Empress Gemmei (660-721); was the 43rd imperial ruler of Japan. She reigned for 8 years (707-715) after the death of her son; Emperor Mommu; in 707. She proved an unusually able ruler. She coined the first copper money and caused scribes to write down the ancient traditions lest they be lost; and in 708 she moved the capital city of Japan from Fujiwara to Heijo-Kyo; thus giving the Nara period of Japanese history its name. Married to her first cousin and nephew; Kusakabe no Miko; the son of Emperor Temmu of Japan and Empress Jito of Japan; she abdicated in favour of her daughter; Empress Gensho-Tenno. This empress is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine (misasagi) at Nara.