Ohobiko

• • Period: Legendary Period
  • Occupation: Prince / Shido Shogun
  • Family: Emperor Kōgen (father) Uchishikome (mother) Emperor Kaika (brother) Sukunabikookokoro (brother) Yamatotohime (sister) Takenumakahawake (son) Hikoinakoshiwake (son) Mimakihime (daughter)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Ohobiko

Ohobiko (大彦命) was the son of Emperor Kōgen and Uchishikome.

Family

He was the brother to Emperor Kaika, Yamatotohime¹² and Sukunabikookokoro.¹

The kojiki lists him as the father of Takenumakahawake, Hikoinakoshiwake and Mimakihime.¹³

The nihongi lists him as ancestor of the Abe no Omi, Kashihade no Omi, Ahe no Omi, Sasakiyama no Kimi, Tsukushi no Miyakko, Koshi no Miyakko and Iga no Omi.²

Reign of Emperor Sujin

During the 10th year of the reign of Emperor Sujin he is sent out to subdue to provinces with three other man.¹²³ Ohobiko being sent to north according to the nihongi² and more specifically to Koshi Province in the kojiki.

After leaving he came across a girl who sings a cryptic song about the emperor. After asking the girl what the song means she disappears and so he returns to the emperor to report on what he saw.¹²³

Here the version of events differ slightly.

Kojiki Version

In the kojiki it says the emperor understanding the message says it must mean that Takehaniyasuhiko means to attack him. And so Ohobiko is asked to raise an army agaisnt him. Taking Hikokunibuku with him they set sacred jars at the Pass of Wani before departing. In Yamashiro Province, on the banks of the Wakara River they find Takehaniyasu waiting for them.

Takehaniyasu shoots an arrow first and misses, Hikokunubuku returning fire and killing Takehaniyasu with his shot causing his army to rout and flee.

The army is hunted down and killed and the two return to give a report to the Emperor.¹³

Nihongi Version

In the nihongi it states that his sister Yamatotohime understood the meaning of the song.

Takehaniyasu and his wife Atahime then arrive with their armies, coming from two directions. Atahime through Ohosaka and Takehaniyasu through Yamashiro.

Atahime is intercepted and defeating by Kibitsuhiko.

Ohohiko and Hikokunifuku head to Yamashiro after setting sacred jars. Again Takehaniyasu shoots first and misses, and Hikokunifuku shoots and kills Takehaniyasu.

After the war Ohobiko is later sent to subdue the ‘savage tribes abroad’ alongside Kibitsuhiko, Tambanochinushi and Takenumakahawake.²

Footnotes

1. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
2. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
3. Chamberlain, B. H. (1932) “Translation of the Kojiki.” Kobe: J.L. Thompson & Co.

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