Ancient Japan & Korean Peninsula Bloodline Series Part 1: https://www.fmkorea.com/9292981175 Part 2: https://www.fmkorea.com/9295037100 The year is Heisei 13. December 18, 2001.
Akihito (Reign: 1989~2019) During a press conference celebrating his birthday, the 125th Emperor Akihito (明仁) made a statement that sent shockwaves through both Korea and Japan. This was just before the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Korea and Japan. A reporter brought this up and asked, 'Your Majesty, what are your thoughts on Korea?' and Akihito replied: 'I personally feel a certain kinship with Korea, given that it is recorded in the Shoku Nihongi that the mother of Emperor Kanmu was of the line of King Muryeong of Baekje.' (Source: Imperial Household Agency of Japan https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/okotoba/01/kaiken/kaiken-h13e.html) In short, a sitting Emperor himself made this statement in the Japanese Imperial House, where the 'unbroken lineage of ten thousand generations' is sacred. It was absolutely groundbreaking. So, who exactly was Emperor Kanmu's mother? Does the blood of the Baekje royals really flow through the current Japanese Imperial Family? In this post, let's look into Emperor Kanmu, his mother Takano no Niigasa, and the origins of the Minamoto (源) and Taira (平) clans.
1. Who was Emperor Kanmu? Emperor Kanmu (桓武天皇) was the 50th Emperor, the monarch who moved the capital to Kyoto (Heian-kyo) and ushered in the Heian period.
Emperor Kanmu (Reign: 781~806). Originally, he was far from the throne. His mother, Takano no Niigasa, was a concubine, while his rival Prince Osabe's mother was the actual Empress. However, a plot twist occurred when Empress Inoe was accused of trying to kill her husband, Emperor Konin, using sorcery.
Empress Inoe. Before Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses, there was her. Due to this incident, Crown Prince Osabe was deposed, and Prince Yamabe (Emperor Kanmu) became the Crown Prince.
Honestly, nobody takes the 'sorcery incident' at face value today. Prince Osabe had perfect legitimacy and would have become Emperor eventually anyway. In the end, Kanmu was the winner of history, and he moved the capital to Kyoto to escape rumors of curses and plagues, starting the Heian period.
2. Who was Takano no Niigasa? According to the 'Shoku Nihongi,' she is a descendant of King Muryeong of Baekje. Even mainstream Japanese academia doesn't deny this. There are no contradictions between historical records, the Imperial House recorded it themselves, and at the time, being a maternal relative of a 'Toraijin' (immigrant) didn't offer any political benefit, yet they stated it proudly.
3. Descendants of Emperor Kanmu The current Emperor Naruhito is also a direct descendant of Emperor Kanmu. This means that while the Baekje royal blood may have been diluted over time, the lineage continues within the Japanese Imperial Family.
3-1) The Minamoto Clan (源氏) The Minamoto clan, one of the four great clans of Japan—specifically the Seiwa Genji—branched off from the direct descendants of Emperor Kanmu.
Minamoto no Tsunemoto. The founder of the Seiwa Genji and the ancestor of Minamoto no Yoritomo, who established the Kamakura Shogunate.
The founders of the Kamakura, Muromachi, and Edo Shogunates (Yoritomo, Takauji, and Ieyasu) all claimed to be descendants of the Kawachi Genji (Minamoto).
3-2) The Taira Clan (平氏) The most famous 'Kanmu Heishi' branch of the Taira clan also started from a great-grandson of Emperor Kanmu.
The Genpei War (1180~1185) was essentially just a massive family feud between the descendants of Emperor Kanmu.
4. Closing Thoughts While we should be wary of extreme interpretations like 'the major Japanese clans were all Baekje people,' it is an undeniable fact that Korean Peninsula immigrants were deeply involved in Japanese history. In 2010, Emperor Akihito once again mentioned the connection between Emperor Kanmu’s mother and King Muryeong of Baekje, giving academia a justification for objective research.
"Users are geeking out over the historical connection, with one person pointing out that Korean baseball player Lee Dae-ho is living proof of the shared DNA. There's also a high-level nerdy debate about why Japan gave out new surnames while Silla just made everyone a 'Kim.'"
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