Princess Ishi-hime

1. Overview

Princess Ishi-hime (石姫 皇女_{Ishi-hime no Himemiko}^Japanese or 石姫 の 皇女_{Ishi-hime no Ōjo}^Japanese, died after 572 CE) was an influential figure in early Japanese imperial history, serving as the Empress consort of Emperor Kinmei, the 29th Emperor of Japan. She is also notably the mother of Emperor Bidatsu, who succeeded Kinmei as the 30th Emperor. Her name is recorded as 石比売命_{Ishi-hime no Mikoto}^Japanese in the ancient historical text Kojiki. Her life and imperial roles are documented in historical records, highlighting her significant position within the imperial lineage during the Kofun period.

2. Life

Princess Ishi-hime's life was marked by her prominent lineage and her central role within the imperial family, first as a consort and then as Empress and Empress Dowager.

3. Children

Princess Ishi-hime bore three children with Emperor Kinmei:

• Prince Yata no Tamakatsu no Ōe (箭田珠勝大兄皇子_{Yata no Tamakatsu no Ōe no Miko}^Japanese), her first son, who died in 552 CE.
• Emperor Bidatsu (渟中倉太珠敷尊_{Nunakura Futotama-Shiki no Mikoto}^Japanese), her second son, who later ascended the throne as the 30th Emperor of Japan.
• Princess Kasanui (笠縫皇女_{Kasanui no Himemiko}^Japanese).

4. Mausoleum

Princess Ishi-hime's imperial tomb, known as Shinaga-no-hara-ryō (磯長原陵_{Shinaga-no-hara no Misasagi}^Japanese), is officially designated by the Imperial Household Agency and is located in the Ōaza Taishi area of Taishi-chō, Minamikawachi District, Osaka Prefecture. This tomb is also known archaeologically as the Taishi Nishiyama Kofun (太子西山古墳_{Taishi Nishiyama Kofun}^Japanese), a large kofun (ancient burial mound) with a keyhole shape and a total length of 371 ft ^{(113 m)}.

Princess Ishi-hime's mausoleum is a joint burial site with her son, Emperor Bidatsu. While her exact year of death remains unknown, the Nihon Shoki records that Emperor Bidatsu was interred in Princess Ishi-hime's tomb in April of Shushun Tennō 4 (c. 591 CE), with the tomb referred to as "Shinaga-ryō" (磯長陵_Shinaga-ryō^Japanese). The Engishiki, an ancient Japanese legal and administrative text, lists Princess Ishi-hime's tomb as a distant tomb (遠墓_enbo^Japanese) called "Isonagahara-no-haka" (磯長原墓_{Isonagahara no Haka}^Japanese). It specifies its location within Emperor Bidatsu's tomb in Ishikawa District, Kawachi Province, and notes that three households (守戸三烟_{shuko san'en}^Japanese) were annually assigned for its upkeep.

5. Related Sites

A significant site related to Princess Ishi-hime is the Iwa Shrine (石神社_{Iwa Jinja}^Japanese) in Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture. This shrine enshrines Princess Ishi-hime as its principal deity (主祭神_shusaijin^Japanese), indicating her continued veneration in the region.