Meiji era print of Emperor Jimmu
Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇 Jinmu Tennō; also known as: Kamuyamato Iwarebiko; given name: Wakamikenu no
Mikoto or Sano no Mikoto, born according to the legendary account in the Kojiki on
January 1, 660 BC, and died, again according to legend, on
March 11, 585 BC (both dates according to the lunisolar traditional Japanese calendar), was the mythical founder of Japan and is the first
emperor named in the traditional lists of emperors. The Imperial house of Japan
traditionally based its claim to the throne on its descent from Jimmu.
The name Jimmu, meaning "divine might" or "god-warrior", is the posthumous
name of this mythical figure. In fact, being Chinese in form and Buddhist in implication, it must have been awarded
centuries after the lifetime ascribed to him, as part of the compilation of legends about the origins of the Yamato dynasty known
as the Kojiki.
According to Shinto belief, Jimmu is regarded as a direct descendant of the sun goddess,
Amaterasu. Amaterasu had a son called Ame no Oshihomimi no
Mikoto and through him a grandson named Ninigi-no-Mikoto. She sent her grandson
to the Japanese islands where he eventually married Konohana-Sakuya-hime. Among their three sons
was Hikohohodemi no Mikoto, also called Yamasachi-hiko, who married
Toyotama-hime. She was the daughter of Ryūjin, the
Japanese sea god. They had a single son called Hikonagisa Takeugaya
Fukiaezu no Mikoto. The boy was abandoned by his parents at birth and consequently raised by Tamayori-hime, his mother's younger sister. They eventually married and had a total of four sons. The last of
them became Emperor Jimmu.
New Year's Day in the Japanese lunisolar calendar was traditionally celebrated as
the regnal day of Emperor Jimmu. In 1872, the Meiji government proclaimed February 11, 660
BC in the Gregorian calendar the foundation day of Japan. This mythical date was
commemorated in the holiday Kigensetsu ("Era Day") from 1872 to 1948, which was resurrected in 1966 as the national holiday Kenkoku Kinen no
hi ("National Foundation Day").
Jimmu's migration
Mythic records in the Kojiki and Nihonshoki tell us that
Jimmu's brothers were originally born in Takachiho, the southern part of Kyūshū (in modern day Miyazaki prefecture), and decided to move eastward, as they found their location inappropriate for
reigning over the entire country. Jimmu's older brother Itsuse no Mikoto originally led the migration, and they move eastward
through the Seto Inland Sea with the assistance of local chieftain Sao Netsuhiko. As
they reached Naniwa (modern day Ōsaka), they encountered another local chieftain
Nagasunehiko (lit. the long-legged man"), and Itsuse was killed in the ensuing battle. Jimmu realized that they had been
defeated because they battled eastward against the Sun, so he decided to land on the east side of Kii Peninsula and battle
westward. They reached Kumano, and with the guidance of a three-legged bird,
Yatagarasu (lit. eight-span crow), moved to Yamato. There they once again battled Nagasunehiko and were victorious. In Yamato,
Nigihayahi no Mikoto, who also claims to be a descendant of the Takamagahara gods, was
protected by Nagasunehiko. However, when Nigihayahi met Jimmu, he accepted Jimmu's legitimacy, and Jimmu ascended to the
throne.
References
- Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697, translated by W.G. Aston (Tuttle Co, 1998), Volume 1
pp. 109 - 137
External links
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