Kan'in Palace

This Imperial Prince family was established in 1710 (7th year of the Hoei era) in the mid-Edo period. It was bestowed the title of Miya in 1719 (4th year of the Kyoho era). Its founder was Prince Naohito, son of Emperor Higashiyama. It was temporarily discontinued but was revived and continued until 1947 (22nd year of the Showa era) when it was demoted to commoner status under the New Imperial Family Act. The proposal of Arai Hakuseki, a lecturer to the 6th Shogun, Tokugawa Ienobu, played a major role in the establishment of this Imperial family. At the time, hereditary Imperial Prince families were limited to the Fushimi, Arisugawa, and Kyogoku families, and it was customary for both the Imperial family and the Imperial family for children other than the legitimate child to become monks. Soon after Ienobu became shogun, Shiraishi suggested that this was against human feelings and a bad custom of a declining era, and that it was only natural to propose the creation of an Imperial family. Ienobu accepted this proposal, submitted a petition to the Imperial Court, and an Imperial family was created. Ienobu donated 1,000 koku of land. The second Prince Sukehito's son Prince Kanehito succeeded the Imperial line and became Emperor Kokaku. The fifth Prince Haruhito had no heir, so the line was temporarily discontinued, but Prince Kotohito from the Fushiminomiya family succeeded him and restored the line, and Prince Kotohito was active from the Meiji to Showa periods. His son Prince Harunobu (Sumihito) was demoted to commoner status in 1947 (Showa 22).

[Ryosho Hayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸中期、1710年（宝永7）に建てられた親王家。宮号下賜は1719年（享保4）。初祖は東山(ひがしやま)天皇の皇子直仁(なおひと)親王。一時中絶があったが再興され、1947年（昭和22）の新皇族令で臣籍降下するまで続いた。この宮家創設には、6代将軍徳川家宣(いえのぶ)の侍講新井白石(あらいはくせき)の献策が大きな役割を果たした。当時、世襲の親王家は伏見(ふしみ)、有栖川(ありすがわ)、京極(きょうごく)の3家に限られ、皇室、宮家とも嫡子以外の子女は出家することが慣習となっていた。家宣が将軍となるとまもなく、白石は、これは人情に反するもので、衰えていた時代の悪習であり、宮家創設を奏上することは当然のことであると献策し、家宣はこれをいれて朝廷に奏上し、宮家の創設となった。家宣は家領1000石を献じた。2代典仁(すけひと)親王の子兼仁(ともひと)親王は皇統を継ぎ光格(こうかく)天皇となった。5代愛仁(はるひと)親王に後嗣(こうし)がなく一時中絶したが、伏見宮家から載仁(ことひと)親王が入って再興され、載仁親王は明治から昭和期に活躍した。その子春仁王（純仁）に至って1947年（昭和22）臣籍に下った。

［林　亮勝］

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