Emperor Ankō

Protohistoric narrative The Japanese have traditionally accepted this sovereign's historical existence, and a mausoleum (misasagi) for Ankō is currently maintained. The following information available is taken from the pseudo-historical Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, which are collectively known as or Japanese chronicles. These chronicles include legends and myths, as well as potential historical facts that have since been exaggerated and/or distorted over time. It's recorded in the Kiki that Ingyō was born to somewhere in 400 AD, and was given the name . While he was the third son of Emperor Ingyō, the title of "Crown Prince" was not bestowed upon him in his father's lifetime. For this particular sovereign, the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki tell different versions of what allegedly happened in regard to Emperor Ankō's older brother Prince Kinashi no Karu.

War between Anaho and Kinashi After Emperor Ingyō's death in 453 AD, Crown Prince Kinashi no Karu faced a mounting problem. The incestuous relationship with his sister, Princess Karu no Ōiratsume had caused the public to shun him and his retainers refused to follow. Prince responded with a force of his own which prompted Karu to flee and take refuge at a noble family's residence.

Reign Prince was enthroned as Emperor Ankō towards the end of 453 AD. During this time the capital was moved to Isonokami (located in Yamoto) where the new emperor had his palace. Ankō dispatched his servant to negotiate with Ookusaka, and he happily consented to the marriage. As a token of approval, he entrusted Ne-no-omi with a richly jeweled coronet to be presented to the Emperor. Scholar Francis Brinkley lists Emperor Ankō under "Protohistoric sovereigns" whose reign was "a discreditable page of Japanese History". This would have been a king of Japan (referred to as Wa by contemporary Chinese scholars) who is said to have sent tribute to the Southern Dynasty of China in 462, during the reign of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei. His name might have been regularized centuries after the lifetime ascribed to Ankō, possibly during the time in which legends about the origins of the imperial dynasty were compiled as the chronicles known today as the Kojiki.

Outside of the Kiki, the reign of Emperor Kinmei ( – 571 AD) is the first for which contemporary historiography has been 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. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Ankō's mausoleum/kofun-type Imperial tomb. Formally, this tomb is called , but is also given the name . Another possible burial theory involves the , whose owner remains unknown. Ankō is also enshrined at the Imperial Palace along with other emperors and members of the Imperial Family at the Three Palace Sanctuaries.