Shiki no miko (Prince Shiki [磯城]) (磯城皇子)

Shiki no miko (around the latter half of the seventh century) was a member of the Imperial Family who lived in the Asuka period. His father was the Emperor Tenmu, and his mother was a daughter of Shishihito no omi Omaro. He was a younger brother-uterine of the Imperial Prince Osakabe. His sisters-uterine were the Imperial Princess Hasetsube and the Imperial Princess Taki.

Most of his achievements are unknown, and his life after he and Shiki no miko (the Prince Shiki [志貴]) were granted 200 households of fuko (residential units [ko] assigned as fiefs [fu] to support top-ranking officials, temples, shrines, and royal households such as those of the queen-consort and crown prince) in 686 is unknown. Because he was not included in the princes who participated in the Yoshino Pact in 679, and the rank of 'joko ichi' (the first rank of joi yoshina, four rank of joi, which corresponds to Shoshiinoge, Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade in ranks for Shoo and shoshin, vassal of Taiho Ritsuryo, Taiho Code) appears in "Shinsen Shojiroku" (Newly Compiled Register of Clan Names and Titles of Nobility), it is likely that he had died right before the Taiho Ritsuryo (Taiho Code) was established, at the age of around 30. He was not distinguished among many of princes of the Emperor Tenmu, partially due to his mother's relatively low rank. However, the Misono and Kasahara clans are his descendant clans, and the Prince Sakai, who was his fifth generation descendant, received the surname of Kiyoharu in 862 (some state that the year was 865) and descended to subject status. One theory has it that Shiki no miko was the father of Mikata no Ono, who was deprived of his prince title 'due to a minor offence,' but the theory lacks substantial evidence.

[Original Japanese]