Person

Himiko

d. c. 248 · 3rd century · Also known as Pimiko

Himiko was a queen of Yamatai, the leading polity of the Wa people of Japan, known from the Chinese Records of the Three Kingdoms. She ruled as a shaman queen and sent envoys to the Cao Wei court in 239, receiving the title 'Queen of Wa Friendly to Wei' and a gold seal. She is the earliest Japanese ruler known by name from written records.

Mentioned in 1 profile

ShintoOrigins

Mentioned in 3 state histories

Na (Japan)YamataiCao Wei

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Himiko. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/himiko
MLA
“Himiko.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/himiko. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Himiko.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/himiko.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Himiko’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/himiko (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻