Empress Suiko Coloring Page

Suiko was the first woman to rule Japan as a reigning empress. She came to the throne in 592 AD and stayed there for 36 years, with her nephew Prince Shōtoku helping to run things. Under her, Buddhism spread widely in Japan.

Her reign is linked to a Seventeen-Article Constitution, a list of rules for good government, which is traditionally credited to Prince Shōtoku. Hōryū-ji, a temple near Nara that is thought to be among the oldest wooden buildings in the world, dates to her time.