Princess Iwa

Who is Princess Iwa?

Princess Iwa, sometimes known as Empress Iwa no hime, was a poet and the Empress consort of Emperor Nintoku, who was the 16th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. She was a descendant of Emperor Kōgen.

No firm dates can be assigned to Emperor Nintoku's life or reign, nor to that of his first wife. Nintoku is considered to have ruled the country during the late-fourth century and early-fifth century, but there is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further verification and study.

Princess Iwa's poetry, or poems attributed to her, are included in the Kojiki, the Nihon shoki and the Man'yōshū. Her tomb is said to be located in Nara Prefecture.