Gouwan Kenjoo Jitou Tennouu

"Gouwan Kenjoo Jitou Tennouu" (The Mighty Wise Empress: Jito Tenno) portrays Empress Jito, who swallowed her tears to rule a nation while carrying on the will of her late husband, Emperor Tenmu. Overcoming the tragedy of losing her son, Prince Kusakabe, at a young age, she built the new capital of Fujiwara-kyo through sheer force of will and inscribed the ritsuryo legal code into history. Unafraid of even being called a demon at times, she pushes forward relentlessly so that her young grandson, the future Emperor Monmu, can inherit an era of peace. The chorus even quotes her own famous waka poem from the Man'yoshu, "spring has passed, and summer seems to have arrived," blending dignity with quiet sorrow. It is a sweeping, dignified ballad that carries the weight of history.