The Five Kings of Wa

The five kings of Wa in the Song Shu are shown below, with potential sovereigns from the Chronicles. Dates for the sovereigns are the traditional dates from the Chronicles and may be as much as 120 years off, as has been discussed in previous episodes.

讃 (Embassy in 421 and 425)

Modern Japanese: SAN
Middle Chinese: /t͡sɑnH/
Later annals use 「賛」
Titles conferred: None
Potential Sovereigns: Homuda Wake (Ōjin Tennō, r. 270-310), Ōsazaki (Nintoku Tennō, r. 313-399), Izaho Wake (Richū Tennō, r. 400-405)

珍 (Two embassies, no dates—Younger Brother of SAN)

Japanese: CHIN
Middle Chinese: /ʈˠiɪn/
Later annals use 「彌」
Titles conferred: “General and Pacifier of the East”, “King of the Land of Wa”
Potential Sovereigns: Ōsazaki (Nintoku Tennō, r. 313-399), Midzuha Wake (Hanzei Tennō, r. 406-410)

濟 (Embassy in 443 and 451)

Japanese: SEI
Middle Chinese: /t͡seiH/
Later Annals use 「齊」
Titles conferred: “General and Pacifier of the East”, “King of the Land of Wa”, “Military Governor of Wa, Silla, Nimna, Kara, Jinhan, and Mahan
Potential Sovereigns: Woasatsuma Wakugo (Ingyō Tennō, r. 413-453)

興 (Embassy in 462; heir to SEI)

Japanese: KŌ
Middle Chinese: /hɨŋ/
Titles conferred: “General and Pacifier of the East”, “King of the Land of Wa”
Potential Sovereigns: Anaho (Ankō Tennō, r. 453-456), Ichinobe no Oshiwa, Ōhatsuse Wakatake (Yūryaku Tennō, r. 456-479)

武 (Embassy in 478; younger brother to KŌ)

Japanese: BU
Middle Chinese: /mɨoX/
Titles conferred: “Regional Military Governor of Wa, Silla, Nimna, Kara, Jinhan, Mahan”, “Great General and Pacifier of the East”, “King of Wa”
Potential sovereigns: Ōhatsuse Wakatake (Yūryaku Tennō, r. 456-479), Shiraga Takehiro Kunioshi Waka Yamatoneko (Seinei Tennō, r. 479-484)

Kishimoto Dual Kingship Lineage

According to Kishimoto Naofumi, he suggests the following two lineages of co-rulers. There is a Sacred and Secular lineage, and in some cases he assigns to each one different kofun than are traditional, and death dates that may be different from traditional death dates.

Subsidiary Line

• ?? - Sakurai-chausuyama

• ?? - Mesuriyama

• Ōtarashi-hiko - Shibutani-mukaiyama (Keikō-ryō)

• ?? - Saki-misasagiyama (Hibasu Hime-ryō)

• ?? - Saki-Ishizukayama (Seimu-ryō)

• Homuda Wake (d. 394) - Tsudōshiroyama (Tsudō sankōchi)

• Izaho Wake (d. 427) - Kamiishizu-misanzai (Richū-ryō)

• Midzuha Wake (d. 437) - Konda-gobyōyama (Ōjin-ryō)

• Ichinobe Oshiha Wake - Ichinoyama (Ingyō-ryō)

• Wakatakeru (d. 479) - Oka-misanzai (Chūai-ryō)

Main Line

• Himiko - Hashihaka Kofun

• Toyo - Nishitonozuka Kofun

• Mimaki Iri Biko - Andon’yama (Sujin-ryō)

  
  

  
  

• Ikume Iri Biko - Hōraisan (Suinin-ryō)

  
  

• ??? - Gosashi (Jingū-ryō)

  
  

  
  

• Ōsazaki (d. 432) - Nakatsuyama (Nakatsu hime ryō)

• Oasazuma (d. 454) - Daisen (Nintoku-ryō)

• Kinashikaru - Haze-nisanzai (Higashi-mozu sankōchi)

• Shiraga - Maenoyama (Hakuchō-ryō)

References

• Ō, Yasumaro, & Heldt, G. (2014). The Kojiki: An account of ancient matters. ISBN978-0-231-16389-7

• Kishimoto, Naofumi (2013). Dual Kingship in the Kofun Period as Seen from the Keyhole Tombs. UrbanScope: e-Journal of the Urban-Culture Research Center, OCU. http://urbanscope.lit.osaka-cu.ac.jp/journal/pdf/vol004/01-kishimoto.pdf

• Osawa, et al. (2008). ワカタケルの剣　「図説日本の古墳・古代遺跡―決定版 (歴史群像シリーズ)」pp 134. ISBN:978-4-05-605064-6.

• Soumaré, Massimo (2007), Japan in Five Ancient Chinese Chronicles: Wo, the Land of Yamatai, and Queen Himiko. ISBN: 978-4-902075-22-9

• Bentley, John. (2006). The Authenticity of Sendai Kuji Hongi: a New Examination of Texts, with a Translation and Commentary. ISBN-90-04-152253

• Piggott, J. R. (1997). The emergence of Japanese kingship. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press.

• Chamberlain, B. H. (1981). The Kojiki: Records of ancient matters. Rutland, Vt: C.E. Tuttle Co.  ISBN4-8053-0794-3

• Shichirō, M., & Miller, R. A. (1979). The Inariyama Tumulus Sword Inscription. Journal of Japanese Studies, 5(2), 405–438. https://doi.org/10.2307/132104

• Aston, W. G. (1972). Nihongi, chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697. London: Allen & Unwin. ISBN0-80480984-4

• Philippi, D. L. (1968). Kojiki. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN4-13-087004-1