Editing Emperor Saga (section)

==Traditional narrative==
Saga was the second son of [[Emperor Kanmu]] and [[Fujiwara no Otomuro]].<ref>Varley, p. 151.</ref><ref name="b280">[[#Brown-Ishida|Brown and Ishida]], p. 280.</ref> His personal name was {{nihongo|'''Kamino'''|神野}}.<ref>Titsingh, p. 96; [[#Brown-Ishida|Brown and Ishida]], p. 280.</ref> Saga was an "accomplished calligrapher" able to compose in Chinese who held the first imperial poetry competitions ({{Transliteration|ja|naien}}).<ref>[[#Brown-Ishida|Brown and Ishida]], p. 281</ref> According to legend, he was the first Japanese emperor to drink [[tea]].

Saga is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the [[Imperial Household Agency]] designates {{nihongo3|Saganoyamanoe Imperial Mausoleum|嵯峨山上陵|Saganoyamanoe no Misasagi}}, in [[Ukyō-ku, Kyoto]], as the location of Saga's [[mausoleum]].<ref name="kunaichō" />

===Events of Saga's life===
* '''806''' Saga became the crown prince at age 21.
* '''June 17, 809'''<ref>Julian dates derived from [http://web.me.com/meyer.eva/www.yukikurete.de/nengo_calc.htm NengoCalc]</ref> ({{nihongo foot|''[[Daidō]] 4, 1st day of the 4th month''|大同四年五月一日}}): In the 4th year of Emperor Heizei's reign, he fell ill and abdicated; and the succession (''senso'') was received by Kanmu's second son Saga, the eldest son having become a Buddhist priest.  Shortly thereafter, Emperor Saga is said to have acceded to the throne (''sokui'').<ref>Titsingh, p. 96; [[#Brown-Ishida|Brown and Ishida]], p. 280; Varley, p. 44; a distinct act of ''senso'' is unrecognized prior to [[Emperor Tenji]]; and all sovereigns except [[Empress Jitō|Jitō]], [[Emperor Yōzei|Yōzei]], [[Emperor Go-Toba|Go-Toba]], and [[Emperor Fushimi|Fushimi]] have ''senso'' and ''sokui'' in the same year until the reign of [[Emperor Go-Murakami]].</ref>

Soon after his [[enthronement of the Japanese emperor|enthronement]], Saga himself took ill. At the time the retired Heizei had quarreled with his brother over the ideal location of the court, the latter preferring the Heian capital, while the former was convinced that a shift back to the Nara plain was necessary, and Heizei, exploiting Saga's weakened health, seized the opportunity to foment a rebellion, known historically as the [[Kusuko Incident]]; however, forces loyal to Emperor Saga, led by ''[[taishōgun]]'' [[Sakanoue no Tamuramaro]], quickly defeated the Heizei rebels which thus limited the adverse consequences which would have followed any broader conflict.<ref>Titsingh, p. 98; Varley, p. 151.</ref>  This same Tamuramaro is remembered in [[Aomori Prefecture|Aomori]]'s annual [[Nebuta Matsuri]] which feature a number of gigantic, specially-constructed, illuminated paper floats.  These great lantern-structures are colorfully painted with mythical figures; and teams of men carry them through the streets as crowds shout encouragement.  This early ninth century military leader is commemorated in this way because he is said to have ordered huge illuminated lanterns to be placed at the top of hills; and when the curious [[Emishi]] approached these bright lights to investigate, they were captured and subdued by Tamuramaro's men.<ref>Boroff, Nicholas. ''National Geographic Traveler Japan,'' p. 156.</ref>
* '''August 24, 842''' ({{nihongo foot|''[[Jōwa (Heian period)|Jōwa]] 9, 15th day of the 7th month''|承和九年七月十五日}}): Saga died at the age of 57.<ref>[[#Brown-Ishida|Brown and Ishida]], p. 282; Varley, p. 163.</ref>

===Eras of Saga's reign===
The years of Saga's reign are more specifically identified by more than one [[Japanese era names|era name]] (''nengō'').<ref>Titsingh, p. 97.</ref>
* ''[[Daidō]]''             (806–810)
* ''[[Kōnin (era)|Kōnin]]'' (810–824)