Crown Prince - Koutai

The prince who will succeed to the Imperial Throne, also called Taishi. Based on the name of his residence or office, he is also called Togu, Haru no Miya, or Bo, and is also called "Hitsugi no Miko" meaning the prince who will succeed to the throne. He is also called Chokun or Choji. The Ritsuryo Code does not have any specific regulations for the crown prince, and the crown prince could be an imperial princess, an imperial younger brother, or an imperial grandson, and it was not limited to just one person. The status of the crown prince was determined by the Crown Prince Establishment Ceremony. In the Crown Prince Establishment Ceremony, after Emperor Uda in the early Heian period, the sword Tsubokiri, which was said to be the crown prince's sword for self-defense, was handed down from generation to generation. The investiture ceremony for the Crown Prince was not held until Emperor Gokomatsu in the early Muromachi period, but was revived in the early Edo period when Emperor Reigen invested the Crown Prince (Emperor Higashiyama). During the 310 years during which the investiture ceremony was abolished, the Crown Prince ascended to the throne without being called Crown Prince, but after that, the Crown Prince was first selected and called Crown Prince, and then the investiture ceremony was held. In 1889 (Meiji 22), the Imperial House Law was enacted, and according to a set order, the Crown Prince (or Crown Prince's grandson) was born as Crown Prince (Crown Prince's grandson). Therefore, the investiture ceremony became a ceremony to once again show both inside and outside the country that the Crown Prince was the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince (Crown Prince's grandson) reaches adulthood at the age of 18, and thereafter becomes the first in line to become a regent. The Crown Prince is ranked after the three Empresses (the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress), who are in turn ranked after the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince's residence is called the Togu Palace, where the Togu Office is located.

Under the current Imperial House Law, the heir to the throne (male) or the grandson of the emperor shall be called the crown prince or grandson of the emperor (Article 8), and the crown prince or grandson of the emperor who has reached the age of majority of 18 years shall be first in line to become regent (Article 17). The investiture ceremony for Crown Prince Naruhito under the current emperor was held on February 22, 1991 (Heisei 3).

[Shigeyoshi Murakami]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

皇位を継承するべき皇子で、太子ともいう。その居所や役所の名から、東宮(とうぐう)、春宮(とうぐう)（はるのみや）、坊とも称し、天(あま)つ日嗣(ひつぎ)（皇位）を継ぐ皇子の意味で「ひつぎのみこ」ともいう。儲君(ちょくん)、儲弐(ちょじ)などの称もある。律令(りつりょう)には、とくに皇太子の規定はなく、皇女、皇弟、皇孫などが皇太子となる場合もあり、また1人とは限らなかった。皇太子の身位は、立太子礼(りったいしれい)によって定まった。立太子礼では、平安前期の宇多(うだ)天皇以後、皇太子の護身刀とされる壺切(つぼきり)の剣(つるぎ)が相伝された。立太子礼は、室町初期の後小松(ごこまつ)天皇以後行われなくなり、江戸前期に至って霊元(れいげん)天皇の皇嗣(こうし)（東山(ひがしやま)天皇）の立太子にあたり復興した。310余年に及ぶ立太子礼の廃絶中は、皇嗣が皇太子と称することなく皇位についたが、以後は、まず皇嗣を定めて儲君と称し、のち立太子礼を挙行した。1889年（明治22）「皇室典範」が制定され、定められた順序により、皇嗣たる皇子（または皇孫）が、生まれながら皇太子（皇太孫）となることとなった。そのため立太子礼は、皇嗣であることを改めて内外に示す儀式となった。皇太子（皇太孫）は満18年で成人となり、以後は摂政(せっしょう)の第一順位者となる。皇太子の順位は、三后（太皇太后、皇太后、皇后）に次ぎ、同妃は皇太子に次ぐ。皇太子の居所は東宮御所といい、東宮職が置かれる。

　現行の「皇室典範」では、皇嗣たる皇子（男子）または皇孫を皇太子、皇太孫とし（8条）、満18年の成年に達した皇太子、皇太孫は摂政の第一順位者となる（17条）。現天皇のもとでの皇太子徳仁(なるひと)親王の立太子礼は、1991年（平成3）2月22日挙行された。

［村上重良］

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