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Koi, the famous colorful carp, are still raised and highly prized, even today.
So this episode we are still talking about the 12th sovereign, Ō Tarashi Hiko Oshiro Wake, aka Keikō Tennō. Only, rather than talk about his supposed military campaigns, we go into some of his more, shall we say, “romantic” episodes. And his behavior in these stories is what prompted the episode title because, well, “no means no” seems to have been a distant concept.
Read moreBronze statue of Yamato Takeru at Kenrokuen in Kanazawa. Built in the Meiji period to memorialize the soldiers who went down to Kyushu to suppress the rebellion of Saigo Takamori and the samurai who were angered by Meiji reforms that would strip them of many of their historical prerogatives. Centuries later, the story of Yamato Takeru continues to resonate.
Conjectural route for Yamato Takeru based on the evidence in the Chronicles. Click to enlarge. Original map by Ash_Crow, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Modified by author.
This episode we finish up the journey of Yamato Takeru. Many of the people named in this story were previously discussed in Part I, so we won’t go back over them here. We will look at the back end of his journey, including a few of the places that he may have passed along the way. This starts somewhere up in “HItakami” and takes us back to the lands we a perhaps more familiar with.
Niihari - Niihari was one of the areas of Hitachi since before the Taika reforms of 645, according to that province’s Fudoki. It mentions the others as Ubaraki, Naka, Kuji, Taka, and Tsukuba. Only Niihari and Tsukuba are specifically mentioned by Yamato Takeru, however. The name Niihari (aka Nihihari or Nihibari) is found in the region around Mt. Tsukuba, today, but the description in the eight century Hitachi Fudoki seems to indicate the area just northwest of Mt. Tsukuba. It defines the western border as the Keno River—aka Kinugawa—and the eastern border as the mountains, at the southern end of which you’ll find Mt. Tsukuba. The northern border was the border of Kenu—aka Shimōtsuke no Kuni—and the southern border was an area known as Shirakabe.
The twin peaks of Mt. Tsukuba.
Mt. Tsukuba - This location is much more well known. Mt. Tsukuba is actually one of the famous mountains of Japan—it is considered one of the 100 famous peaks, and even has particular stories that connect it to Mt. Fuji. You see, where as Mt. Fuji is the tallest peak in Japan, at 3,776m, with a gray, rocky peak, Mt. Tsukuba is just under 890m tall, with two peaks—871m and 877m, to be exact. In fact, it is one of the easier peaks to climb, if that is something you would like to do—or you can cheat and take the funicular up to the top.
In the Hitachi Fudoki, there is a story of kami that was roaming through the land. As night fell, he came upon Mt. Fuji, and asked the kami of Mt. Fuji if he could take shelter there for the night. The kami of Mt. Fuji refused, however, because they were observing a period of abstinence for the new crops, and during that time they could not allow anyone to enter. The wander kami was upset at such a lack of hospitality, and so cursed Mt. Fuji to be out of reach, and for snow to fall on its peak in any season, and for the mountaintop to be barren.
This kami then came to Tsukuba in Hitachi. There, he also asked for shelter, and the kami of Mt. Tsukuba replied that even though they, too, were observing a period of abstinence, they would make an exception. And so the wandering kami blessed Mt. Tsukuba, and ever since the peak has been accessible and people have regularly gathered to sing and celebrate.
Perhaps unsurprisingly there is a shrine at the base of the mountain, and that shrine has a very unique set of guardian statues out in front: Toyoki Iribiko and Yamato Takeru. Toyoki Iribiko, you may recall, was the son of Mimaki Iribiko, aka Sujin Tennō, and he was one of two sons who were candidates for eventually inheriting the throne. However, due to his dream, which saw him at the top of Mt. Miwa swinging sword and spear to the east, he was sent out to Kenu, and there is a tradition that says he visited Mt. Tsukuba as well.
Ashigara Pass - This is the pass through the mountains between the ancient countries of Suruga and Sagami—now the border between Shizuoka and Kanagawa prefectures. There area of Ashigara lies just north of the beautiful hot spring resort town of Hakone, and to the east of the pass lies the formidable and iconic Mt. Fuji. As with many places in Japan, the contours of the land have created their own natural pathways that people have been using for centuries, and even today there are roads that wind through the pass from one side to the other. That said, if the area is remembered for anything other than the views of Mt. Fuji, it is probably not our protagonist, Yamato Takeru. Rather it is likely a more local figure, Sakata no Kintoki, a warrior from the Heian era, more popularly known as Kintarō. Of course, Kintarō is said to be his name when he was a young boy, and you may have seen him depicted in a large, one-piece outfit of a red fundoshi, or loincloth, and bib, usually with the character for “KIN” 「金」 on it in gold and carrying an axe. Of course, this is all a much later folk hero, but his connection to the region is much stronger.
View of Mt. Fuji from a mountain on the northern edge of modern Kōfu City
Sakaori - Today, the area of Sakaori is simply a part of the larger area of modern Kōfu city, the old capital of the ancient country of Kai. This area, north of Mt. Fuji, is extremely mountainous. While no doubt daunting in ancient times, especially before roads and maps were more common, the mountains also provided a kind of isolation and security. The sengoku warlord, Takeda Shingen, no doubt counted on the security those mountains provided when he refused to build a castle like other daimyō did at that tumultuous time. It is no doubt easy to “make men your castle, men your walls, men your moats” when you live in a remote and easily defensible location.
Of course, it wasn’t just the Takeda who found it hospitable. The plain on which Kōfu city sits has been inhabited since the Jōmon times. Though we don’t know a lot about who was there when Yamato Takeru supposedly stopped at the palace of Sakaori and traded poems with the fire-keeper there, it was no doubt doing well for itself.
Usui Tōge and the Japan Alps - Usui Pass was the ancient pass to the country or region of Shinano, an area in the middle of the mountainous region of central Honshū. The ranges here are known as the “Japan Alps”, although technically they are divided into three groups of mountain ranges. It wasn’t until relatively modern times that there was anything like a complete map of all of the various rivers and valleys throughout this region. Those who wandered off the well-worn trails could be lost in the mountains, and so it is no wonder that living off the land and being able to find one’s way through successfully was considered such a skill.
A jigokudani, or Hell Valley, at Tateyama, one of the taller peaks in the Japanese alps.
The mountains here are still volcanically active, and there are numerous hot springs as well as the jigoku dani. These are areas, often depressions in the landscape, where volcanic gasses spill out of crevices in the earth. While they may be the same forces that heat the natural hot springs across Japan, those poisonous vapors, which are often heavier than air, can gather in depressions, and may kill off much of the plant and animal life nearby. And while the steam rising up from the vents may be a visible indication, especially in the winter, as it cools, the gasses themselves are invisible to the naked eye, and one may not even know that they are in danger until it is too late. There may be a sulfurous, or “rotten egg”, smell, but there could also be pockets of high concentrations of carbon dioxide gas. While naturally occurring, too much carbon dioxide can cause a person to quickly asphyxiate in higher concentrations. Today we are well aware of the dangers, and most jigoku dani have signs, warning tourists of the dangers, but back in ancient times there were no signs to warn travelers of the dangers.
Owari - We touched on Owari on the trip out, and I want to note it again, because it is here that Yamato Takeru leaves the sword Kusanagi. This is significant, because this is also the home of Atsuta Jingū, the shrine that is said to house the sacred blade, even today.
The haiden, or prayer hall, of Atsuta Jingū in 2006. Many of the buildings are now roofed in bronze, rather than the more traditional thatch. This was considered more economical, especially during WWII. The shrine is in Nagoya, which was a target of the allies, and many of the shrines buildings were destroyed and rebuilt in 1955.
It is unclear just what the sword looks like, though there are conjectural drawings. This is explained by its sacred nature—it is kept at the shrine except when it is needed for the enthronement ceremony, at which time the box it is kept in is brought out—but that is a rare event. I’m not even sure if the emperor looks at the sword, or if it is enough that the boxes are there. In fact, during some periods in history, when the regalia were split between competing lines, there were enthronements that took place with only the empty boxes, which effectively stood in for the objects themselves.
It is likely a straight blade, sharpened on both edges. Of course, due to its nature, it is highly doubtful that anyone will be closely examining the sword any time soon to confirm its age or even if it is a copy of a sword from a particular era. For most it is enough that it exists.
Mt. Ibuki - Situated between the countries of Mino and Ōmi, now the border of modern Gifu and Shiga Prefectures, Mt. Ibuki overlooks the natural pass between these two areas. At the eastern foot of the mountain is the site of the famous battle of Sekigahara, which would be a decisive victory for Tokugawa Ieyasu as he brought the country under his rule, but for Yamato Takeru, this was anything but a success.
Given ts location between the two areas, one is left to wonder if there isn’t another meaning. Perhaps Yamato Takeru—or the warrior whose story this part of the legend is modeled on, was attempting to cross the pass into Ōmi, only to find himself defeated and turned back. Whatever the real story, this is clearly where Yamato Takeru’s fortunes take a turn for the worse.
Isame - Also “Wisame” in the old phonology. This is said to be the location of the clear spring where Yamato Takeru took a rest and his mind was cleared. Of course, the location identified today seems a bit out of the way from Ibuki proper, but so be it. Other locations mentioned in the Chronicles would seem to be in Mino, Owari, and down to Ise.
Nobono Plain - This is as far as our hero got and, spoiler alert, where he is said to have perished, and where his kofun is said to have been built. While it is unlikely that the person buried here is actually the person who did all the things that are claimed in the Chronicles, he was probably someone of import. And, his kofun was late enough that it actually had true haniwa, the cylindrical clay stands that would be placed over most kofun from the 4th century onward.
Most people, when they hear about haniwa, are thinking about the later statues of houses, people, boats and other such things that give us such a great insight into the life of people in the later kofun period. However, early on, these were still relatively simple, and even as the shapes began to flourish the cylindrical haniwa continued to be used, often as the stands for these figured clay statues.
Examples of the round clay cylinders, from which haniwa get their names, at the Tokyo National Museum.
The earliest decorations, as we’ve noted, appear to have been simple jar stands, with offering jars that sat on top. These cylindrical stands may have held a similar purpose, but their shape allowed them to be sunk into the ground, and the pots and vessels placed on top could be shaped to slot into their open mouths. Over time, those vessels took on different shapes, including umbrellas, houses, etc. Still, it seems it took some time before the figures we often think of were prevalent. Even then, there were regional differences and styles.
And, of course, there is the problem of survivorship bias, as many haniwa are not found intact, but rather are simply scattered sherds of broken pottery. Much like paleontologists working from scraps of bone, archaeologists may only have these broken pieces to try to compare to others and hopefully figure out what type of haniwa were present when a kofun was built. This, in turn, can give us valuable insights into when the kofun was built as well as what kinds of regional influences may have been present as well. All this helps build a better understanding of what was actually going on outside of the legendary stories of the royal line.
Ō, Yasumaro, & Heldt, G. (2014). The Kojiki: An account of ancient matters. ISBN978-0-231-16389-7
Bentley, John. (2006). The Authenticity of Sendai Kuji Hongi: a New Examination of Texts, with a Translation and Commentary. ISBN-90-04-152253
Naumann, Nelly (1992). ‘The “Kusanagi” Sword’. Nenrin-Jahresringe: Festgabe für Hans A. Dettmer. Ed. Klaus Müller. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1992. [158]–170. https://freidok.uni-freiburg.de/fedora/objects/freidok:4635/datastreams/FILE1/content
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
Prince Yamato Takeru with the royal sword, Kusanagi, on the burning plain, by the late Edo period artist, Utagawa Kuniyoshi. The fanciful depiction, with a mixture of Chinese and Japanese characteristics, is far from an accurate portrayal of the times, and yet fits perfectly with the legendary stories set in the early Chronicles.
Prince Yamato Takeru, sometimes called Yamatodake, is perhaps one of the most famous characters in the Chronicles, and almost certainly not a real figure. At the very least not a single figure—he may be a conglomeration of various individuals and the stories of their feats. And yet that hardly matters as his legend is enough.
Before we get into everything, though, a quick language lesson. Yamato Takeru’s name is given as O’usu, meaning “little mortar”. His twin brother is Ō’usu, meaning big mortar. Of course, to most English speakers—and even many Japanese—the difference between these two names, today, is minimal. Originally, they were likely something like Wo’usu and Opo’usu, which at least provides greater distinction, but in modern Japanese it is just the difference of a short “o” sound v. a long “o” sound—that is long as in how long you hold the vowel, not in its actual sound. A short “o” is just like it seems, but a long “o” is like saying “o” twice, but without any stops in between. This works in Japanese because it works on a morae system, where each sound takes rouhgly the same amount of “time” to say, whereas English breaks on syllables, instead. For more on how this looks, you can look into Japanese On, or Onji, used to count sounds for Japanese poetry.
Now this episode we cover roughly three parts of Yamato Takeru’s life: His early childhood and the admonition of his brother, his campaign in the west, against the Kumaso and his return trip, and then his trip out east to subdue the Emishi. Of these, I’ll provide a map of the eastern campaign—the campaign west does not have as many details, and those we have are more contradictory.
Ōtarashi Hiko - Also known as Keikō Tennō. He is the sovereign, and Yamato Takeru’s father. In the Kojiki, he is a passive figure, ruling from Yamato and sending Yamato Takeru out to fight and conquer the land. In the Nihon Shoki he is much more active, but not, it seems, in the stories about Yamato Takeru, himself. In many ways, there is little to concretely connect the lives of Yamato Takeru and Ōtarashi Hiko beyond the assertion that they are father and son. There is even information that would seem to indicate that Ōtarashi Hiko married Yamato Takeru’s great-granddaughter. I mean, sure, we know that they liked to keep it in the family, but that seems more than a little ridiculous. This is furthered by the fact that Yamato Takeru is often referred to with words that seem to otherwise be reserved for a sovereign, as are his wives. Finally, there is the fact that Chūai Tennō, aka Tarashi Nakatsu Hiko, the 14th sovereign, was Yamato Takeru’s son, and not descended from Waka Tarashi Hiko, aka Seimu Tennō, the 13th sovereign. But we’ll talk more about that, later.
A Meiji era depiction of a young Yamato Takeru, dressed as a woman and infiltrating the celebration of the Kumaso Braves. A Meiji era print by the artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892).
Prince O’usu, aka Yamato Takeru - The “Little Mortar” prince, also named Yamato no Oguna. Our main protagonist. He is shown to have a special relationship with Yamato Hime, of Ise Shrine, and he defeats his enemies often with trickery and deceit as much as his raw strength. He is shown as arrogant and prideful, even defeating various deities, not just the local human chieftains. His feats are often given with supernatural and epic detail, while at the same time eschewing many of the more mundane details that would help us to better place the action in context. This is part of what makes his tale seem so fanciful, even in the midst of this period of oral history.
The appellation “Takeru”, sometimes rendered simply as “Take”, is found in many places throughout the chronicles, even in the names of various sovereigns. The character used for this is 「武」, which is also pronounced “BU” and means “martial”, as in the words “bugei” or “budō” (martial arts). We see it in the forms of “Kumaso Takeru” and “Izumo Takeru”, indicating that it was much more of a title, indicating a strong warrior, and not simply a name.
Prince Ō’usu - Yamato Takeru’s twin brother. He was probably the second one out of the womb, thus gaining the term “Ō”, or “Big” in his name vice Yamato Takeru’s “O”, or “Little”. Second out meant he was “higher” in the womb, according to the ancient theories, and thus he would have been considered the senior prince.
He was disobedient, and when he was sent to go bring back the two most beautiful women of Mino for his father he tried to swap them out, and keep them for himself. Later, he refused to come to inner, which was a ceremonial slap in the face to his father. The Kojiki claims that he was killed by Yamato Takeru, ambushed in a privy, but in the Nihon Shoki he was sent t o govern Mino, likely as punishment for his cowardice when he would not take his troops to subdue the East.
Ihoki Iribiko - Another of Ōtarashi Hiko’s children. Very little is said about him other than the fact that he, along with Waka Tarashi HIko and Yamato Takeru, was one of the three sons considered as potential heirs to the throne.
Waka Tarashi HIko - Also known as Seimu Tennō, we’ll talk more about him in the future. Of the three potential heirs, he was the one who would go forward and ascend the throne. It seems odd, then, that we hear of his brother’s accomplishments, not his own.
Yamato Hime - You should remember Yamato Hime from the time of Ikume Iribiko, the previous sovereign. She is credited with the founding of Ise Shrine. Of course, there are some questions about that, and in particular I wonder if this is actually supposed to be the same person. Nihon Shoki dates, which we’ve already discussed are clearly unreliably, well they provide dates that would put Yamato Hime well past her hundredth year by the time she’s helping Yamato Takeru. Again, it is possible that her name is actually a title of some sort, and that there were various women known as “Yamato Hime” who were head of Ise Shrine. Or she could be an insert character to explain Ise Shrine’s founding.
Kumaso Takeru - The Brave(s) of Kumaso. Also known as Kawakami no Takeru. The Kojiki refers to an elder and younger, while the Nihon Shoki makes it seem as though it is just one. The basics of the story remain the same, however.
Ya Nushi Oshio-dake Ogoro - A minor character in our narrative. He is sent down to Ki to perform the rituals that the sovereign would otherwise have done—though it is unclear to me if he got much beyond the southern Nara Basin. More interesting is that his son, Takechi Sukune, seems to be a person of some importance in the court.
Takechi Sukune - The son of Ya Nushi Oshio-dake Ogoro. “Sukune” is a title of significant rank in the court, and this seems to be further emphasized by his relationship with Waka Tarashi Hiko when they both go on “guard” for the court during a weeklong banquet. He is also the one to first go out to the north and the east. It makes me wonder if some of the stories about Yamato Takeru’s campaign weren’t originally part of a story about Takechi Sukune. It is interesting, but not telling, that the characters used for his name, Takechi, are “武内“ (Brave + Inside). That first character is the same as “Takeru”, but then, it is the same character found in so many other names.
Misuki Tomo Mimi Take Hiko - (御友耳建日子) Only mentioned in the Kojiki, and just briefly, in regards to the wooden spear and told to accompany Yamato Takeru on his eastern expedition. He is mentioned as an ancestor of the Kibi no Omi, making me wonder if this might not be another name for Kibi no Take Hiko, another companion of Yamato Takeru, mentioned in the Nihon Shoki.
Ōtomo no Take Hi no Muraji - Another one of the companions of Yamato Takeru. There is little more about him.
Nanatsukahagi - Ancestor of the Kume no Atahe who is said to have traveled with Yamato Takeru everywhere he went, even up to the bitter end.
Susano’o - Broth of Amaterasu, who slayed the eight headed serpent, Yamata no Orochi, and found the sword Ame no Murakumo, later known as Kusanagi.
Miyazu Hime - Ancestor of the Kuni no Miyatsuko of Owari and the fiancée of Yamato Takeru. I can’t help but wonder if she was the daughter of or the actual chieftain of Owari, or at least some part of it, but either way it would seem to speak to more marriage politics. It is also telling that the sword, Kusanagi, would eventually be deposited and kept at Atsuta Shrine, where it (or a copy) is said to be kept event to this day. Atsuta Shrine is near the harbor of modern Nagoya city.
Oto-Tachibana Hime - Yamato Takeru’s “queen” who throws herself into the waters to calm them down at the mouth of Tokyo Bay. Her sudden appearance suggests that she may be a later addition to the stories, or at the very least out of place. This could also be one of those areas where different stories are being merged together. There is another individual, Ō-Tachibana Hime (or, originally, “Opo-Tatibana-pime”), mentioned in the Hitachi Fudoki as Yamato Takeru’s wife. It is said that she came out to see him while he was on campaign. Of course, that was after the incident at Tokyo Bay, so the timeline is still a bit confused.
Emishi - （蝦夷）Often “Yemishi” prior to the modern Japanese pronunciation. These are the “barbarians” in the northeast. It is unclear if, at this time, they were a single ethnic group. It is clear in later centuries that they were pretty much anyone outside of the Yamato court’s control. Of course, in the early 4th century, pretty much everyone was “outside” the Yamato court’s control. It is quite likely that the term “Emishi” is an anachronism, contemporary to the 8th century, but not the 4th.
We could go through the Western Campaign against the Kumaso, but there aren’t many details, as I mentioned. There is at least one that we should probably go over though:
Ana Umi - This is the “Sea” that would have made Kojima a real island, back in the day. If you take a look at the area between Kurashiki and Minami Ward (Minami-Ku) you can see how much of that area would have been under water with just slightly higher sea levels (or if the land still wasn’t quite as silted up as it became). As noted in the podcast this is much like the way “Kawachi Bay” silted up over in the area of modern Ōsaka.
Conjectural route for Yamato Takeru based on the evidence in the Chronicles. Click to enlarge. Original map by Ash_Crow, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Modified by author.
The rest of these will be part of the Eastern Campaign. I put together a general map of Yamato Takeru’s potential route. This episode we will follow the blue route. The assumption here is, of course, largely land based until Tokyo Bay, but it could just as easily have been that the initial troop movements would have been using ships, hugging the coastline. Assuming Miyazu Hime’s home was somewhere near Atsuta Shrine, that would have been on or near the shore, as is Yaizu.
Yamato/Miwa - We should have a good idea of where this is at this point.
Ise Grand Shrine - The sight of the Ise Shrine, where Yamato Takeru gets the sword from Yamato Hime
Owari (Palace of Miyazu Hime) - Yamato Takeru stops at Owari—likely modern Nagoya city. Here is where Yamato Takeru pledges he will marry Miyazu Hime.
Azuma -（東国）Literally the “Eastern Country”, this is the name for the area that we generally think of as the Kantō—primarily the regions around modern Tōkyō, though there wasn’t a firm border and it was more of a general description than a specific country.
Yaizu - （焼津） Known in the Chronciles as Yaketsu. This is thought to be the same place. This is where Yamato Takeru destroyed those who had tried to set the field on fire around him. This is also where the sword, Kusanagi, gets its name.
Hashirimizu - （走水）On the peninsula here you can still visit Hashirimizu Beach. “Hashirimizu” literally means “running water” refers to the fast running water that made the crossing so dangerous.
Awa Harbor - This seems to be the general name for the Tōkyō Bay.
Awa - （安房国）This is the tip of the Bōsō (房総) Peninsula. The peninsula is actually so-named because it combines the name of Awa (安房) and Fusa (総).
Fusa - （総国）This is the country that would later become the provinces of Shimōsa（下総）and Kazusa（上総）—literally “lower” and “upper” Fusa.
Tama no Ura -（玉之浦）Along with Ashi no Ura, it defines a large area of shoreline on the Pacific coast between Shimōsa, up to Kazusa.
Take no Minato -（竹水門）The harbor (“water gate”) where Yamato Takeru encountered the Emishi. Thought to be up somewhere in Tōhoku.
Hitakami -（日高見国）Probably somewhere in Tōhoku, but it is unclear exactly where. It is named as a country, but it doesn’t seem to have been directly preserved in any of the later province names. Later, a place in Hokkaidō would be named “Hidaka” (日高) in memory of this country, but there is no historical connection and the exact location is still a mystery.
We’ll hit the rest of the eastern campaign next episode, but for now, this is it. Thank you for reading and I hope that this has been informative.
Ō, Yasumaro, & Heldt, G. (2014). The Kojiki: An account of ancient matters. ISBN978-0-231-16389-7
Bentley, John. (2006). The Authenticity of Sendai Kuji Hongi: a New Examination of Texts, with a Translation and Commentary. ISBN-90-04-152253
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