Futaji Irihime

Futaji Irihime
両道入姫命
Futaji Irihime; 両道入姫命
Empress dowager of Japan
Tenure	appointed in 192
Spouse	Yamato Takeru
Issue	Ineyoriwake; Emperor Chūai; Nunoshiirihime; Waketake
House	Imperial house of Japan
Father	Emperor Suinin
Mother	Otokaribatatobe

Futaji Irihime (両道入姫命) was the mother of Emperor Chūai, and wife of Prince Yamato Takeru.^[1] She was also appointed empress dowager under the reign of her son, Emperor Chūai.^[2]

Life

Futaji Irihime was born the daughter of Emperor Suinin, and a concubine named Otokaribatatobe.^[3]^[4] She married her nephew, Prince Yamato Takeru and gave him four children, including Emperor Chūai.^[2]^[4] Emperor Seimu's wife, Oto-takara, bore the emperor one child named Prince Wakanuke.^[5] The prince died young however, and Oto-takara did not give birth to any more children.^[6]^[7] As such, it was decided that Yamato Takeru's son by Futaji Irihime, Prince Tarashinakahiko, would succeed.^[8] Prince Tarashinakahiko came to the throne as Emperor Chūai.^[6]^[8] The Nihon Shoki records that following Emperor Chūai's ascension, his mother was honoured as the empress dowager.^[2] However, because Yamato Takeru was not the emperor, Futaji Irihime was never the empress consort. Aside from this, both the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki do not record her accomplishments.

References

^ 日本人名大辞典+Plus, デジタル版. "両道入姫命(ふたじのいりびめのみこと)とは？意味や使い方". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-09-27.
^ ^a ^b ^c "天皇皇族歴史伝説大事典 | NDLサーチ | 国立国会図書館". 国立国会図書館サーチ（NDLサーチ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-09-27.
^ Anston, William George (1896). Nihongi : chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697. Tuttle Publishing.
^ ^a ^b Ō no, Yasumaro. The Kojiki: An Account of Ancient Matters. Translated by Heldt, Gustav. Columbia University Press.
^ Japan, Asiatic Society of (1881). Transactions. Asiatic Society of Japan.
^ ^a ^b Kidder, J. Edward (2007-02-28). Himiko and Japan's Elusive Chiefdom of Yamatai: Archaeology, History, and Mythology. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-3035-9.
^ Martin, Peter (1997-09-01). The Chrysanthemum Throne: A History of the Emperors of Japan. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2029-9.
^ ^a ^b Henshall, Kenneth (2013-11-07). Historical Dictionary of Japan to 1945. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. ISBN 978-0-8108-7872-3.

Japanese royalty
Preceded by Yasakairi-hime	Empress dowager of Japan appointed in 192	Succeeded by Nakatsu-hime

[1] 日本人名大辞典+Plus, デジタル版. "両道入姫命(ふたじのいりびめのみこと)とは？意味や使い方". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-09-27.

[:2-2] "天皇皇族歴史伝説大事典 | NDLサーチ | 国立国会図書館". 国立国会図書館サーチ（NDLサーチ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-09-27.

[:0-3] Anston, William George (1896). Nihongi : chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697. Tuttle Publishing.

[:1-4] Ō no, Yasumaro. The Kojiki: An Account of Ancient Matters. Translated by Heldt, Gustav. Columbia University Press.

[5] Japan, Asiatic Society of (1881). Transactions. Asiatic Society of Japan.

[:3-6] Kidder, J. Edward (2007-02-28). Himiko and Japan's Elusive Chiefdom of Yamatai: Archaeology, History, and Mythology. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-3035-9.

[7] Martin, Peter (1997-09-01). The Chrysanthemum Throne: A History of the Emperors of Japan. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2029-9.

[:4-8] Henshall, Kenneth (2013-11-07). Historical Dictionary of Japan to 1945. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. ISBN 978-0-8108-7872-3.

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