Editing Empress Kōgyoku (section)

===Events in Saimei's reign===
[[File:220311_Kengoshiduka_1.jpg|thumb|[[Kengoshizuka Kofun]] the burial site of Empress Kōgyoku<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Kengoshizuka Kofun Tumulus, Koshitsuka-gomon Kofun Tumulus |url=http://asuka-japan-heritage.jp/global/en/saimei/detail/kengosiduka_sa.html |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=Exploring the Footsteps of the Heroines of Asuka |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2022-03-04 |title=Octagonal burial mound said to belong to ancient Japan empress reconstructed in Nara Pref. |language=en |work=Mainichi Daily News |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220304/p2a/00m/0na/040000c |access-date=2023-10-20}}</ref>.]]
When Kōtoku died, his designated heir was Naka no Ōe.  When Naka no Ōe's mother re-ascended, he continued in the role of her heir and crown prince. In this role, he could and did remain active in the political life of Japan.

In the fifth year of Saimei's reign, [[Baekje|Paekche]] in [[Korea]] was destroyed in 660. Japan assisted Paekche loyals in an attempt to aid the revival of Paekche dynasty. Early in 661, Saimei responded to the situation by leaving her capital in [[Yamato Province]]. Her plan was to lead a military expedition to Korea. The empress stayed in Ishiyu Temporary Palace in [[Iyo Province]], today [[Dōgo Onsen]]. In May she arrived at Asakura Palace in the north part of Tsukushi province in [[Kyūshū]], today a part of [[Fukuoka Prefecture]]. The allied army of Japan and [[Baekje]] was preparing for war against [[Silla]], but the death of the empress thwarted those plans.  In 661, Saimei died in the Asakura Palace before the army departed to [[Korea]]. In October her body was brought from Kyūshū by sea to Port Naniwa-zu (today [[Osaka, Osaka|Osaka city]]); and her state funeral was held in early November.

Empress Saimei ruled for seven years.  The years of Saimei's reign are not linked by scholars to any era or ''nengō''.<ref name="t43-54" />  The Taika era innovation of naming time periods&nbsp;– ''nengō''&nbsp;– languished until Mommu reasserted an imperial right by proclaiming the commencement of Taihō in 701.

The actual site of Kōgyoku/Saimei's [[grave (burial)|grave]] is known,<ref name="kunaicho"/> having been identified as the [[Kengoshizuka Kofun|Kengoshizuka tomb]] in the village of [[Asuka, Nara|Asuka]], [[Nara Prefecture]].<ref>http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100910a5.html Japan Times: Nara tomb said that of seventh century empress</ref><ref>http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/tomb-identified-as-that-of-7th-century-empress-saimei{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Japan Today: Tomb identified as that of 7th-century Empress Saimei</ref> This empress is traditionally venerated at a [[memorial]] [[Shinto]] [[shrine]] (''misasagi'') at Nara.

The [[Imperial Household Agency]] designates this location as Kōgyoku/Seimei's [[mausoleum]].  It is formally named ''Ochi-no-Okanoe no misasagi''.<ref>Ponsonby-Fane, p. 420.</ref>