ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Family tree of Japanese monarchs

Okay kiddo, let's talk about the family tree of Japanese monarchs. Do you know who the monarchs are? They're the people who are in charge of a country, like a king or queen.

Now, in Japan, there have been a lot of monarchs throughout history. They all come from the same family, called the Imperial Family. The first emperor was named Emperor Jimmu, and he lived a looong time ago – more than 2,600 years ago!

Ever since then, the Japanese monarchy has been passed down from one generation to the next. That means that when the current emperor gets old or dies, his son (if he has one) becomes the next emperor.

There have been a lot of different emperors over the years, and they all have different names. But there are a few that are really important to know about. One of them is Emperor Hirohito, who was the emperor during World War II. Another important one is Emperor Akihito, who was the emperor until 2019.

But here's where things can get a little tricky. See, in Japan, the emperor isn't really in charge of the government anymore. Japan has a parliament, which is kind of like a big group of people who make decisions for the country. The emperor is still really important, though – he's a symbol of Japan and its history, kind of like how a mascot represents a sports team.

So, in summary: the family tree of Japanese monarchs shows us all the different emperors who have ruled Japan over the years. They all come from the same family, and when one emperor dies or gets too old, his son (if he has one) becomes the next emperor. Even though the emperor isn't really in charge of the government anymore, he's still an important symbol for Japan. Got it?