Mikado << muh KAH doh >> is a term once used to refer to the emperor of Japan. It comes from the Japanese words meaning honorable gate, which referred to the emperor’s residence.
The term Mikado was more commonly used by Westerners than by the Japanese. It was popular in the 1800’s among foreigners in Japan. In the late 1800’s, the term became well known in Western countries through the operetta The Mikado. The comic opera, written by William S. Gilbert and Arthur S. Sullivan, is set in Japan. It tells the story of a Japanese girl who falls in love with the Mikado’s son.
When referring to their emperor, the Japanese use the term Tenno, meaning heavenly emperor. They adopted the term from the Chinese during the reign of the Japanese Empress Suiko, who ruled from A.D. 592 to A.D. 628. Japanese emperors are not referred to by their personal name but by a reign name. For example, the current emperor, Naruhito, is known as the Reiwa Tenno or Reiwa Emperor. Reiwa means beautiful harmony in Japanese.
See also Gilbert and Sullivan; Jimmu
