Emperor Shomu

Emperor Shōmu was the 45th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from 724 to 749, during the Nara period. He was the son of Emperor Monmu and Fujiwara no Miyako, a daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito. He had five consorts and six imperial sons and daughters. He was the first emperor whose consort was not born into the imperial household. His consort Kōmyō was a non-royal Fujiwara commoner. He was an ardent Buddhist and devoted huge sums of money to the creation of magnificent Buddhist temples and artifacts throughout the realm. He ordered the establishment of state-maintained temples in each province and sponsored the construction of Tōdai-ji temple in Nara and the casting of its great image of the Buddha. He also twice dispatched embassies to T'ang China and became an enthusiastic importer of Chinese culture. He abdicated in favor of his daughter Empress Kōken, took holy orders, and spent the rest of his life in religious devotions. His personal possessions were donated to Tōdai-ji, where they remain today. He died at age 54 and was buried in a mausoleum in Nara. He is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine near his tomb.