Prince Sawara facts for kids
Prince Sawara (早良親王, Sawara-shinnō) was an important figure in ancient Japan. He was born around 750 and passed away on November 8, 785. Prince Sawara was the fifth son of Prince Shirakabe, who later became Emperor Kōnin. His mother was Takano no Niigasa.
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Becoming a Crown Prince
In 781, Prince Sawara's older brother became the new ruler, Emperor Kanmu. Emperor Kanmu's father, Emperor Kōnin, had stepped down. After this, Prince Sawara was named the heir-presumptive. This meant he was next in line to become emperor.
A Difficult Time
In 785, a sad event took place. The person in charge of building the new capital city, Nagaoka-kyō, was killed. His name was Fujiwara no Tanetsugu. Prince Sawara was thought to be involved in this event. He had not agreed with the idea of moving the capital city. Because of this, he was sent away to Awaji Province. Sadly, he died on his way there.
Honored After Death
Later, Emperor Kanmu faced some troubles. His wife passed away, and his son became very ill. People believed that Prince Sawara's spirit might be causing these problems. To calm his spirit, Emperor Kanmu decided to honor Prince Sawara. He was given the special title of emperor after his death. This is called being "posthumously elevated." Prince Sawara became known as Emperor Sudō (崇道天皇, Sudō-tennō). This was the only time in history someone was made emperor after they had died. He was then reburied in Yamato Province.
Moving the Capital Again
Because of continued worries, the capital city was moved once more. It went from Nagaoka-kyō to a new place called Heiankyō, which is now known as Kyōto.
A Honored Spirit
Prince Sawara also became part of a group of honored spirits called onryō. These were spirits of important people who had faced unfair treatment. In 863, Prince Sawara and others were honored at a place called Shinsenen in Kyōto. This was done to bring peace to their spirits, not to get rid of them. Other spirits honored there included:
- Mononobe no Moriya (died 587)
- Prince Iyo (died 807)
- Fujiwara no Nakanari (died 810)
- Tachibana no Hayanari (died 842)
- Bunya no Miyatamaro (died 843)
The spirit, or kami, of Prince Sawara is still honored today. You can find his shrine at Sudō jinja in Shūgaku-in, which is in Yamashiro province.
