Emperor Bidatsu (敏達天皇)

Emperor Bidatsu (538?-September 14, 585) was the 30th Emperor (whose reign lasted from April 30, 572 to September 14, 585). His Japanese-style posthumous name was 渟中倉太珠敷尊 (Nunakura no Futotamashiki no Mikoto), and according to" Kojiki (The Records of Ancient Matters)," it was also written as 沼名倉太珠敷命 (Nunakura no Futotamashiki no Mikoto). He was also called Emperor Wosada.

The son, named Nunakura Futotamashiki, ascended the throne at Wosada Imperial Palace when he was 14 years old to govern the whole country.
(It is said that after that, he married 6 wives and had 24 sons and daughters, and a child of one of them, which means one of his grandchild, ascended the throne.)
(note: He died on April 6, in the year of Kinoe-Tatsu [one of the Oriental Zodiac].)
His Imperial mausoleum is located in Shinaga, Kawauchi. According to "Kojiki," Wosada Imperial Palace was located in Shiki-gun, Nara Prefecture. Kawauchi is located in Minamikawachi-gun, Osaka Prefecture.

Genealogy

He was the second imperial prince of Emperor Kinmei. His mother was the Imperial princess of Emperor Senka, Empress Ishihime no Yumemiko.

Imperial Palace
Although at first, the Imperial Palace used to be Kudara Oinomiya (in terms of the location of which, there are various theories such as Oi, Kawachinagano City, Osaka Prefecture, Kudara, Koryo-cho Kitakatsuragi-gun, Nara Prefecture, Koda, Tondabayashi City, Osaka Prefecture, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture), following the result of bokusen (divination), it moved to Osata no Sakitama no Miya (Wosada Miya) located in present-day Kaiju, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture in 575.

Omi, Omuraji (ministers)
MONONOBE no Moriya directly took over Omuraji, and SOGA no Umako became Omi.

Diplomacy and Economy
Although he discussed with Baekje, aiming at the revival of Mimana in accordance with Emperor Kinmei's last will, he made little progress in it. According to the record, he had diplomatic relations with Silla at the same time, and received Cho (a kind of tax, or offerings) of Mimana. It is also reported that KONGO-gumi, the world's oldest company established in 578.

Buddhism Policy
As Emperor Bidatsu was close to anti-Buddhist faction, MONONOBE no Moriya and Nakatomi clan, who belonged to anti-Buddhist faction got the boost from the Emperor, and SOGA no Umako, who belonged to pro-Buddhist faction, was opposed to the Emperor. As a plague broke out when pro-Buddhist SOGA no Umako built a temple to enshrine Buddha statue, MONONOBE no Moriya tried to convince the Emperor to impose prohibition of Buddhism and orderd to burn the Buddha statue and the Buddhist sanctum. On August 15 (the old calendar) in the same year, he died of serious disease (In Kojiki, it was referred he died in 584). The conflict over Buddhism was taken over by the next generation.

Imperial mausoleum
Kauchi no shinaga no nakanoo no misasagi(Taishi Nishiyama Tumulus located in Oaza Taishi, Taishi-cho, minamikawachi-gun, Osaka Prefecture) was presumed to be the Imperial mausoleum of Emperor Bidatsu.

[Original Japanese]