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ereign and Deity was erected to house the Imperial household property, because ever since the Empress Jingo’s conquest, Korea had continued to pay tribute to Japan, and, consequently in the course of years our national wealth had greatly increased. Achi-no-Omi (92) and the learned sage Wani of Kudara were therefore appointed recording officers in charge of the Treasury accounts, and then for the first time the institution of an hereditary corporation attached to the Treasuries was established.
In the days of the Emperor (Yuryaku) who reigned at the Asakura Palace in Hatsuse, (93) the members of the Hata Family became dependent on other families unrelated to their original house.
The Emperor, however, graciously favouring the Hata chieftain, Sake-no-Kimi, who served at the Imperial Court, was pleased to gather again all the scattered members of that family and place them under the control of Sake-no-Kimi, who with 180 excellent co-operation[errata 1] of his work people, presented taxes to the Imperial Court of fine silks, with which he filled the palace courtyard.
Therefore, he was styled “Uzumasa” (94) (This word “Uzumasa” in Japanese signifies “to increase and pile up.” These taxed soft silks when worn are very pleasing to the skin, and so the family name Hata or Hada meaning “skin” originated. With these same silks they covered the hilt of the sacred sword when worshipping at the Shinto shrine, and that ancient custom still remains unchanged (95). Thus we see how the silk weaving industry was originated by the Hata Family in Japan). As the years rolled on, the number of the tributary goods paid into the
