Emperor Sakuramachi

Emperor Sakuramachi was the 115th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He was the firstborn son of Emperor Nakamikado, and was said to be the reincarnation of Prince Shōtoku. He was named crown prince in 1728, and ascended to the throne in 1735, after his father abdicated in his favor. He changed the era name from Kyōhō to Genbun to mark his enthronement. He was the first emperor to rule over Japan since the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603. He had limited political power, as the shoguns controlled the country, but he worked for the restoration of some imperial rites that had been absent for over 250 years. He reinstated ceremonies such as the Daijōsai and the Shinjōsai, which involved rice offerings by the emperor. He also revived the practice of appointing imperial princes as chief priests of the Ise Grand Shrine and the Kamo Shrine. He was a patron of arts and culture, and supported the development of waka poetry, Noh drama, and painting. He had one wife and a concubine, with whom he fathered three children. His first son became Emperor Momozono, his second daughter became Empress Go-Sakuramachi, and his third child died in infancy. He abdicated in 1747, in favor of his son, and took the title of Daijō-tennō (Retired Emperor). He died in 1750, at the age of 30, and was buried in the Tsuki no wa no misasagi in Kyoto. He was posthumously honored as Emperor Sakuramachi, which means "the emperor of the cherry blossom town". He was the last emperor to have a personal name that did not end with the character "hito", which means "person".