Jitō took responsibility for court administration after the death of her husband, Emperor Tenmu, who was also her uncle.
 She acceded to the throne in 687 in order to ensure the eventual succession of her son, Kusakabe-shinnō.
 Throughout this period, Empress Jitō ruled from the Fujiwara Palace in Yamato.
In 689, Jitō prohibited Sugoroku, in 690 at enthronement she performed special ritual then gave pardon and in 692 she travelled to Ise against the counsel of minister Miwa-no-Asono-Takechimaro.

Prince Kusakabe was named as crown prince to succeed Jitō, but he died at a young age.
 Kusakabe's son, Karu-no-o, was then named as Jitō's successor.
 He eventually would become known as Emperor Monmu.

Empress Jitō reigned for eleven years.
Although there were seven other reigning empresses, their successors were most often selected from amongst the males of the paternal Imperial bloodline, which is why some conservative scholars argue that the women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century.
 Empress Genmei, who was followed on the  throne by her daughter, Empress Genshō, remains the sole exception to this conventional argument.

In 697, Jitō abdicated in Mommu's favor; and as a retired sovereign, she took the post-reign title daijō-tennō.
 After this, her imperial successors who retired took the same title after abdication.

Jitō continued to hold power as a cloistered ruler, which became a persistent trend in Japanese politics.

The actual site of Jitō's grave is known.
 This empress is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.

The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Jitō's mausoleum.
 It is formally named Ochi-no-Okanoe no misasagi.
Jitō took responsibility for court administration after the death of her husband, Emperor Tenmu, who was also her uncle.  She acceded to the throne in 687 in order to ensure the eventual succession of her son, Kusakabe-shinnō.  Throughout this period, Empress Jitō ruled from the Fujiwara Palace in Yamato. In 689, Jitō prohibited Sugoroku, in 690 at enthronement she performed special ritual then gave pardon and in 692 she travelled to Ise against the counsel of minister Miwa-no-Asono-Takechimaro.
Prince Kusakabe was named as crown prince to succeed Jitō, but he died at a young age.  Kusakabe's son, Karu-no-o, was then named as Jitō's successor.  He eventually would become known as Emperor Monmu.
Empress Jitō reigned for eleven years. Although there were seven other reigning empresses, their successors were most often selected from amongst the males of the paternal Imperial bloodline, which is why some conservative scholars argue that the women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century.  Empress Genmei, who was followed on the  throne by her daughter, Empress Genshō, remains the sole exception to this conventional argument.
In 697, Jitō abdicated in Mommu's favor; and as a retired sovereign, she took the post-reign title daijō-tennō.  After this, her imperial successors who retired took the same title after abdication.
Jitō continued to hold power as a cloistered ruler, which became a persistent trend in Japanese politics.
The actual site of Jitō's grave is known.  This empress is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.
The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Jitō's mausoleum.  It is formally named Ochi-no-Okanoe no misasagi.
Empress Jitō