistered rule of Cloistered Emperor took root, and the de facto Fujiwara regime, which used the positions of Sesshō and Kampaku, was over, and the Sesshō and Kampaku lost their real political power and became mere names.[1][2][3]

During the Kamakura period (1185–1333), when the warrior class seized power and the Kamakura shogunate was established, the Fujiwara were divided into Five regent houses (五摂家, Go-sekke): the Konoe, Kujō, Nijō, Ichijo, and Takatsukasa families. From then on, these five families served as Sesshō and Kampaku on a rotating basis.[4]

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the first person in history to become a Kampaku who was not a noble by birth; his nephew Toyotomi Hidetsugu also became a Kampaku. Hideyoshi obtained this title, the highest position in the aristocracy, by being adopted into the Konoe family and formally becoming an aristocrat. A retired Kampaku was called Taikō (太閤), which came to commonly refer to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.[5][6]

Both sesshō and kampaku were styled as denka or tenga (殿下) in historical pronunciation; translated as "(Imperial) Highness", as were Imperial princes and princesses.

History

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In earlier times, only members of the Imperial Family could be appointed sesshō. The Kojiki reports that Emperor Ōjin was assisted by his mother, Empress Jingū, but it is doubtful if it is a historical fact. The first historical sesshō was Prince Shōtoku, who assisted Empress Suiko.

The Fujiwara clan was the primary holder of the kampaku and sesshō titles. More precisely, those titles were held by the Fujiwara Hokke (northern Fujiwara family) and its descendants, to which Fujiwara no Yoshifusa belonged.

In 858, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa became sesshō. He was the first sesshō not to be a member of the Imperial house. In 887, Fujiwara no Mototsune, the nephew and adopted son of Yoshifusa, was appointed to the newly created office of kampaku.

In the 12th century, there were five families among the descendants of Yorimichi called sekke: the Konoe family, Kujō family, Ichijō family, Takatsukasa family and Nijō family. Both the Konoe and Kujō families were descendants of Fujiwara no Yorimichi, through Fujiwara no Tadamichi. The other three families were derived from either the Konoe or Kujō families. Until the Meiji Restoration of 1868, those five families held those title exclusively with the two exceptions of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his nephew Toyotomi Hidetsugu.

The offices and titles of sesshō and kampaku were abolished by the declaration of the Imperial Restoration in 1868 during the Meiji Restoration in order to reorganize the government structure. The office and title of sesshō was stipulated under the former Imperial Household Law in 1889 and also under the new Imperial Household Law in 1948. Under these laws, the officeholder of sesshō is restricted to a member of the Imperial family. Crown Prince Hirohito, before becoming Emperor Shōwa, was sesshō from 1921 to 1926 for the mentally disabled Emperor Taishō. He was called sesshō-no-miya (摂政宮, "the Prince-Regent").

The area of Taikō in Nagoya is named after the title, although it refers to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The main street is Taikō-dōri, which is served by the subway Taiko-dori Station.

List

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The following is a list of sesshō and kampaku in the order of succession.[7] The list is not exhaustive:

Portrait Name Regent title Tenure Monarch
  Prince Shōtoku
(574–622)
Sesshō 593–622 Empress Suiko
  Prince Naka no Ōe[8]
(626–672)
Sesshō 655–661 Empress Saimei
Prince Kusakabe[9]
(662–689)
Sesshō 681–686 Emperor Tenmu
  Fujiwara no Yoshifusa[10]
(804–872)
Sesshō 858–872 Emperor Seiwa
  Fujiwara no Mototsune
(836–891)
Sesshō 872–880
Emperor Yōzei
Kampaku 887–890
Emperor Kōkō
Emperor Uda
  Fujiwara no Tokihira[11]
(871–909)
Sesshō 909 Emperor Daigo
  Fujiwara no Tadahira
(880–949)
Sesshō 930–941 Emperor Suzaku
Kampaku 941–949
Emperor Murakami
  Fujiwara no Saneyori[12]
(900–970)
Kampaku 967–969 Emperor Reizei
Sesshō 969–970 Emperor En'yū
  Fujiwara no Koretada
(924–972)
Sesshō 970–972
Fujiwara no Kanemichi[13]
(925–977)
Kampaku 972–977
Fujiwara no Yoritada
(924–989)
Kampaku 977–986
Emperor Kazan
  Fujiwara no Kaneie
(929–990)
Sesshō 986–990 Emperor Ichijō
Kampaku 990
  Fujiwara no Michitaka
(953–995)
Kampaku 990
Sesshō 990–993
Kampaku 993–995
Fujiwara no Michikane
(961–995)
Kampaku 995
  Fujiwara no Michinaga
(966–1028)
Sesshō 1016–1017 Emperor Go-Ichijō
  Fujiwara no Yorimichi[14]
(992–1071)
Sesshō 1017–1019
Kampaku 1020–1068
Emperor Go-Suzaku
Emperor Go-Reizei
Fujiwara no Norimichi
(996–1075)
Kampaku 1068–1075 Emperor Go-Sanjō
Emperor Shirakawa
Fujiwara no Morozane
(1042–1101)
Kampaku 1075–1086
Sesshō 1086–1090 Emperor Horikawa
Kampaku 1090–1094
Fujiwara no Moromichi
(1062–1099)
Kampaku 1094–1099
Fujiwara no Tadazane
(1078–1162)
Kampaku 1105–1107
Sesshō 1107–1113 Emperor Toba
Kampaku 1113–1121
  Fujiwara no Tadamichi
(1097–1164)
Kampaku 1121–1123
Sesshō 1123–1129 Emperor Sutoku
Kampaku 1129–1141
Sesshō 1141–1150 Emperor Konoe
Kampaku 1150–1158
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
  Konoe Motozane
(1143–1166)
Kampaku 1158–1165 Emperor Nijō
Sesshō 1165–1166 Emperor Rokujō
  Fujiwara no Motofusa
(1144–1230)
Sesshō 1166–1172
Emperor Takakura
Kampaku 1172–1179
  Konoe Motomichi
(1160–1233)
Kampaku 1179–1180
Sesshō 1180–1183 Emperor Antoku
  Matsudono Moroie
(1172–1238)
Sesshō 1183–1184
  Konoe Motomichi
(1160–1233)
Sesshō 1184–1186
Emperor Go-Toba
  Kujō Kanezane
(1149–1207)
Sesshō 1186–1191
Kampaku 1191–1196
  Konoe Motomichi
(1160–1233)
Kampaku 1196–1198 Emperor Tsuchimikado
Sesshō 1198–1202
Kujō Yoshitsune
(1169–1206)
Sesshō 1202–1206
Konoe Iezane[15][16]
(1179–1243)
Sesshō 1206
Kampaku 1206–1221
Emperor Juntoku
  Kujō Michiie[17]
(1193–1252)
Sesshō 1221 Emperor Chūkyō
Konoe Iezane[18][19]
(1179–1243)
Sesshō 1221–1223 Emperor Go-Horikawa
Kampaku 1223–1228
  Kujō Michiie
(1193–1252)
Kampaku 1228–1231
Kujō Norizane
(1210–1235)
Sesshō 1231–1235
Emperor Shijō
  Kujō Michiie
(1193–1252)
Sesshō 1235–1237
  Konoe Kanetsune
(1210–1259)
Sesshō 1237–1242
Kampaku 1242 Emperor Go-Saga
  Nijō Yoshizane
(1216–1273)
Kampaku 1242–1246
  Ichijō Sanetsune
(1223–1284)
Kampaku 1246
Sesshō 1246–1247 Emperor Go-Fukakusa
  Konoe Kanetsune
(1210–1259)
Sesshō 1247–1252
  Takatsukasa Kanehira
(1228–1294)
Sesshō 1252–1254
Kampaku 1254–1261
Emperor Kameyama
  Nijō Yoshizane
(1216–1273)
Kampaku 1261–1265
  Ichijō Sanetsune
(1223–1284)
Kampaku 1265–1267
Konoe Motohira
(1246–1268)
Kampaku 1267–1268
Takatsukasa Mototada
(1247–1313)
Kampaku 1268–1273
Kujō Tadaie
(1229–1275)
Kampaku 1273–1274
Sesshō 1274 Emperor Go-Uda
Ichijō Ietsune
(1248–1293)
Sesshō 1274–1275
  Takatsukasa Kanehira
(1228–1294)
Sesshō 1275–1278
Kampaku 1278–1287
Nijō Morotada
(1254–1341)
Kampaku 1287–1289
Emperor Fushimi
Konoe Iemoto
(1261–1296)
Kampaku 1289–1291
Kujō Tadanori
(1248–1332)
Kampaku 1291–1293
Konoe Iemoto
(1261–1296)
Kampaku 1293–1296
Takatsukasa Kanetada
(1262–1301)
Kampaku 1296–1298
Sesshō 1298 Emperor Go-Fushimi
Nijō Kanemoto
(1268–1334)
Sesshō 1298–1300
Kampaku 1300–1305
Emperor Go-Nijō
  Kujō Moronori
(1273–1320)
Kampaku 1305–1308
Sesshō 1308 Emperor Hanazono
Takatsukasa Fuyuhira
(1275–1327)
Sesshō 1308–1311
Kampaku 1311–1313
  Konoe Iehira
(1282–1324)
Kampaku 1313–1315
Takatsukasa Fuyuhira
(1275–1327)
Kampaku 1315–1316
  Nijō Michihira
(1288–1335)
Kampaku 1316–1318
Emperor Go-Daigo
  Ichijō Uchitsune
(1291–1325)
Kampaku 1318–1323
Kujō Fusazane
(1290–1327)
Kampaku 1323–1324
Takatsukasa Fuyuhira
(1275–1327)
Kampaku 1324–1327
  Nijō Michihira
(1288–1335)
Kampaku 1327–1330
Konoe Tsunetada
(1302–1352)
Kampaku 1330
Takatsukasa Fuyunori
(1295–1337)
Kampaku 1330–1333
Emperor Kōgon
Konoe Tsunetada
(1302–1352)
Kampaku 1336–1337 Emperor Kōmyō
Konoe Mototsugu
(1305–1354)
Kampaku 1337–1338
Ichijō Tsunemichi
(1317–1365)
Kampaku 1338–1342
Kujō Michinori
(1315–1349)
Kampaku 1342
Takatsukasa Morohira[20]
(1310–1353)
Kampaku 1342–1346
  Nijō Yoshimoto
(1320–1388)
Kampaku 1346–1358
Emperor Sukō
Emperor Go-Kōgon
Kujō Tsunenori
(1331–1400)
Kampaku 1358–1361
Konoe Michitsugu
(1333–1387)
Kampaku 1361–1363
  Nijō Yoshimoto
(1320–1388)
Kampaku 1363–1367
Takatsukasa Fuyumichi
(1330–1386)
Kampaku 1367–1369
Nijō Moroyoshi
(1345–1382)
Kampaku 1369–1375
Emperor Go-En'yū
Kujō Tadamoto
(1345–1397)
Kampaku 1375–1379
Nijō Morotsugu
(1356–1400)
Kampaku 1379–1382
  Nijō Yoshimoto
(1320–1388)
Sesshō 1382–1388 Emperor Go-Komatsu
Konoe Kanetsugu
(1360–1388)
Sesshō 1388
  Nijō Yoshimoto
(1320–1388)
Sesshō 1388
Kampaku 1388
Nijō Morotsugu
(1356–1400)
Kampaku 1388–1394
Ichijō Tsunetsugu
(1358–1418)
Kampaku 1394–1398
Nijō Morotsugu
(1356–1400)
Kampaku 1398–1399
Ichijō Tsunetsugu
(1358–1418)
Kampaku 1399–1408
Konoe Tadatsugu
(1383–1454)
Kampaku 1408–1409
Nijō Mitsumoto
(1383–1410)
Kampaku 1409–1410
Ichijō Tsunetsugu
(1358–1418)
Kampaku 1410–1418
Emperor Shōkō
Kujō Mitsuie
(1394–1449)
Kampaku 1418–1424
Nijō Mochimoto
(1390–1445)
Kampaku 1424–1428
Sesshō 1428–1432 Emperor Go-Hanazono
Ichijō Kaneyoshi
(1402–1481)
Sesshō 1432
Nijō Mochimoto
(1390–1445)
Sesshō 1432–1433
Kampaku 1433–1445
Konoe Fusatsugu
(1402–1488)
Kampaku 1445–1447
Ichijō Kaneyoshi
(1402–1481)
Kampaku 1447–1453
Takatsukasa Fusahira
(1408–1472)
Kampaku 1454–1455
Nijō Mochimichi
(1416–1493)
Kampaku 1455–1458
Ichijō Norifusa
(1423–1480)
Kampaku 1458–1463
Nijō Mochimichi
(1416–1493)
Kampaku 1463–1467
Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado
Ichijō Kaneyoshi
(1402–1481)
Kampaku 1467–1470
Nijō Masatsugu
(1443–1480)
Kampaku 1470–1476
Kujō Masamoto
(1445–1516)
Kampaku 1476–1479
Konoe Masaie
(1445–1505)
Kampaku 1479–1483
Takatsukasa Masahira
(1445–1517)
Kampaku 1483–1487
Kujō Masatada
(1439–1488)
Kampaku 1487–1488
Ichijō Fuyuyoshi
(1465–1514)
Kampaku 1488–1493
Konoe Hisamichi
(1472–1544)
Kampaku 1493–1497
Nijō Hisamoto
(1471–1497)
Kampaku 1497
Ichijō Fuyuyoshi
(1465–1514)
Kampaku 1497–1501
Emperor Go-Kashiwabara
Kujō Hisatsune
(1469–1530)
Kampaku 1501–1513
Konoe Hisamichi
(1472–1544)
Kampaku 1513–1514
Takatsukasa Kanesuke
(1480–1552)
Kampaku 1514–1518
Nijō Korefusa
(1496–1551)
Kampaku 1518–1525
Konoe Taneie
(1503–1566)
Kampaku 1525–1533
Emperor Go-Nara
Kujō Tanemichi
(1507–1594)
Kampaku 1533–1534
Nijō Korefusa
(1496–1551)
Kampaku 1534–1536
Konoe Taneie
(1503–1566)
Kampaku 1536–1542
Takatsukasa Tadafuyu
(1509–1546)
Kampaku 1542–1545
Ichijō Fusamichi
(1509–1556)
Kampaku 1545–1548
Nijō Haruyoshi
(1526–1579)
Kampaku 1548–1553
Ichijō Kanefuyu
(1529–1554)
Kampaku 1553–1554
Konoe Sakihisa
(1536–1612)
Kampaku 1554–1568
Emperor Ōgimachi
Nijō Haruyoshi
(1526–1579)
Kampaku 1568–1578
Kujō Kanetaka
(1553–1636)
Kampaku 1578–1581
Ichijō Uchimoto
(1548–1611)
Kampaku 1581–1585
  Nijō Akizane
(1556–1619)
Kampaku 1585
  Toyotomi Hideyoshi
(1538–1598)
Kampaku 1585–1591
Emperor Go-Yōzei
  Toyotomi Hidetsugu
(1568–1595)
Kampaku 1591–1595
Kujō Kanetaka
(1553–1636)
Kampaku 1600–1604
Konoe Nobutada
(1565–1614)
Kampaku 1605–1606
Takatsukasa Nobufusa
(1565–1658)
Kampaku 1606–1608
Kujō Yukiie
(1586–1665)
Kampaku 1608–1612
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
Takatsukasa Nobuhisa
(1590–1621)
Kampaku 1612–1615
  Nijō Akizane
(1556–1619)
Kampaku 1615–1619
Kujō Yukiie
(1586–1665)
Kampaku 1619–1623
Konoe Nobuhiro
(1599–1649)
Kampaku 1623–1629
Ichijō Akiyoshi
(1605–1672)
Kampaku 1629
Sesshō 1629–1635 Empress Meishō
Nijō Yasumichi
(1607–1666)
Sesshō 1635–1647
Emperor Go-Kōmyō
  Kujō Michifusa
(1609–1647)
Sesshō 1647
Ichijō Akiyoshi
(1605–1672)
Sesshō 1647
Kampaku 1647–1651
Konoe Hisatsugu
(1622–1653)
Kampaku 1651–1653
Nijō Mitsuhira
(1624–1682)
Kampaku 1653–1663
Emperor Go-Sai
Sesshō 1663–1664 Emperor Reigen
Takatsukasa Fusasuke
(1637–1700)
Sesshō 1664–1668
Kampaku 1668–1682
Ichijō Kaneteru
(1652–1705)
Kampaku 1682–1687
Sesshō 1687–1689 Emperor Higashiyama
Kampaku 1689–1690
  Konoe Motohiro
(1648–1722)
Kampaku 1690–1703
Takatsukasa Kanehiro
(1659–1725)
Kampaku 1703–1707
  Konoe Iehiro
(1667–1736)
Kampaku 1707–1709
Sesshō 1709–1712 Emperor Nakamikado
Kujō Sukezane
(1669–1729)
Sesshō 1712–1716
Kampaku 1716–1722
Nijō Tsunahira
(1672–1732)
Kampaku 1722–1726
Konoe Iehisa
(1687–1737)
Kampaku 1726–1736
Emperor Sakuramachi
  Nijō Yoshitada
(1689–1737)
Kampaku 1736–1737
Ichijō Kaneka
(1692–1751)
Kampaku 1737–1746
Ichijō Michika
(1722–1769)
Kampaku 1746–1747
Sesshō 1747–1755 Emperor Momozono
Kampaku 1755–1757
Konoe Uchisaki
(1728–1785)
Kampaku 1757–1762
Sesshō 1762–1772 Empress Go-Sakuramachi
Emperor Go-Momozono
Kampaku 1772–1778
Kujō Naozane
(1717–1787)
Kampaku 1778–1779
Sesshō 1779–1785 Emperor Kōkaku
Kampaku 1785–1787
Takatsukasa Sukehira
(1738–1819)
Kampaku 1787–1791
Ichijō Teruyoshi
(1756–1795)
Kampaku 1791–1795
Takatsukasa Masahiro
(1761–1841)
Kampaku 1795–1814
Ichijō Tadayoshi
(1774–1837)
Kampaku 1814–1823
Emperor Ninkō
Takatsukasa Masamichi
(1789–1868)
Kampaku 1823–1856
Emperor Kōmei
  Kujō Hisatada
(1798–1871)
Kampaku 1856–1862
  Konoe Tadahiro
(1808–1898)
Kampaku 1862–1863
Takatsukasa Sukehiro
(1807–1878)
Kampaku 1863
  Nijō Nariyuki
(1816–1878)
Kampaku 1863–1866
Sesshō 1867–1868 Emperor Meiji
  Crown Prince Hirohito
(1901–1989)
Sesshō 1921–1926 Emperor Taishō

See also

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b 【藤原道長はなぜ躍進?】摂関政治をわかりやすく説明する方法 (in Japanese). Tomonokai. 19 July 2015. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  2. ^ 摂関政治で最盛期を築き上げた藤原氏とは、いかなる由緒を持つ氏族なのか (in Japanese). Yahoo News. 4 January 2024. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  3. ^ 摂関政治 (in Japanese). Kotobank. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  4. ^ 五摂家 (in Japanese). kotobank. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  5. ^ 秀吉はなぜ征夷大将軍ではなく、関白を選んだか (in Japanese). Nikkei Business. 14 January 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  6. ^ 豊臣秀吉はなぜ「征夷大将軍」ではなく「関白」になったのか――秀吉をめぐる「三つのなぜ」 (in Japanese). The Asahi Shimbun. 24 September 2023. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  7. ^ ネケト. 摂政・関白 (in Japanese). JP. Archived from the original on 2004-08-27. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
  8. ^ 藤氏家伝』上に「(斉明天皇)悉以庶務、委皇太子。皇太子毎事諮決、然後施行」とあることによる。
  9. ^ 日本書紀』天武天皇10年2月25日条に「立草壁皇子尊、為皇太子。因以令摂万機」とあることによる。
  10. ^ Brown & Ishida 1979, p. 286.
  11. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 132, https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PP9&dq=nipon+o+dai+itsi+ran#PRA1-PA132,M1.
  12. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 142, https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PP142&dq=.
  13. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 145, https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PP145&dq=.
  14. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 160, https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PP160&dq=;.
  15. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 229.
  16. ^ Titsingh 1834, pp. 229–36.
  17. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 236.
  18. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 238.
  19. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 239.
  20. ^ Titsingh 1834, p. 297.

General references

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  NODES
Note 1