Katsuranomiya (桂宮)
Katsuranomiya is one of the Miyake (houses of an imperial princes) and also one of the four heredity Imperial prince' families. It was established in the Momoyama period and the family was discontinued in the Meiji period. The main private land of Katsuranomiya located in Katsura, near Heiankyo (Heian Palace). There was the same Miyake established in Showa period.
The ancestor of the Katsuranomiya family was the Imperial Prince Sanehito's (Emperor Ogimachi's first Prince) sixth Prince of Imperial Prince Toshihito. Imperial Prince Toshihito was adopted by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, but after Hideyoshi had his biological son, the Prince left the Toyotomi family and was given an estate by Hideyoshi, and he established his own family. The name of another palace that Imperial Prince Toshihito built, was the famous Imperial Katsura Villa. That villa, Imperial Katsura Villa was called Hachijonomiya, since it was located on the Hachijo Street in Kyoto.
Since the fifth Hachijonomiya Imperial Prince Naohito had no successor, Emperor Reigen's son, Sakunomiya succeeded the family and was renamed Tokiwainomiya, however he died young, and then his older brother Kyogokunomiya Imperial Prince Ayahito succeeded and was renamed Kyogokunomiya.
After the ninth Kyogokunomiya Imperial Prince Kinhito died, there was no one to succeed the family for a while, so, Emperor Kokaku's Prince, Katsuranomiya Imperial Prince Takehito succeeded and was renamed Katsuranomiya. After Katsuranomiya Imperial Prince Takehito died, again there was no one to succeed the family for a while. After Katsuranomiya Imperial Prince Takehito's older brother, Emperor Ninko's Prince, Katsuranomiya Imperial Prince Misahito succeeded the family, but he died young, and then there was no one at the head of the family. In 1862 older sister, Katsuranomiya Imperial Princess Sumiko succeeded to the family, but after she died in 1881, Katsuranomiya discontinued. Most of the Palaces within the Kyoto Imperial Garden were moved to Nijo-jo Castle where Imperial family's villa was in those days, Nijo-jo Castle was used as a symbol of the Tokugawa family castle being changed to the castle of the Imperial family.
In 1988 Mikasanomiya Imperial Prince Takahito's second son, Katsuranomiya Imperial Prince Yoshihito established new Miyake and gave him the same name Katsuranomiya. There is no direct relationship with Katsuranomiya, but is related to the symbol of Imperial Prince Yoshihito.