Emperor Jinmu神武天皇

Kamuyamatoiwarebiko no Mikoto (神倭伊波禮毗古命) and his eldest brother Itsuse no Mikoto, the two of them, dwelt in the palace of Takachiho and took counsel together. "In what land should we dwell, so as to look evenly upon the government of all under heaven? It would be better to go east."

So they left Himuka at once and went to Tsukushi. When they came to Usa (宇沙) in the land of Toyo (豐國), two people of that place, Usatsuhiko (宇沙都比古) and Usatsuhime (宇沙都比賣), built a palace raised on a single pillar and offered up a great feast.

They left that place and dwelt one year in the palace of Okada (岡田宮) in Tsukushi. Then they went up from that land and dwelt seven years in the palace of Takeri (多祁理宮) in the land of Aki (阿岐國). Then they moved up from that land and dwelt eight years in the palace of Takashima (高嶋宮) in Kibi (吉備).

When they went up from that land, they met a man at the strait of Hayasui (速吸門) who was riding on a turtle shell, fishing, and waving his sleeves as he came. They called him in and asked him, "Who are you?"

He answered, "I am a god of this land, and my name is Uzubiko (宇豆毗古)."

They asked again, "Do you know the ways of the sea?" "I know them well." They asked again, "Will you come with us and serve us?" "I will serve you."

So they held out a pole to him and drew him into the boat, and at once gave him a name and called him Saonetsuhiko (槁根津日子).

When they went up from that land they passed the crossing of Naniwa (浪速) and brought the boat to the landing of Shirakata (白肩津) under the blue clouds. At this time Tominonagasunebiko (登美能那賀須泥毗古) raised an army and came out to fight them.

Then they took out the shields that had been put in the boat and stepped down. So that place is called Tatetsu (楯津), and now it is called Tadetsu (蓼津) at Kusaka (日下).

In the fighting with Tomibiko, Itsuse no Mikoto took in his hand the painful arrow of Tomibiko. Then he said, "I am the child of the god of the sun, and it is not good to fight facing the sun. That is why I have taken a painful wound from a base fellow. From now on I will go round and strike with the sun at my back."

Then, as he went round to the south, he came to the sea of Chinu (血沼海) and washed the blood from his hand. That is why it is called the sea of Chinu.

Going round from there, he came to Ono Minato (男之水門) in the land of Ki (紀國) and said, "Am I to die of a wound from the hand of a base fellow?" He cried out like a man and died. That is why that river mouth is called Ono Minato. His tomb is at Kamayama (竈山) in the land of Ki.

Kamuyamatoiwarebiko no Mikoto went round from there, and when he came to the village of Kumano (熊野), a great bear appeared dimly and was gone. Then Kamuyamatoiwarebiko no Mikoto suddenly went 'oe' — he lost his senses — and his men too all lost their senses and fell down.

At this time Takakuraji (高倉下) of Kumano brought a great sword and came to the place where the child of the heavenly gods lay, and when he offered it up the child of the heavenly gods woke and rose at once and said, "How long I have slept!"

When he took that great sword, the unruly gods of the mountains of Kumano were all cut down of themselves. Then the men who had lost their senses and fallen down all woke and rose.

The child of the heavenly gods asked how he had come by that great sword, and Takakuraji answered,

"In my dream it was said that by the command of the two gods, Amaterasu Ohokami and Takagi no Kami, Takemikazuchi no Kami was called and told, 'Ashihara no Nakatsukuni is 'itakusayagiteari nari' — it is greatly troubled and noisy. My children seem not to be at peace. That Ashihara no Nakatsukuni is the land that you alone brought round by your word, so you must go down.'

Then he answered, 'Even if I do not go down, there is the great sword with which I made that land even, and it is enough to send this sword down. The way to send this sword down is to bore through the roof of Takakuraji's storehouse and drop it in from there.'

So Takemikazuchi no Kami told me, 'I will bore through the roof of your storehouse and drop this sword in. Take it 'asameyoku' — early in the morning — and offer it up to the child of the heavenly gods.'

As I had been told in the dream, in the morning I looked in my storehouse, and there truly was a great sword. That is why I have offered up this great sword."

Then again, by the command of Takagi no Ohokami, he was warned and told, "Child of the heavenly gods, do not go farther inland from here. The unruly gods are very many. Now I will send down the Yatagarasu (八咫烏) from heaven. That Yatagarasu will lead the way, and you should follow behind it."

He did as he was warned and followed behind that Yatagarasu, and when he came to the mouth of the river Yoshino (吉野河) there was a man setting fish traps and catching fish. The child of the heavenly gods asked, "Who are you?" He answered, "I am a god of this land, and my name is Niemotsu no Ko (贄持之子)."

Going on from there, a man with a tail came out of a well. There was a light in that well. He asked, "Who are you?" He answered, "I am a god of this land, and my name is Ihika (井氷鹿)."

He went on into that mountain and met another man with a tail. This man came out pushing the rocks apart. He asked, "Who are you?" He answered, "I am a god of this land, and my name is Iwaoshiwaku no Ko (石押分之子). I heard that the child of the heavenly gods was coming, and so I have come out to meet him."

From there he trod his way through and crossed over to Uda (宇陀). That is why it is called Uda no Ukachi (宇陀之穿).

In Uda there were two men, Eukashi (兄宇迦斯) and Otoukashi (弟宇迦斯). The Yatagarasu was sent ahead to ask the two of them, "The child of the heavenly gods is coming now. Will you serve him?"

At this Eukashi shot back the messenger with a singing arrow. The place where that singing arrow fell is called Kaburasaki (訶夫羅前).

Saying that he would wait and strike, he gathered an army, but the army would not gather, and so he pretended falsely that he would serve, built a great hall, set a trap inside that hall, and waited.

Otoukashi came out first to meet them, bowed, and said, "My elder brother Eukashi shot back the messenger of the child of the heavenly gods, and meaning to wait and attack he gathered an army, but the army would not gather, and so he has built a hall, spread a trap inside it, and waits to take him. That is why I have come out to meet you and make it known."

Then Michinoomi no Mikoto (道臣命), the ancestor of the Ohotomo no Muraji and others, and Ohokume no Mikoto (大久米命), the ancestor of the Kume no Atai and others, the two of them, called Eukashi and railed at him, saying, "'Iga' and 'ore' — both are 'you' — go in first, into that great hall you say you have built to serve him, and make plain how you meant to serve him."

They gripped the hilts of their great swords, levelled their spears and set their arrows, and drove him in, and he was crushed by the trap he had made himself and died. Then they dragged him out and cut him to pieces. That is why that place is called Uda no Chihara (宇陀之血原).

But the great feast that Otoukashi offered up was all given to the army. At this time he sang:

Udano takakini shigiwanaharu Wagamatsuya shigiwasayarazu Isukuwashi kujirasayaru Konamiga nakowasaba Tachisobano minonakekuo kokishihiene Uwanariga nakowasaba Ichisakaki minoohokekuo kokidahiene

— On the high ground of Uda I set a snare for the snipe. I waited, and no snipe was caught, but beyond all thought a whale was caught. If my first wife asks for food, cut her the lean part, little as the fruit of the soba tree, and if my new wife asks for food, cut her the fat part, much as the fruit of the sakaki tree.

"Ee shiya koshiya!" This is 'igonofu' — a sound of scorn. "Aa shiya koshiya!" This is laughing in mockery.

Going on from where Otoukashi was, when he came to the great chamber of Osaka (忍坂), the eighty warriors of the Tsuchigumo (土雲), who had tails, were in that chamber, 'inaru' — roaring — and waiting.

By the command of the child of the heavenly gods a feast was given to the eighty warriors. He set one cook to each of the eighty warriors, eighty cooks in all, and had each man wear a sword, and he instructed the cooks, "When you hear the song, cut them down all at once."

So the song that made plain that they were about to strike the Tsuchigumo said:

Osakano ohomuroyani Hitosawani kiiriori Hitosawani irioritomo Mitsumitsushi kumenokoga Kubutsutsui ishitsutsuimochi Uchiteshiyamamu Mitsumitsushi kumenokoraga Kubutsutsui ishitsutsuimochi Imautabayorashi

— In the great chamber of Osaka many men have come in. Though many men have come in, the valiant children of Kume, with mallet-hilted swords and stone-hilted swords, will strike them and make an end. The valiant children of Kume, with mallet-hilted swords and stone-hilted swords, would do well to strike them now.

So they sang, and they drew their swords and killed them all at once.

Afterwards, when he was about to strike Tomibiko, he sang:

Mitsumitsushi kumenokoraga Awafuniwa kamirahitomoto Sonegamoto sonemetsunagite Uchiteshiyamamu

— The valiant children of Kume, like one stalk of chives planted in the millet field, pulling up root and shoot together, will strike them and make an end.

He sang again:

Mitsumitsushi kumenokoraga Kakimotoni ueshihajikami Kuchihihiku warewawasureji Uchiteshiyamamu

— The valiant children of Kume, the pepper planted at the foot of the fence, the hot taste that stung the mouth I will not forget. We will strike them and make an end.

He sang again:

Kamukazeno isenoumino Ohishini hahimotohorofu Shitadamino ihahimotohori Uchiteshiyamamu

— In the sea of Ise, where the divine wind blows, crawling and circling on the great rock, like the sea snail we will circle round and close in and strike them and make an end.

Again, when he struck Eshiki (兄師木) and Otoshiki (弟師木), his army was weary for a while. Then he sang:

Tatanamete inasanoyamano Konomayomo iyukimamorahi Tatakaeba warewayaenu Shimatsutori ukahigatomo Imasukenikone

— On Mount Inasa (伊那佐山), where the shields are ranged, we go watching between the trees, and fighting I am already weary. Birds of the island, you cormorant keepers, come now and help me at once.

Then Nigihayahi no Mikoto (邇藝速日命) came and said to the child of the heavenly gods, "I heard that the child of the heavenly gods had come down from heaven, and so I have followed him down." He at once offered up the heavenly tokens and served him.

So Nigihayahi no Mikoto took to wife Tomiyabime (登美夜毗賣), the younger sister of Tomibiko, and the child born was Umashimaji no Mikoto (宇摩志麻遲命).

Having thus brought round and calmed the unruly gods and driven off the people who would not submit, he dwelt in the palace of Kashihara (白檮原宮) at Unebi (畝火) and ruled all under heaven.

When he was in Himuka he took to wife Ahirahime (阿比良比賣), the younger sister of Obashi no Kimi (小椅君) of Ata (阿多), and the children born were Tagishimimi no Mikoto (多藝志美美命), next Kisumimi no Mikoto (岐須美美命), two of them.

But when he sought again a beautiful woman to make his great queen, Ohokume no Mikoto said, "There is a maiden here, and she is called the daughter of a god. This is why she is called the daughter of a god.

She is the daughter of Mizokuhi (湟咋) of Mishima (三嶋), and her name is Seyadatarahime (勢夜陀多良比賣), and her form is beautiful. So Ohomononushi no Kami (大物主神) of Miwa (美和) saw her and was taken with her, and when that maiden went to the privy he turned into a red-painted arrow, floated down the ditch she was using, and struck that maiden's 'hoto' — her private parts.

That maiden was startled and sprang up and ran about 'isusukiki' — in confusion — and then she took that arrow and set it beside her bed, and it turned at once into a beautiful young man, and he married that maiden, and she bore a child whose name is Hototataraisusukihime no Mikoto (富登多多良伊須須岐比賣命), and whose other name is Himetataraisukeyorihime (比賣多多良伊須氣余理比賣). That is why she is called the daughter of a god."

Then seven maidens were walking on the moor of Takasaji (高佐士野), and Isukeyorihime was among them. Ohokume no Mikoto saw Isukeyorihime and spoke to the Emperor in a song.

Yamatono takasajinoo Nanayuku otomedomo Tareoshimakamu

— Over the moor of Takasaji in Yamato, among the maidens who walk there seven together, which one will you take to you?

Now Isukeyorihime was standing at the head of those maidens. The Emperor looked at the maidens, and in his heart he knew that Isukeyorihime stood at the very front, and he answered in a song:

Katsugatsumo iyasakidateru Eoshimakamu

— However that may be, the one who stands at the very front, her I will take to me.

Then, when Ohokume no Mikoto passed on the Emperor's word to Isukeyorihime, she saw the tattoo cut about the slit eyes of Ohokume no Mikoto, thought it strange, and sang:

Ametsutsu chidorimashitoto Nadosakerutome

— Eyes like the kingfisher, the plover, the wagtail and the wren, why have they been marked and slit so?

Then Ohokume no Mikoto answered in a song:

Otomeni tadaniawamuto Wagasakerutome

— It was to meet the maiden face to face that I marked and slit my eyes so.

So that girl said that she would serve him.

The house of that Isukeyorihime no Mikoto was on the bank of the river Sai (狹井河). The Emperor went to Isukeyorihime and slept there one night.

Later, when Isukeyorihime came into the palace, the Emperor sang:

Ashiharano shikeshikiwoyani Sugatatami iyasayashikite Wagafutarineshi

— In a poor hut among the reed plain, we spread clean mats of sedge, and we two slept there.

The children born to him were named Hikoyai no Mikoto (日子八井命), next Kamuyaimimi no Mikoto (神八井耳命), next Kamununakawamimi no Mikoto (神沼河耳命).

After the Emperor died, their elder half-brother Tagishimimi no Mikoto took their father's chief queen Isukeyorihime to wife, and while he was plotting to kill the three younger brothers, their mother Isukeyorihime was troubled and let her children know it in a song. The song said:

Saigawayo kumotachiwatari Unebiyama konohasayaginu Kazefukamutosu

— From the river Sai the clouds rise and come across, and on Mount Unebi the leaves are rustling. The wind is about to blow.

She sang again:

Unebiyama hiruwakumotoi Yufusareba kazefukamutozo Konohasayageru

— On Mount Unebi the clouds gather by day, and when evening comes the wind is about to blow, and so the leaves are rustling.

Then his children heard of it and knew, and were startled, and when they were about to kill Tagishimimi, Kamununakawamimi no Mikoto said to his elder brother Kamuyaimimi no Mikoto, "'Nane' — my brother, do you take a weapon and go in and kill Tagishimimi."

So he took a weapon and went in, and when he was about to kill him his hands and feet 'wananakite' — trembled — and he could not kill him. Then his younger brother Kamununakawamimi no Mikoto asked for the weapon his elder brother held, took it, went in, and killed Tagishimimi. That is why his name was called again Takenunakawamimi no Mikoto (建沼河耳命).

Kamuyai no Mikoto yielded to his younger brother Takenunakawamimi no Mikoto and said, "I could not kill the enemy, and you have already killed the enemy. So though I am the elder, it is not right that I should be above. You shall be above and rule all under heaven. I will help you and serve you as the man of the sacred office."

So Hikoyai no Mikoto was the ancestor of the Mamuta no Muraji and the Teshima no Muraji, Kamuyaimimi no Mikoto was the ancestor of the Oho no Omi and others, and Kamununakawamimi no Mikoto ruled all under heaven.

This Emperor Kamuyamatoiwarebiko was a hundred and thirty-seven years old. His tomb is above Kashinoo (白檮尾上) on the north side of Mount Unebi.