Emperor Buretsu facts for kids

Emperor Buretsu (武烈天皇, Buretsu-tennō) was the 25th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional list of rulers. Historians believe much of his story might be a legend, but it's probably based on real events. The name Buretsu-tennō was given to him after his death by people who lived much later.

We don't have exact dates for Emperor Buretsu's life or when he ruled. The names and order of the early emperors were officially confirmed as "traditional" much later, during the time of Emperor Kammu. He was the 50th ruler of the Yamato dynasty.

Emperor Buretsu's Place in History

Buretsu was the son of Emperor Ninken. He did not have any children, which meant he was the last ruler of the first Imperial family line in Japan.

What We Know About Buretsu's Reign

We know very little about what happened during Emperor Buretsu's life and his time as emperor. There isn't much information available about rulers before the 29th emperor, Emperor Kimmei.

The Nihonshoki, an old Japanese history book, describes Buretsu as a ruler who behaved badly. However, another important old text, the Kojiki, does not say this about him. This shows that different historical records can have different views.

After Emperor Buretsu's Death

The official name given to Emperor Buretsu after he died (his posthumous name) was decided many centuries after he was believed to have lived.

The spirit, or kami, of Emperor Buretsu was honored at a special Shinto shrine in Takaichi, which was part of Yamato Province long ago.

According to the Imperial Household Agency, the emperor's final resting place is in an earthen burial mound called a kofun. Buretsu is honored at a special memorial Shinto shrine, called a misasagi, which is connected to his burial mound.

The chrysanthemum symbol of the Japanese emperor and his family.

Related Pages

• Emperor of Japan
• List of Emperors of Japan
• Japanese Imperial family tree
• Kofun period