The ōke (王家 literally Princely Houses), were branches of the Japanese Imperial Family created from branches of the Fushimi-no-miya house. All but one of the ōke were formed by the descendants of Prince Fushimi Kuniye. The ōke were stripped of their membership in the Imperial Family by the American Occupation Authorities in October 1947, as part of the abolition of collateral imperial houses. After that point, only the immediate family of Hirohito and those of his three brothers retained membership in the Imperial Family. However, unofficial heads of these collateral families still exist for most and are listed herein.
The ōke were, in order of founding:
Unless otherwise stated, all princes listed herein are the sons of their predecessor.
Contents |
The Nashimoto-no-miya house was formed by Prince Moriosa, son of Prince Fushimi Sadayoshi (father of Prince Fushimi Kuniye)
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Nashimoto Moriosa (梨本宮 守脩親王 Nashi-no-miya Moriosa-shinnō) |
1819 | 1870 | . | 1885 | |
| 2 | Prince Nashimoto Kikumaro (山階宮菊麿王 Nashimoto-no-miya Kikumaro-ō) |
1873 | 1885 | 1885 | 1908 | grand-nephew of Moriosa; resigned to return to the Yamashina household |
| 3 | Prince Nashimoto Morimasa (梨本宮守正王 Nashimoto-no-miya Morimasa-ō) |
1874 | 1885 | 1947 | 1951 | cousin of Kikumaro and fourth son of Kuni-no-miya Asahiko |
The Kuni-no-miya house was formed by Prince Asahiko, fourth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Kuni Asahiko (久邇宮 朝彦親王 Kuni-no-miya Asahiko shinnō ) |
1824 | 1863 | . | 1891 | became shinnō in 1871 |
| 2 | Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi (久邇宮 邦彦王 Kuni-no-miya Kuniyoshi ō ) |
1873 | 1891 | . | 1929 | father of Empress Kojun |
| 3 | Prince Kuni Asaakira (久邇宮 朝融王 Kuni-no-miya Asaakira ō) |
1901 | 1929 | 1947 | 1959 | |
| 4 | Kuni Kuniaki (久邇 邦昭) |
1929 | 1959 | . | . |
The Yamashina-no-miya house was formed by Prince Akira, eldest son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye.
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Yamashina Akira (山階宮 晃親王 Yamashina-no-miya Akira shinnō ) |
1816 | 1864 | . | 1898 | |
| 2 | Prince Yamashina Kikumaro (山階宮 菊麿王 Yamashina-no-miya Kikumaro-ō ) |
1873 | 1898 | . | 1908 | |
| 3 | Prince Yamashina Takehiko (山階宮 武彦王 Yamashina-no-miya Takehito-ō) |
1898 | 1908 | 1947 | 1987 |
The Yamashina-no-miya became extinct with the death of Yamashina Takehiko.
The Kwachō-no-miya (or Kachō-no-miya) house was formed by Prince Hirotsune, son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye.
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Kwacho Hirotsune (華頂宮博経親王 Kwachō-no-miya Hirosune shinnō ) |
1851 | 1868 | . | 1876 | |
| 2 | Prince Kwacho Hiroatsu (華頂宮博厚親王 Kwachō-no-miya Hiroatsu shinnō ) |
1875 | 1876 | . | 1883 | |
| 3 | Prince Kwacho Hiroyasu (華頂宮博恭親王 Kwachō-no-miya Hiroyasu-shinnō) |
1875 | 1883 | 1904 | 1946 | |
| 4 | Prince Kwacho Hirotada (華頂宮博忠王 Kwachō-no-miya Hirotada-ō) |
1902 | 1904 | . | 1924 | |
| X | Marquis Kwacho Hironobu (華頂博信 Kwachō Hironobu) |
1905 | 1924 | 1947 | 1970 |
The Kwacho-no-miya became extinct with the death of Prince Kwacho Hirotada. The line of descent was continued through the kazoku peerage under Kwacho Hironobu.
The Kitashirakawa-no-miya house was formed by Prince Toshinari, eighth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Kitashirakawa Satonari (北白川宮 智成親王 Kitashirakawa-no-miya Satonari shinnō) |
1844 | 1872 | . | 1872 | |
| 2 | Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa (北白川宮 能久親王 Kitashirakawa-no-miya Yoshihisa-shinnō) |
1847 | 1872 | . | 1895 | brother of above |
| 3 | Prince Kitashirakawa Naruhisa (北白川宮 成久王 Kitashirakawa-no-miya Naruhisa-ō) |
1887 | 1895 | . | 1923 | |
| 4 | Prince Kitashirakawa Nagahisa (北白川宮 永久王 Kitashirakawa-no-miya Naruhisa-ō) |
1910 | 1923 | . | 1940 | |
| 4 | Prince Kitashirakawa Michihisa (北白川宮 道久王 Kitashirakawa-no-miya Michihisa-ō) |
1937 | 1940 | 1947 | . | Kitashirakawa Michihisa after 1947 |
The Higashifushimi-no-miya house was formed by Prince Yoshiaki, seventh son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye.
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Higashifushimi Yoshiaki (東伏見宮 嘉彰親王 Higashifushimi no miya Yoshiaki-shinnō ) Prince Komatsu Akihito (小松宮 彰仁親王 Komatsu-no-miya Akihito-shinnō) |
1846 X |
1867 1872 |
1872 . |
X 1903 |
changed name in 1872 |
| 2 | Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito (東伏見宮 依仁親王 Higashifushimi no miya Yorihito-ō ) |
1876 | 1903 | . | 1922 | brother of Akihito reverted name back to Higashifushimi |
In 1931, Emperor Hirohito directed his brother-in-law, Prince Kuni Kunihide, to leave Imperial Family status and become Count Higashifushimi Kunihide (hakushaku under the kazoku peerage system), to prevent the Higashifushimi name from extinction. Dowager Princess Higashifushimi Kaneko became a commoner on 14 October 1947. She died in Tokyo in 1955.
The Kaya-no-miya house was formed by Prince Kuninori, second son of Prince Kuni Asahiko (first Kuni-no-miya, see above)
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Kaya Kuninori (賀陽宮 邦憲王 Kaya-no-miya Kuninori shinnō ) |
1867 | 1896 | . | 1909 | Kaya-no-miya was a personal title until 1900 |
| 2 | Prince Kaya Tsunenori (賀陽宮 恒憲王 Kaya-no-miya Tsunenori-ō ) |
1900 | 1909 | 1947 | 1978 | Kaya Tsunenori after 1947 |
| 3 | Prince Kaya Nobuhiko (賀陽宮 信彦王 Kaya-no-miya Nobuhiko-ō ) |
1922 | 1978 | . | 1986 | |
| 4 | Kaya Harunori (賀陽 治憲) |
1926 | 1987 | . | . | brother of Nobuhiko; career diplomat |
The Asaka-no-miya house was formed by Prince Yasuhiko, eighth son of Prince Kuni Asahiko.
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Asaka Yasuhiko (朝香宮 鳩彦王 Asaka-no-miya Yasuhiko-ō ) |
1887 | 1906 | 1947 | 1981 |
| X | Asaka Takahiko | 1912 | 1981 | . | 1994 |
| X | Asaka Tomohiko | 1944 | 1994 | . |
The Higashikuni-no-miya house was formed by Prince Naruhiko, ninth son of Prince Kuni Asahiko.
| Name | Born | Succeeded | Retired | Died | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko (東久邇宮 稔彦王 Higashikuni-no-miya Naruhiko-ō) |
1887 | 1906 | 1947 | 1990 | |
| X | Prince Higashikuni Morihiro (東久邇宮 盛厚王 Higashikuni no miya Morihiro ō ) |
1916 | 1947 | . | 1969 . | |
| 2 | Prince Higashikuni Nobuhiko (東久邇宮 信彦王 Higashikuni-no-miya Nobukiko-ō ) |
1944 | 1990 | . | . | grandson of Naruhiko, son of Morihiro |
Prince Higashikuni Nobuhiko became simply "Higashikuni Nobuhiko" after the abolition of the Japanese aristocracy during the American occupation of Japan in 1946.
The Takeda-no-miya house was formed by Prince Tsunehisa, eldest son of Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa (second Kitashirakawa-no-miya).
| Name | Born . | Succeeded | Retired | Died | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Takeda Tsunehisa (竹田宮 恒久王 Takeda-no-miya Tsunehisa-ō ) |
1882 | 1906 | . | 1919 |
| 2 | Prince Takeda Tsuneyoshi (竹田宮 恒徳王 Takeda-no-miya Tsuneyoshi-ō ) |
1909 | 1919 | 1947 | 1992 |
| 3 | Prince Takeda Tsunetada (竹田 恒正 Takeda-no-miya Tsunetada-ō ) |
1940 | 1992 | . | . |
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:%C5%8Cke Ōke] at Wikimedia Commons