Legendary narrative

In the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, only his name and genealogy were recorded. The Japanese have traditionally accepted this sovereign's historical existence, and an Imperial misasagi(陵) or tomb for Kōshō is currently maintained; however, no extant contemporary records have been discovered that confirm a view that this historical figure actually reigned. Kōshō is believed to be the oldest son of Emperor Itoku, and his wife Amanotoyototsu-hime. His mother was the daughter of Okishimimi-no-kami. The Kojiki records that he ruled from the palace of at Waki-no-kami in what would come to be known as Yamato Province. Kōshō allegedly had a wife named Yosotarashi-hime, and fathered two children with her. His reign lasted from 475 BC until his death in 393 BC, his second son then took the throne and would later be referred to as Emperor Kōan.

Known information

The existence of at least the first nine Emperors is disputed due to insufficient material available for further verification and study. Kōshō is thus regarded by historians as a "legendary Emperor", and is considered to have been the fourth of eight Emperors without specific legends associated with them. The name Kōshō-tennō was assigned to him posthumously by later generations, and literally means "filial manifestation". His name might have been regularized centuries after the lifetime ascribed to Kōshō, possibly during the time in which legends about the origins of the imperial dynasty were compiled as the chronicles known today as the Kojiki. While the actual site of Kōshō's grave is not known, the Emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) in Gose. The Imperial Household Agency designates this ___location as Kōshō's mausoleum. It is formally named Waki-no-kami no Hakata no yama no e no misasagi. There is a possibility that this figure could have lived instead in the 1st century (AD), however more research is needed to make any further conclusions.

The first emperor that historians state might have actually existed is Emperor Sujin, the 10th emperor of Japan. Outside of the Kojiki, the reign of Emperor Kinmei ( – 571 AD) is the first for which contemporary historiography is able to assign verifiable dates. The conventionally accepted names and dates of the early Emperors were not confirmed as "traditional" though, until the reign of Emperor Kanmu between 737 and 806 AD.

Consorts and Children

• Empress: , Owari clan's daughter

　•

　• , later Emperor Kōan

Family tree

歷史與傳說

觀松彥香殖稻尊是懿德天皇次子，母親是懿德天皇皇后天豐津媛命，即安寧天皇長子息石耳命的女兒。懿德天皇在位第22年二月，立十八歲的觀松彥香殖稻尊為太子。在位第34年九月天皇駕崩，於隔月葬於畝傍山南纖沙谿上陵。隔年正月太子即位，是為觀松彥香殖稻天皇（即孝昭天皇）。

同年七月，天皇遷都掖上池心宮。天皇在位第29年正月立世襲足媛為皇后，並與皇后生有兩子。依照傳統，天皇於在位第68年立次子日本足彥國押人尊為太子。　　　

孝昭天皇於在位第83年秋八月駕崩，享壽113歲。

現代研究與懷疑

系圖

參考

• 《古事記》——卷之二 第九章 大和朝廷成立

• 《日本書紀》——卷第四　綏靖天皇　安寧天皇　懿德天皇　孝昭天皇