[3] Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (imina)[4] was Taruhito-shinnō (善仁親王).

After becoming crown prince, he acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his father Emperor Shirakawa on January 3, 1087 (Ōtoku 3).

When Horikawa's empress-consort Fujiwara no Ishi (藤原苡子) died in 1103, his son the Imperial Prince Munehito was taken to be raised by the retired Emperor Shirakawa.

He is traditionally venerated at the Nochi no Yenkyō-ji no misasagi memorial Shinto shrine; [10] this site has been designated as Horikawa's mausoleum by the Imperial Household Agency.

[11] During Horikawa's reign, the high-ranking kugyō of the imperial court included: [14] Unless otherwise noted (as BC), years are in CE / AD  * Imperial Consort and Regent Empress Jingū is not traditionally listed.