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Kojiki (Chamberlain, 1882)/Section 62

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Kojiki (1882)
by Ō no Yasumaro, translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain
Ō no Yasumaro4691951Kojiki1882Basil Hall Chamberlain

[Sect. LXII.—Emperor Kai-kuwa.]

His Augustness Waka-yamato-ne-ko-hiko-oho-bibi dwelt in the palace of Izakaha at Kasuga,[1] and ruled the Empire. This Heavenly Sovereign wedded the Princess of Takanu,[2] daughter of Yugori[3] the Great Departmental Lord of Taniha,[4] and begot an august child: His Augustness Hiko-yumusumi,[5] (one Deity). Again he wedded his step-mother, Her Augustness I-gaka-shiko-me,[6] and begot august children,—His Augustness Mima-ki-iri-biko-iniwe,[7] next Her Augustness Mima-tsu-hime[8] (two Deities). Again he wedded Her Augustness Oke-tsu-hime,[9] younger sister of His Augustness Hiko-kuni-oketsu,[10] ancestor of the Grandees of Wani,[11] and begot an august child: King Hiko-imasu[12] (one Deity). Again, wedding Princess Washi,[13] daughter of the Noble Kadzuraki-no-tarumi,[14] he begot an august child,—King Take-tayo-hadzura-wake[15] (one Deity). The august children of this Heavenly Sovereign [numbered] in all five Deities (four Kings and one Queen). So His Augustness Mi-maki-iri-biko-iniwe [was he who afterwards] ruled the Empire. The children of his elder brother, King Hiko-yumusumi were: King Oho-tsutsuki-tari-ne,[16] next King Sanugi-tari-ne[17] (two Kings). There were five Deities daughters of these two Kings. Next King Hiko-imasu wedded the Princess of Yena in Yamashiro,[18] another name for whom was Kari-bata-tobe,[19] and begot children: King Oho-mata,[20] next King Wo-mata,[21] next King Noble [of?] Shibumi[22] (three Deities). Again, wedding Saho-no-oho-kurami-tome,[23] daughter of Take-kuni-katsu-tome, of Kasuga,[24] he begot children,—King Saho-biko;[25] next King Wo-zaho;[26] next Her Augustness Saho-bime,[27] another name for whom is Sahaji-hime[28] (Her Augustness Saho-bime here mentioned was consort of the Heavenly Sovereign Ikume);[29] and King Muro-biko[30] (four Deities). Again, wedding Okinaga-no-midzu-yori-hime,[31] daughter of the Heavenly Deity Mikage,[32] who is held in reverence by the deacons of Mikami in Chika-tsu-Afumi,[33] he begot children: King Tatasu-michi-no-ushi, Prince of Taniha;[34] next King Midzuho-no-ma-wa-ka;[35] next King Kamu-oho-ne,[36] another name for whom is King Yatsuri-iri-biko;[37] next Midzuho-no-i-ho-yori-hime;[38] next Mimi-tsu-hime[39] (five Deities). Again, wedding his mother’s younger sister Her Augustness Woke-tsu-hime,[40] he begot children: King Ma-waka of Oho-tsutsuki in Yamashiro;[41] next King Hiko-osu;[42] next King Iri-ne[43] (three Deities). Altogether the children of King Hiko-imasu [numbered] in all eleven Kings. So the children of the elder brother King Oho-mata were: King Ake-tatsu;[44] next King Unakami[45] (two Deities). This King Ake-tatsu (was the ancestor of the Dukes of the Homuji Tribe in Ise[46] and of the Rulers of Sana in Ise[47]). King Una-kami (was the ancestor of the Dukes of Himeda[48]). The next King Wo-mata (was the ancestor of the Dukes of Magari in Tagima[49]). The next King Noble Shibumi (was the ancestor of the Dukes of Sasa).[50] The next King Saho-biko (was the ancestor of the Chiefs of the Kusaka Tribe[51] and of the Rulers of the Land of Kahi).[52] The next, King Wo-zaho (was the ancestor of the Lords of Kadzunu[53] and the Lords of Kanu in Chika-tsu-Afumi).[54] The next King Muro-biko (was the ancestor of the Lords of Mimi in Wakasa).[55] King Michi-no-ushi wedded the Lady Masu of Kahakami in Taniha,[56] and begot children: Her Augustness Princess Hibasu;[57] next Her Augustness Princess Matonu;[58] next Her Augustness Oto-hime;[59] next King Mi-kado-wake[60] (four Deities). This King Mikado-wake (was the ancestor of the Lords of Ho in Mikaha).[61] Prince Midzuho-no-ma-waka, younger brother of this King Michi-no-ushi, (was the ancestor of the Suzerains of Yasu in Chika-tsu-Afumi).[62] The next, King Kamu-oho-be (was the ancestor of the [Rulers of] the Land of Minu,[63] of the Rulers of the land of Motosu,[64] and of the Chiefs of the Nagahata Tribe).[65] The next, King Ma-waka of Oho-tsutsuki in Yama-shiro wedded Princess Ajisaha of Mone,[66] daughter of his younger brother Iri-ne, and begot a child: King Kani-me-ikadzuchi.[67] This King wedded Princess Takaki,[68] daughter of the Grandee Tohotsu of Taniha,[69] and begot a child: King Noble Okinaga.[70] This King wedded the Princess of Takanuka in Kadzuraki,[71] and begot children: Her Augustness Princess Okinaga-tarashi;[72] next Her Augustness Sora-tsu-hime;[73] next King Prince Okinaga.[74] (Three Deities. This King was the ancestor of the Dukes of Homuji in Kibi,[75] and of the Dukes of Aso in Harima.)[76] Again King Noble Okinaga wedded Princess Inayori of Kahamata,[77] and begot a child: King Oho-tamu-saka.[78] (This was the ancestor of the Rulers of the land of Tajima.)[79] The above-mentioned Take-toyo-hadzura-wake (was the ancestor of the Grandees of Chimori,[80] of the Rulers of the Oshinumi Tribe,[81] of the Rulers of the Mina Tribe,[82] of the Oshinumi Tribe in Inaba,[83] of the Lords of Takanu in Taniha,[84] and of the Abiko of Yosami).[85] The Heavenly Sovereign’s august years were sixty-three. His august mausoleum is at the top of the hill of Izakaha.[86]


  1. For Kasuga see Sect. LVIII, Note 7. Izakaha is a place in Yamato. The signification of the name is uncertain.
  2. Takanu-hime. Takanu is the name of a district in Tango, and signifies “bamboo moor.”
  3. The signification of this name is quite obscure.
  4. Taniha no oho-agata-nushi. Taniha (modern Tamba) is the name of a province (formerly including the province of Tango) in Central Japan. It is supposed to mean “the place of rice-fields,” the rice offered at the shrine of the Sun-Goddess in Ise being brought thence.
  5. Hiko signifies “prince.” The other syllables of the name are obscure.
  6. See Sect. LXI, Note 8.
  7. Biko (hiko) signifies “prince.” The other elements of this compound are obscure.
  8. One is tempted to render this name by Princess of Mima. But there is no authority for regarding Mima either in this or in the preceding personal name as originally the name of a place.
  9. Motowori has no explanation to offer of the syllables Oke-tsu. Hime means “princess.”
  10. Hiko means “prince” and kuni means “country.”
  11. Wani no omi. Wani is a place in Yamato, and there is a pass or hill of that name (Wani-zaka). The only signification belonging to the word wani is “crocodile.”
  12. Hiko-imasu no miko. Signification obscure.
  13. Or “the Princess of Washi” or “the Eagle Princess.” In Japanese Washi-hime.
  14. Kadzuraki is the name of a district in Yamato, and Motowori believes Tarumi to be the name of a place in Settsu.
  15. Take-toyo-hadzura-wake no miko. The first two elements of the compound signify respectively “brave” and “luxuriant,” while the last probably means “lord.” The signification of hadzura is obscure.
  16. Oho-tsutsuki-tari-ne no miko. Tsutsuki being the name of a district in Yamashiro, the whole compound signifies “prince great sufficing lord of Tsutsuki” or “prince sufficing lord of great Tsutsuki.”
  17. Sanugi-tari-ne no miko, i.e., “prince suffering lord of Sanugi,” (Sanuki,—see Sect. V, Note 6).
  18. Yamashiro no Yena tsu Hime. Yamashiro is the name of a province, and Yena that of a place in Settsu. The signification of the latter name is obscure.
  19. Motowori believes Karibata to be the name of a place, and tobe (to-me) to signify “old woman,” as in the name I-shi-ko-ri-do-me, which latter is however extremely obscure (see Sect. XVI, Note 12).
  20. Oho-mata no miko. The signification of this name and of the parallel name of the younger brother is obscure.
  21. Wo-mata no miko.
  22. Shibumi no Sukune no miko. Shibumi is probably the name of a place, there being a Shibumi in Ise.
  23. Saho is the name of a well-known place in Yamato, and Kurami is supposed by Motowori to be the name of a place in Wakasa. Both names are obscure. Oho means “great,” and tome, according to Motowori, means “old woman” or simply “female.” Conf. Note 19.
  24. Kasuga no Take-kuni-katsu-tome. Motowori supposes this to be the name, not of the father, but the mother of the princess just mentioned. Take signifies “brave,” and kuni “land.” The meaning of katsu is obscure.
  25. Saho-biko no miko, i.e., “prince of Saho.”
  26. Wo-zaho no miko, i.e., “little (q.d. ‘younger’) prince of Saho.”
  27. I.e., the princess of Saho.
  28. It is uncertain whether we should understand this name to signify “princess Sahaji” or “the princess of Sahaji,” but the latter seems the more probable.
  29. I.e., the Emperor Sui-nin.
  30. Muro-biko no miko. Muro-biko signifies “Prince of Muro,” Muro being a place in Yamato. It signifies “dwelling” and specifically “cave.”
  31. I.e., “flourishing and good princess of Okinaga,” the latter being the name of a place in Afumi (Ōmi). Its signification is not clear.
  32. Ame no Mikaga no kami. The signification of Mikaga is obscure, as is also the connection between this deity and the deacons of Mikami.
  33. The signification of the name Mikami is obscure. The word rendered “deacon” is hafuri, the name of an inferior class of Shintō priests. See for a discussion of the etymology of the word, etc., Mr. Satow’s remarks on p. 112 of Vol. VII, Pt. II, of these Transactions. For Chika-tsu-Afumi see Sect. XXIX, Note 20.
  34. Taniha no hiko Tatasu-michi-no-ushi no miko. The signification of Tatasu is obscure, but we may accept it as the personal name of the worthy here mentioned. Michi-no-ushi means “master of the road,” i.e. “lord of the province.”
  35. Midzuho no ma-waka no miko, i.e. “the True Young King of Midzuho,” Midzuho being the name of a place in Afumi. It probably means “fresh young rice-ears.”
  36. Kamu-oho-ne no miko, i.e., probably, “prince divine great lord.”
  37. Yatsuri-iri-biko no miko. Yatsuri is the name of a village in Yamato, and is of uncertain origin. The signification of iri is obscure.
  38. I-ho signifies “five hundred” and yori probably signifies “good.” The compound may therefore be taken to mean “manifoldly excellent princess of Midzuho.”
  39. I.e., probably “the Princess Miwi” (Miwi-dera in Afumi). Mi-wi signifies “three wells.”
  40. This name is parallel to that which has been commented on in Note 9 to this Section.
  41. Yamashiro-no-oho-Tsutsuki no ma-waka no miko. All the elements of this compound have already appeared in this Section.
  42. Hiko-osu no miko. The signification of osu is obscure.
  43. Iri-ne no miko. Signification obscure.
  44. Ake-tatsu no miko. See Sect. LXXII, Note 20.
  45. Unakami no miko. See Sect. LXXII, Note 19.
  46. Ise no Homuji-be no kimi. See the mention of the establishment of this Clan at the end of Sect. LXXII.
  47. Ise no Sana no miyatsuko. The etymology of Sana is obscure.
  48. Himeda no kimi. Himeda is a place is Afumi. The signification of the name is obscure.
  49. Tagima no Magari no kimi. Tagima is the name of a district in Yamato, and is of uncertain origin. Magari is the name of a place, and means “crook” or “bend.”
  50. Sasa no kimi. Sasa is the name of a place in Iga, and is of uncertain signification.
  51. Kusaka-be no murazhi.
  52. Kahi no kuni no miyatsuko. For Kahi see Sect. LXXXVI, Note 1.
  53. Kadzunu no wake. Kadzunu is the name of a district in Yamashiro, and signifies “pueraria moor.”
  54. Chika-tsu-Afumi no Kanu no wake. Kanu is a village in Afumi. The name is written with characters signifying “mosquito moor.”
  55. Wakasa no Mimi no wake. Mimi is the name of village, and is of uncertain signification.
  56. Taniha no Kahakami no Masu no iratsume. Masu is of uncertain derivation. Kahakami is the name of a village, now comprised in the province of Tango. It signifies “river-head.”
  57. Hibasu-hime. The signification of this name is obscure.
  58. Matonu-hime. The signification of this name is obscure.
  59. I.e., “the younger princess.”
  60. This name, which is written 朝廷別王, is curious, and Motowori has no suggestion to make touching its interpretation.
  61. Mikaha no Ho no wake. Ho is the name of a district, and is of obscure derivation. Mikaha is the name of a maritime province. It signifies “three rivers,” with reference to two large rivers which flow through it and to another which forms the boundary between it and the province of Wohari.
  62. Chika-tsu-Afumi no Yasu no atahe. Yasu is the name of a district, and is of uncertain origin.
  63. Minu no kuni no [miyatsuko]. The word miyatsuko, which is not in the text, is supplied in Motowori’s kana reading.
  64. Motosu no kuni no miyatsuko. Motosu is the name of a district in Mino, and seems to signify “original dwelling-place.”
  65. Nagahata-be no murazhi. Nagahata is the name of a place in Hitachi, and seems to signify “long loom.”
  66. Mone no Ajisaha-bime. This name is particularly obscure, and Mone probably corrupt.
  67. Kani-me-ikadzuchi no miko. Motowori thinks that this name signifies “fierce like a crab’s eye,” with reference perhaps to some personal peculiarity of the prince who bore it.
  68. Takaki-hime. This name is obscure and perhaps corrupt.
  69. Taniha no Tohotsu omi. This name is obscure.
  70. Okinaga no sukune no miko. For Okinaga see Note 31 to this Section.
  71. Kadzuraki no Takanuka-hime. Takanuka is the name of a place in Yamato. It is written with characters signifying “high brow.”
  72. Okinaga-tarashi-hime. Okinaga is the name of a place (see Note 31). Tarashi is an Honorific designation, signifying literally “sufficient,” i.e. “perfect,” and is supposed by Motowori to have been bestowed after death on this princess, who was the celebrated conqueror of Korea, and is better known to fume by her “canonical name” of Jingō Kōgō.
  73. I.e., “the princess of the sky.”
  74. Okinaga-hiko no miko.
  75. Kibi no Homuji no kimi. Homuji is the name of a district in the modern province of Bingo, and may perhaps be of Chinese origin.
  76. Harima no Aso no kimi. Aso is the name of a place, and is of uncertain origin.
  77. Kahamata no Ina-yori-bime. Kahamata (“river-fork”) is the name of a place in Kahachi. Ina signifies “rice,” and yori probably signifies “good” in this and numerous other proper names.
  78. Oho-tamu-saka no miko. This name is obscure. Motowori thinks that Tamu-saka may be the name of a place, and signifying “winding ascent.”
  79. Tajima no kuni no miyatsuko. For Tajima see Sect. LXXIV, Note 1.
  80. Chimori no omi. Chi-mori signifies “road-keeper,” and perhaps we should translate this “gentile name” by “road-keeping grandees,” and suppose that anciently they may have performed some functions in which the bestowal of it originated.
  81. Oshinumi-be no miyatsuko. Oshinumi is the name of a district in Yamato, and is of uncertain import.
  82. Mina-be no miyatsuko. Perhaps we should rather translate thus, “the Rulers of Minabe,” for the name is altogether obscure.
  83. Inabi no Oshinumi-be. Motowori supposes a branch of this family, which was originally established in Yamato, to have removed to the province of Inaba.
  84. Taniha no Takanu no make. Takanu is the name of a district in the modern province of Tango. It signifies “high moor.”
  85. Yosami no abiko. Yosami is the name of a place in Kahachi, and is of uncertain origin, though the legends connect it with the word ami, “a net” (see Motowori’s Commentary, Vol. XXII, pp. 81). It is chiefly known on account of its lake or pool, which is often mentioned in the early poetry. Abiko is a very rare “gentile name,” which in the “Catalogue of Family Names” is written with the characters 我孫, but is derived by Motowori from 吾彦, i.e. “my grandchildren.”
  86. In Yamato. The name is of uncertain origin.