This episode we take stock of where things are by the end of Wakatake’s reign, summarizing how we got where we are, and look at the transition of power to his son, Prince Shiraga.

First, here’s a reference list of the sovereigns so far, including some of the possible sovereigns that don’t get posthumous regnal names by the Chroniclers. I’ve tried to give approximate dates based on what my own assumptions have been, but these are likely inaccurate:

Of course, Kishimoto, as of 2013, had his own theory of the lineage, based on kingly kofun that he identifies through shape as part of either the “Main” or “Subisidiary” line of co-rulers. As you can see, none of this yields a perfect correlation. It should be noted that the kofun Kishimoto assigns each ruler is not necessarily that which is assigned to them by the Imperial Household Agency. As such, he has Oasazuma, not Ōsazaki, in Daisen kofun. Without further archaeological evidence to tie specific rulers to various tombs, much of our knowledge remains speculative.

Who’s Who

Ōhatsuse Wakatake

Of course, Wakatake is the sovereign we’ve been discussing the most. Aka Yūryaku Tennō. While there are some that suggest earlier sovereigns are historical, Wakatake is the earliest to have wide agreement as to his existence and a high likelihood that at least some of the events in his reign are considered accurate.

Iware Biko

Aka Jimmu Tennō. Many believe him to be a fabrication to help justify Temmu’s own rebellion. In the story he displaces the descendants of another “Child of Heaven”, Nigi Hayahi no Mikoto. Those were the ancestors of the Mononobe and Owari families, possibly hearkening back to stories of ancient conflicts. Iware Biko started out in the land of Himuka—later known as Hyūga—in Kyūshū, and the conquest details his trek up the Seto Inland Sea.

The nine sovereigns who follow Iware Biko seem fairly clearly fabrications, meant to fill in the lineage. They may have been references to actual names or titles known in ancient stories, but for the most part they are given no import other than as a list of “begats” down to Mimaki Iribiko.

Mimaki and Ikume Iribiko

Aka Sujin and Suinin Tennō. Mimaki is actually given the title of “Founder of the Country”, which seems odd if he were actually the 10th sovereign to reign. Many of the events of Mimaki’s reign correspond with what we know of the latter 3rd century, from the location of his palace at the foot of Mt. Miwa, where we know there was a large early kofun settlement and palace, to the construction of Hashihaka Kofun, widely thought to be the resting place of Queen Himiko. While nothing can be directly confirmed, this period likely reflects the early creation of the state of Yamato as a major power in the archipelago, and may correspond with the time of Queens Himiko and Toyo, mentioned in the Wei Chronicles.

Much of the initial contact with the peninsula seems to be placed around this period, as well. This could simply be the spot where it was most convenient to place all of these stories, of course.

Ō Tarashi Hiko and Yamato Takeru

Aka Keikō Tennō and Wo’usu no Mikoto. This reign is remembered more for the stories of Yamato Takeru (Wo’usu no Mikoto) than anything else, but there is a lot here about apparent conflicts and conquests across the archipelago.

Waka Tarashi HIko

Aka Seimu Tennō. He seems to mark a break in the lineage, since after his death, the line passes to Tarashi Naka tsu Hiko, son of Yamato Takeru.

Tarashi Naka tsu Hiko

Aka Chūai Tennō. Descendant of Yamato Takeru, he continues the tradition of fighting the Kumaso, during which time he is killed. His Queen, Okinaga Tarashi Hime, takes over and begins her invasion of the Korean Peninsula.

Okinaga Tarashi Hime

Aka Jingū Kōgō, though later authors would give her the status of full sovereign, naming her Jingū Tennō. There are some who claim that she is an entirely fictional character, and she is certainly controversial. Given the timing of her reign, she is clearly meant to be the stand-in for Queen Himiko, and some of the references from the Wei Chronicles are directly mentioned, indicating that the compilers of the Nihon Shoki certainly knew about it as a source.

There is a lot of controversy over her supposed conquest of the Korean peninsula, especially as this was later used to justify Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula during subsequent raids. Even today this often clouds issues surrounding her.

She seems to have been assisted greatly in her reign by Takeuchi (aka Takechi) no Sukune, the Ōmi, or Prime Minister. Takeuchi’s presence suggests that aspects of stories from the reign of Ō Tarashi Hiko to Ō Sazaki all took place in the span of roughly 80 years, during his lifetime.

Homuda Wake

Aka Ōjin Tennō. Many of the details around him are legendary. For example, it is said that he was born three years after he was conceived, his mother holding him in the womb until the invasion of the Korean peninsula was complete. He appears to have solidified relations with Baekje, beginning a tradition of Baekje princes coming to stay at the Yamato court. Writing and horses both come in during this reign, which would have allowed the influence of the central state to grow. He may also have been in charge of Wa forces on the peninsular during the time outlined in the Stele of Gwangaetto the Great.

He would later be enshrined as the god Hachiman, in Usa, where his spirit’s pronouncements would be used to political effect in the capital. Later, Hachiman would be taken as the patron kami of the MInamoto house, and the Hachiman Shrine is still central to the ancient samurai capital of Kamakura, even today.

Ōsazaki

Aka Nintoku Tennō. He came to power after three years of deferring to his younger brother. This may actually be an example of co-rulership, as he was appointed to administer the realm during the reign of their father, Homuda Wake. Eventually, however, he took sole rulership, according to the Nihon Shoki, anyway.

Izaho Wake and Mizuha Wake

These brothers, known as Richū and Hanzei Tennō, respectively, seem to have had relatively minor impact, based on the reading in the Chronicles, though it is possible that some of the accomplishments of their reigns were included elsewhere, especially if, as Kishimoto posits, they were part of the subsidiary line of co-rulers. According to the Nihon Shoki, during their short reigns they had no children of age to pass on the throne to, and so they passed it on to their siblings. This was likely not that rare of an occasion, as there was no clear tradition yet of succession, and theoretically the throne could be passed on to any qualified individual in the royal house, which also made transitions so tricky.

Oasatsuma Wakugo no Sukune

Aka Ingyō Tennō. Said to be brother to Izaho and MIzuha Wake, but there remains some doubt, partially in the naming—especially in the use of “Sukune”—but also in the “Kings of Wa” mentioned in the Liu Song dynasty, where there are only two brothers actually mentioned. He is said to have been disabled from a young age due to disease, but appears to have been healed by continental medicine.

Anaho

Aka Ankō Tennō. HIs brief reign came to an end when he was assassinated by his own stepson upon the latter learning of how his father had been slain on Anaho’s orders. This would kick off the turmoil that would eventually see Wakatake take the throne.

Ichinohe

Also transcribed as Ichinobe, This was the son of Izaho Wake, who had been too young, we are told, to take the throne upon his father’s death. Anaho reportedly wanted him to take the throne after his own reign ended, but this never happened. Or at least the Chroniclers don’t record it as happening. That could be a salve to avoid having Wakatake kill an enthroned sovereign to take power, claiming that he was never actually a sovereign to begin with, or it may be that they never got to the enthronement ceremony.

Ichinohe had two sons who fled into hiding when their father was killed, escaping to Harima.

Shiraga

The son of Wakatake and Kara Hime, he would eventually take the throne as Seinei Tennō. His mother, Kara Hime, is descended from the Katsuraki lineage, which has been a powerful lineage over the centuries. That she was never a Queen brings into question Shiraga’s legitimacy, to some extent, but the Queen Kusaka Hime, never produced an heir, and so Kara Hime’s children filled that void.

Katsuraki Lineage

The Katsuraki family appears to be a powerful lineage in ancient Japan. Okinaga Tarashi Hime may have come from them, as did Katsuraki no So tsu Hiko, a powerful noble and possibly even a king in his own right, who had significant dealings with the peninsula. His daughter, Iwa Hime, would become a Queen of Yamato, ensuring that future sovereigns were descended, in part from the Katsuraki house. Tsubura no Ōmi was apparently of the Katsuraki family, and held the granaries of Katsuraki, as well as his daughter, Kara Hime. Wakatake took both when he killed Tsubura no Ōmi for housing fugitive princes during Wakatake’s rise to power.

Some have suggested that “Kara Hime” may refer to her connections to the peninsula, as often many things from the continent were labelled in that manner.

Takuhata Hime

Although only briefly mentioned, Takuhata Hime was the Ise Priestess. She was also the daughter of Kara Hime and Wakatake, and thus sister to Prince Shiraga. Her status as Ise Priestess, along with Shiraga becoming Crown Prince, suggests that perhaps her mother was more than just a consort.

King Gaero of Baekje

King Gaero reigned from 455 to 475, so he was king of Baekje for most of the reign of Wakatake. He would have been the one to send Iketsu Hime, and eventually Prince Konji, of Baekje. He would die in the fall of the Baekje capital at Hanseong at the hands of Goguryeo.

Iketsu Hime

A woman of the Baekje court sent to be an uneme in Yamato. She had an illicit affair on her way to the court, and was eventually sentenced to death. This caused some diplomatic issues with Baekje, who refused to send other uneme, but they did still send Lord Kun, aka Prince Konji.

King Munju of Baekje

The Nihon Shoki claims he was the brother to King Gaero, while Korean records make him out to be Gaero’s son. However, the same Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa accounts claim that all of the sons of King Gaero were captured and taken to Goguryeo, and they also say that Munju rose to the position of Senior Counselor, a position that he was unlikely to be appointed to if he was a son of the sitting King, but would have made more sense if he was the King’s brother.

After the fall of Wiryeseong at Hanseong (Seoul) and the death of King Gaero, Munju would com to power. He set up the capital further south, at Gyongju in a place called Gomanaru, which then became Ungjin. The Japanese name for Gomanaru appears to be “Kumanari”, and the Nihon Shoki claims that this was Wa territory that Yamato granted to Baekje so that they could rebuild. This claim cannot be proven, however, and is not noted in the Korean sources.

Konji

Aka “Lord Gun” in the Nihon Shoki, he is said to be the younger brother of King Gaero who was sent to Yamato in 461. The Samguk Sagi doesn’t mention this, but instead claims that he was King Munju’s younger brother. Of course, if Munju was Gaero’s brother, it is possible that both those things are true, whereas if Konji was the Munju’s brother and therefore also Gaero’s son, then it would be odd that he wasn’t also taken by Goguryeo when they took “all of Gaero’s sons”.

Konji’s own son was Modae.

King Samgeun of Baekje

King Munju’s son. He came to the throne when he was only 13 years old.

Hae Ku

No, not a short poem. He was King Munju’s Minister of War, who rebelled and killed King Munju and then claimed the role of regent for the young Samgeun. He eventually tried to take over entirely, but was eventually stopped by the Baekje court.

King Modae

Also written as king “Mute” in the Nihon Shoki (and several other ways, all similar, in different Chinese sources), he was the son of Konji and came to power after the death of King Samgeun, who died without any heirs. The Nihon Shoki claims that he rose to power through the assistance of 500 men sent with him from the archipelago.

Ōtomo no Ōmuraji no Muroya

Muroya was the Ōmuraji of the Ōtomo no Muraji, which is to say he was the family head. He was also effectively the Prime Minister. Previous prime ministers were noted as Ōmi, which is to say the “Ō-omi”, where “Omi” meant “Minister”. But here we see a difference, as “Omi” became a kabane rank attached to a family rather than simply an individual. Since the Ōtomo had the Muraji rank, their head was “Ōmuraji”. One might wonder why the clan was not elevated to Omi status, and I suspect that the answer comes down to court politics. We see something similar with the Mononobe.

Muroya has had a long career up this point, generally assisting the sovereigns ever since Oasatsuma, where he helped set up his tryst with Sotohori Hime, against his Queen’s wishes. He would carry out several tasks for Wakatake before taking on administration of the court.

Heguri no Ōmi no Matori

We don’t actually know too much about him, but the Heguri themselves claim descent from Takeuchi no Sukune through his son, Heguri no Dzuku. They would appear to have been a powerful family, given that they were of the Omi kabane, but that may be misleading.

Mononobe no Ōmuraji no Me

According to the Nihon Shoki, he is made Ōmuraji during this reign, but in the Sendai Kuji Hongi, he doesn’t become Ōmuraji until the reign of Prince Shiraga. Either way, he is not one of those entrusted with the realm at this time.

Ki no Woyumi

Yamato general who was given an uneme to look after him as payment for taking the field. He negotiated this through Muroya, demonstrating the latter’s influence at court. He would eventually die on the Silla campaign.

Yamato-Aya no Atahe no Tsuka

Tsuka is often mentioned in the same breath with Muroya, and yet their kabane indicate they were of vastly different ranks. Accordingly we often see Muroya commanding Tsuka to take this or that action. His family name, Yamato-Aya or Yamato no Aya references that they were part of the Aya weaving families brought over from the continent. In this case it seems to be quite specifically the Aya who were settled in Yamato..

Kibi no Omi no Oshiro

Oshiro is mentioned elsewhere as a loyal general, taking the fight to Silla and all that, but he’s also a member of the Kibi no Omi. This would seem to imply that he was part of the family in charge of Kibi, although this brings into question much of how he is portrayed. Is he loyal to Yamato, or merely friendly? What is the relationship between Kibi and Yamato? There are many questions.

Prince Hoshikawa and Kibi no Waka Hime

One of the sons of Kibi no Waka Hime and Wakatake. Kibi no Waka Hime was previously the wife of Tasa no Omi, of Upper Kibi, with whom she had two sons: Yegimi and Otogimi (literally just the “elder lord” and the “younger lord”, we probably shouldn’t take these as actual names). Tasa no Omi was either killed or sent off in exile to be governor of Nimna. In the latter instance it was said that he convinced his son, Otogimi, to help him rebel, along with Silla and NImna, but Otogimi’s own wife got word and put a stop to it, and they both perished.

And so now Kibi no Waka Hime had her son by Tasa no Omi, Yegimi, and her two sons by Wakatake, Princes Iwaki (sometimes read Iwashiro) and Hoshikawa. Of course, one of the outcomes of marriage politics was attempts by various families to ensure that they were connected to the next sovereign, whatever that took, even if a Crown Prince had already been named.

And that should do it for most of players in this most recent episode. I hope that you enjoy, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

References

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

• Kim, P., & Shultz, E. J. (2013). The 'Silla annals' of the 'Samguk Sagi'. Gyeonggi-do: Academy of Korean Studies Press.

• Kim, P., Shultz, E. J., Kang, H. H. W., & Han'guk Chŏngsin Munhwa Yŏn'guwŏn. (2012). The Koguryo annals of the Samguk sagi. Seongnam-si, Korea: Academy of Korean Studies Press.

• 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.

• Best, J. (2006). A History of the Early Korean Kingdom of Paekche, together with an annotated translation of The Paekche Annals of the Samguk sagi. Cambridge (Massachusetts); London: Harvard University Asia Center. doi:10.2307/j.ctt1tg5q8p

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

• 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