Before the Meiji Restoration, Japan had eleven reigns of reigning empresses, all of them daughters of the male line of the Imperial House. None ascended purely as a wife or as a widow of an emperor. Imperial daughters and granddaughters, however, usually ascended the throne as a sort of a "stop gap" measure – if a suitable male was not available or some imperial branches were in rivalry so that a compromise was needed. Over half of Japanese empresses and many emperors abdicated once a suitable male descendant was considered to be old enough to rule (just past toddlerhood, in some cases). Four empresses, Empress Suiko, Empress Kōgyoku (also Empress Saimei), and Empress Jitō, as well as the legendary Empress Jingū, were widows of deceased emperors and princesses of the blood imperial in their own right. One, Empress Genmei, was the widow of a crown prince and a princess of the blood imperial. The other four, Empress Genshō, Empress Kōken (also Empress Shōtoku), Empress Meishō, and Empress Go-Sakuramachi, were unwed daughters of previous emperors. None of these empresses married or gave birth after ascending the throne.
Before the Meiji Restoration Japan had eleven reigns of reigning empresses all of them daughters of the male line of the Imperial House None ascended purely as a wife or as a widow of an emperor Imperial daughters and granddaughters however usually ascended the throne as a sort of a "stop gap" measure – if a suitable male was not available or some imperial branches were in rivalry so that a compromise was needed Over half of Japanese empresses and many emperors abdicated once a suitable male descendant was considered to be old enough to rule (just past toddlerhood in some cases) Four empresses Empress Suiko Empress Kōgyoku (also Empress Saimei) and Empress Jitō as well as the legendary Empress Jingū were widows of deceased emperors and princesses of the blood imperial in their own right One Empress Genmei was the widow of a crown prince and a princess of the blood imperial The other four Empress Genshō Empress Kōken (also Empress Shōtoku) Empress Meishō and Empress Go-Sakuramachi were unwed daughters of previous emperors None of these empresses married or gave birth after ascending the throne