Since the Meiji period, the Imperial institution has been closely tied into a form of Shinto defined and constructed at that time. However, historically, Buddhism was much more prominent in Imperial funerary practices, and in the Imperial institution more broadly.
All Emperors from Shômu (724-749) to Kômei (1846-1867) were buried in Buddhist ceremonies; all those from Empress Jitô (686-697) until the beginning of the Edo period, with a few exceptions, were cremated. Early in that period, from Jitô (686-697) until Emperor Junna (823-833), the bones remaining after cremation were powdered and scattered.
From Emperor Kômyô (1336-1347) onwards, for a time, Emperors were buried at sites chosen by Buddhist ritual, nearby to a major temple; funerary rites associated with cremation were employed, but the bodies were actually buried.[1] Beginning with Emperor Go-Kôgon (1352-1370),[2] a number of emperors were buried in simple graves, and without tumuli, at Sennyû-ji; Emperor Go-Hanazono was an exception.
References
- Amino Yoshihiko. "Deconstructing 'Japan'." East Asian History 3 (1992), 122.
- ↑ This and the previous statement seem to contradict one another; it is unclear from Amino's text which was the case.
- ↑ Or possibly Emperor Go-Mizunoo (r. 1611-1629), as indicated in Amino, p141.