The Hokage is a prestigious title passed on to Konohagakure's strongest and most capable shinobi in Naruto. Being the first shinobi village in existence, Konoha was also the first to elect a Kage, which ultimately led to the creation of the shinobi village system throughout the five great nations.
Konoha has always had a powerful Hokage at its helm, all of whom were duty-bound to protect and defend their people against incoming threats. The legendary Hidden Leaf Village has seen seven Kage rise to this position so far, with the current and most powerful of them being the eponymous protagonist.
Updated on November 14, 2023, by Ajay Aravind:Naruto may have ended in 2014, but this anime series remains as popular as ever. Given that Naruto Uzumaki's entire character arc revolves around becoming Konoha's Hokage, this prestigious position plays an important role in the overarching storyline. As such, we've revamped this list of the strongest Hokage in Naruto.
7 Kakashi Hatake Became One Of Konoha's Elite Jonin At The Age Of Thirteen
The Sixth Hokage
Once famed as the Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake was one of Konoha's elite Jonin who went on to become the Sixth Hokage of the village. Thanks to his diverse skillset, Kakashi managed to rise through the ranks rapidly. He was made a Jonin by the age of thirteen, and as such, was always headed for greatness. Kakashi earned the spot of Hokage following the Fourth Great Ninja War, although he's nowhere near the strongest character in the series.
This is primarily because Kakashi, as a Hokage, lost his Sharingan. While his chakra levels were consequently improved as a result, the lack of Sharingan made Kakashi less special. During his time as the Hokage of Konoha, the likes of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were all leagues above him. That said, Kakashi remains one of the smartest characters in the story. In fact, he uses the same skills in both combat and leadership, explaining why he's one of the best Hokage in recent history.
6 Tsunade Senju Is Widely Recognized As The Most Accomplished Medical-Nin In The World
The Fifth Hokage
Taking the position of Hokage after Hiruzen Sarutobi's passing, Tsunade Senju was chosen as the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure. Working together with Orochimaru and Jiraiya, Tsunade formed the famed Legendary Sannin of Konoha. As one of the Sannin, Tsunade's fighting prowess was remarkable, being able to duel even Madara to an extent. Tsunade's specialty was her 'Chakra Enhanced Strength' Jutsu, but she could also use the Forbidden Jutsu of Byakugou.
In the Five Kage vs Madara fight, she was perhaps the most active Kage on the battlefield, fighting the enemy while simultaneously healing her allies. Further, she's widely recognized as the most accomplished medical-nin in the world, not to mention the most powerful kunoichi. Tsunade's Creation Rebirth technique is capable of instantly reversing any injuries on the battle field, even those that are life-threatening. Although she suffers great loss over the course of her life, she's ultimately convinced to become the Fifth Hokage of Hidden Leaf Village. Tsunade is truly one of the more impressive characters in Naruto.
5 Tobirama Senju Set Up Both The Konoha Academy And The Police Force
The Second Hokage
Tobirama Senju was the second Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, succeeding his brother Hashirama to the position. He had earlier helped Hashirama establish the Konohagakure as the first shinobi village. Possessing a high intellect, Tobirama set up both the Konoha Academy and the Police Force. He led his village in the First Great Ninja War, where he ended up losing his life to Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
As a shinobi, Tobirama's skills were nothing short of incredible. He was a water-style master, but also proficient in all five nature transformations. Apart from that, Tobirama had access to a lot of Forbidden Ninjutsu, some of which he invented himself. As the Second Hokage, however, Tobirama strove to improve the political system governing Konohagakure. It goes without saying that he was simultaneously one of Konoha's strongest ninjas as well as one of its greatest leaders.
4 Minato Namikaze's Remarkable Talents Were Unmatched For His Generation
The Fourth Hokage
Naruto Uzumaki's father, Minato Namikaze, also known as the Yellow Flash, was Konohagakure's Fourth Hokage. In his generation, Minato's talents were effectively unmatched. In the Third Great Ninja War, he defeated thousands of enemies single-handedly and was partly responsible for the peace that followed. That said, his son Naruto would eventually go on to surpass Minato in almost every way.
Minato knew three nature transformations, but his unbelievable speed and agility managed to take even the Fourth Raikage by surprise. Namikaze was strong enough to fight both Obito and Kurama while protecting his village, which definitely says a lot about his capabilities as a Kage. If that's not impressive enough, Minato held the record for historically scoring the highest marks in the Chunin Exam. This just proves that he had the knowledge to help administer the needs of the village, especially considering the safe houses located in Konoha.
3 Hiruzen Sarutobi Was Extremely Powerful Despite His Relatively Advanced Age
The Third Hokage
The Third Hokage of Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi was renowned as 'The Professor' and the 'God of Shinobi'. Unfortunately, fans never got to see a glimpse of him during his prime fighting days. Hiruzen was extremely powerful despite his relatively advanced age. He displayed his massive power by battling Orochimaru, Edo Hashirama, and Edo Tobirama all on his own. However, some argue that his insistence on pacifist ideologies held him back from achieving true greatness.
Hiruzen earned the title of 'The Professor' because he knew everything there was to know about all the Jutsu in Konohagakure. His Will of Fire urged him to call every citizen in the village his family, and it was his thinking that molded Naruto's future career as the Hokage of the village. In addition, Hiruzen's desire to protect the lives of Konoha's inhabitants has made him one of the most beloved leaders in the village's history.
2 Hashirama Senju Founded Konoha Village Along With Madara Uchiha
The First Hokage
Hashirama Senju was the First Hokage of Konoha, as well as one of its two main founders. He possessed the strength to counter Madara Uchiha in combat, making him one of the strongest characters in the entire series. Hashirama was a master of all five nature transformations, but his specialty was the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai. Using this power, he was capable enough to duel both Madara Uchiha and the Nine-Tails at the same time, an extremely admirable feat.
Hashirama's powers were further enhanced by his Sage Mode, which is what made him the strongest shinobi of his generation. When combined with his Wood Release ninjutsu, his Sage Mode made him practically unstoppable. Although Hashirama was a fantastic shinobi, he certainly wasn't the strongest in Naruto. Unfortunately, he failed to bring peace and harmony to Konoha while he was still alive. On the other hand, it can be argued that Hashirama's unforgettable legacy would change and influence the shinobi world in unpredictable yet positive ways.
1 Naruto Uzumaki Eventually Became Known To Konoha As The "Hero Of The Hidden Leaf"
The Seventh And Current Hokage
The Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki is the current leader of Konoha and also the strongest of all the Kage. All things considered, however, fans had been expecting Naruto become the Hokage for a long time. Although Naruto's start was shaky, he slowly mastered various Jutsu and overcame his weaknesses with sheer hard work. Thanks to his various abilities, such as the Sage Mode, the power of Kurama, and the Six Paths powers, Naruto is deemed as the strongest ninja to ever exist.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Naruto received half of the Sage of Six Paths' powers, along with the chakra of the remaining Tailed Beasts, making him a pseudo-ten-tails Jinchuriki. His achievements during the conflict have garnered Naruto the epithet: "Hero of the Hidden Leaf." At this point, he's more than capable of rivaling the Gods of the Narutoverse, such as Momoshiki Otsutsuki. Naruto is undoubtedly the strongest Hokage of Konoha, and it's unlikely that anyone will ever surpass him. That said, Naruto missed attending his own inauguration after his daughter Himawari accidentally attacks him with her Gentle Fist-Strike.
