For the past twenty years, the issue of Indian kingship has attracted the attention of many historians leading to a lively debate on it. At the centre of the debate is the theory which placed the king at the pinnacle of society in terms of the gift-giving and receiving system supported by A.M. Hocart and revived by Nicholas Dirks and others which criticizes Louis Dumont who subordinated the king to Brahmins in terms of pure/impure opposition. These essays by Japanese scholars would contribute to the debate based as they are on empirical explorations and enquire into recent polemics relating to Indian kingship.