Empress Genshō (元正天皇, Genshō-tennō, 683 – May 22, 748) was the monarch of Japan from 715 through 724. She was the only empress regnant in Japan’s history to have inherited her title from another empress regnant (Empress Genmei), rather than from a man
Genshō was the fifth of eight women to be Japan’s empress regnant (see: Suiko, Kōgyoku, Jitō, Genmei, Kōken, Meishō, and Go-Sakuramachi).
Empress Go-Sakuramachi (後桜町天皇, Go-Sakuramachi-tennō, 23 September 1740 – 24 December 1813) was the 117th Emperor of Japan, reigning from 1762 until her abdication in 1771.
Go-Sakuramachi later became a “guardian” to the adopted heir (Emperor Kōkaku) until her death in 1813. Go-Sakuramachi was the last of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant in Japan’s history (see: Suiko, Kōgyoku/Saimei, Jitō, Genmei, Genshō, Kōken/Shōtoku, Meishō)
Empress Jitō (持統天皇, Jitō-tennō, 645 – 13 January 703)[1] was the monarch of Japan from 686 through 697.
Jitō was the third of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant (see Suiko, Kōgyoku/Saimei, Genmei, Genshō, Kōken/Shōtoku, Meishō, and Go-Sakuramachi).
Empress Kōken (孝謙天皇, Kōken-tennō, 718 – August 28, 770), also known as Empress Shōtoku (称徳天皇, Shōtoku-tennō), was the 46th (with Empress Kōken name) and the 48th monarch of Japan (with Empress Shōtoku name). She reigned from 749 to 758, then, following the Fujiwara no Nakamaro Rebellion, she reascended the throne as Empress Shōtoku from 765 until her death in 770.
Kōken/Shōtoku was the sixth of eight women to take on the role of Japan’s empress regnant (See Suiko, Kōgyoku/Saimei, Jitō, Genmei, Genshō, Meishō and Go-Sakuramachi).
Empress Meishō (明正天皇, Meishō-tennō, January 9, 1624 – December 4, 1696) was the 109th Imperial ruler of Japan from 1629 to 1643. Meishō was the seventh of eight women to become Japan’s empress regnant (see Suiko, Kōgyoku/Saimei, Jitō, Genmei, Genshō, Kōken/Shōtoku and Go-Sakuramachi). She is to date the last Empress of Japan.
Empress Suiko (推古天皇, Suiko-tennō) (554 – 15 April 628) was the monarch of Japand from 593 until her death in 628. Suiko was the first of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant of Japan (see Kōgyoku/Saimei, Jitō, Genmei, Genshō, Kōken/Shōtoku, Meishō and Go-Sakuramachi).