History of Titles

Õ is a title (commonly translated Prince) given to male members of the Japanese Imperial Family who do not have the higher title of shinnõ. The female equivalent is nyoõ. Õ can also be translated as "king". The origin of this double meaning is a copying of the Chinese pattern. Unlike in China, however, õ was only used for Imperial Family members. Interestingly, "queen" is joõ, using the same characters as nyoõ.

Historically, any male member of the Imperial Family was titled õ by default, with shinnõ and its female equivalent naishinnõ being special titles granted by the Emperor. After the Meiji Restoration, the difference between õ and shinnõ were altered. A shinnõ or naishinnõ was a legitimate Imperial Family member descended from an Emperor down to the great grandchild.

The term "legitimate Imperial Family" excludes anyone not connected by a direct male line descent, as well as the descendants of anyone who renounced their membership in the Imperial Family, or were expelled from the Imperial Family. Shinnõ also included the heads of any of the shinnõke. A law which never had an opportunity to be enacted also stated that if the head of a shinnõke succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne, that his brothers would acquire the title of shinnõ, as well as their descendants (down to the grandchildren?). The Emperor could also specially grant the title of shinnõ to any õ.

After 1947, the law was changed so that shinnõ only extended to the grandchildren of an Emperor. The Imperial Family was also drastically pruned, disestablishing the õke and shinnõke. The consort of an õ or shinnõ adds the suffix -hi to õ or shinnõ.