On September 3, 1710, the Kaninnomiya family was founded by the proposal of Hakuseki ARAI insisting that close blood relatives of Emperor should ascend to the throne, but there was an anxiety at that time that imperial line might become extinct since Miyake (house of an imperial prince) such as the Fushiminomiya, Arisugawanomiya and Katsuranomiya families had not close blood relations with Emperor.
当時、既にあった宮家（伏見宮・有栖川宮・桂宮）は何れも天皇とは遠縁であり、皇統の断絶を危惧するも即位となれば天皇の近親者が相応しいとの考えから宝永7年（1710年）8月10日、新井白石の建議により創設された。