The ex-Empress Genmei developed a disease in May, 721, and after asking Nagaya no okimi, her son-in-law, and FUJIWARA no Fusasaki to look after her family and affairs and leaving a will to have her funeral simplified, she passed away on December 29, 721.
721年5月に発病し、婿である長屋王と藤原房前に後事を託し、遺詔として葬送の簡素化を命じた後、12月7日(旧暦)に崩御した。