Ako Incident

The Ako Incident (Akō Jiken – 阿衡事件 / Akō no Fungi – 阿衡の紛議) occured in 887 and was a conflict between Fujiwara no Mototsune and Emperor Uda concerning his ascension in 887.

During this time Mototsune expected to be reconfirmed in his position of kampuku however a drafted edict named him as Akō (the title of an ancient chinese regent).

He insisted that this was an attempt to deprive him of his power, and as he was so powerful at the time the Emperor was forced to rescind the edict and again make him kampaku.

It was only after the death of Mototsune that Emperor Uda could free himself from the Fujiwara Regency Government that had been ongoing for some time.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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• • Period: Kamakura Period
  • Occupation: Waka Poet, Author, Lady-in-Waiting, Nun.
  • Family: Fujiwara no Tameie (husband) Reizei Tamesuke (son)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: 1283AD

Abutsu-ni

Abutsu-ni (阿仏尼) was a waka poet who died in 1283.

She is best known as the author of the Izayoi Nikki and during her life served as Lady-in-Waiting to Empress Anka Mon’in.

Her additional works were Yoru no tsuru as well as generally being the accepted author of Utatane no ki¹. Her poems can be found in the Shoku kokinshū, Gyokuyō-shū and Fūga-shū.²

Around c.1250 she became the secondary wife of Fujiwara no Tameie, later becoming a nun once her husband passed away in 1275.¹

During her lifetime there was a dispute in regards to property and so she went to Kamakura to arrange for a transfer of possesion to her son Reizei Tamesuke, though she died before a judgement was given.²

She was also known as Anka Mon’in no Sijō and Anka Mon’in Emon no Suke during her lifetime.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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Shikashū

The Shikashū (詞花和歌集 – Collection of Verbal Flowers), known in full as the Shika Wakashū, was the 6th of the Imperial Anthologies and was compiled in 1151 by Fujiwara no Akisuke.¹

A sequel to this anthology by the name of Shoku Shikashū was commissioned by Emperor Nijō, with Fujiwara no Kiyosuke asked to be the one to compile it.²

Footnotes

1. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
2. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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Shin-Kokinshū

The Shin-Kokinshū (新古今和歌集– New Collection of Waka Ancient and Modern), know in full as the Shinkokin Wakashū was the 8th Imperial Anthology to be commissioned and compiled.

This particular compendium of waka was commissioned by the Retired Emperor Go-Toba and was initially shown to him in 1205 before final completion in 1210.

It was compiled by six people from the Bureau of Poetry. These being Fujiwara no Teika, Fujiwara no Ietaka, Priest Jakuren, Fujiwara no Masatsune, Fujiwara no Ariie and Minamoto no Mitchitomo with pre-face written by Kujō Yoshitsune

The documented was further edited by the Retired Emperor and both the 1210 and edited versions are still extant. Though the former is seen as the standard version.¹

The contents of the manuscript mention the Principles of Integration employed in the compilation of poetic anthologies.²

Poets Included

Footnotes

1. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
2. Miller, R. A.. (1981) “The Lost Poetic Sequence of the Priest Manzei”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.36 No.2 pp.133-172

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• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: Waka Poet, Priest, Caligrapher
  • Family: Henjo (father)
  • Birth: fl. 9th/early 10th century.
  • Death: –

Priest Sosei

Priest Sosei (素性 or 素性法師) was a waka poet, calligrapher and Priest who flourished around the end of the 9th and early 10th century.

Prior to taking the name Sosei he was known as Yoshimine no Harutoshi and was the son of Henjo. It is said his father was the one to urge him to enter into religion.

He was well renowned for his poems and calligraphy skill and was a favourite of Emperor Uda.

He was included in Fujiwara no Kintō’s Thirty Six Poetic Geniuses, had 36 of his poems in the kokinshū as well as a personal collection of poems known as the sosei hōshi-shū.

One of his poems (No.21) was included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, and goes as follows:¹

Japanese text2	Romanized Japanese1	English translation1
今来むと いひしばかりに 長月の ありあけの月を 待ちいでつるかな	ima kon to iishi bakari ni nagatsuki no ariake no tsuki o machiidetsurukana	As you said, "I'm coming right away.' I waited for you through the long autumn night, but only the moon greeted me at the cold light of dawn.

Footnotes

1. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
2. Suzuki, H. et al. (1997) ”Genshoku: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu”. Tokyo: Bun’eidō.

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• Period: Legendary Period
• Occupation: –
• Family: Hikosajima (grandson)
• Birth: –
• Death: –

Toyoki no Mikoto

Toyoki no Mikoto is mentioned in the nihongi as the grandfather of Hikosajima, though the lineage is not made clear.¹

Footnotes

1. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.

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• Period: Legendary Period
• Occupation: Prince
• Family: ?
• Birth: –
• Death: –

Mimorowake

Mimorowake is said to have been a Prince, during the reign of Emperor Keikō.

He is sent to take over the post, governing the 15 Provinces of the Tōsandō, that  Hikosajima was unable to fill.

He is said to have ruled well and when he was attacked by the Emishi he fought back with the leaders Ashifurihe, Ohohafurihe and Tohotsu Kurahohe bowing to him in defeat.

They handed their territory to him and so he pardoned them. Those who did not submit he had killed.¹

Footnotes

1. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.

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• • Period: Legendary Period
  • Occupation: Head of the Ōtomo Be
  • Family: –
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Ihaka Mutsukari

Ihaka Mutsukari is a man from the reign of Emperor Keikō. The Emperor gifts him the Ōtomo Be after he made a shoulder strap for the Emperor to carry clams inside.¹

Footnotes

1. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.

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Poems and Songs of Yamato Takeru

Sakawori Palace

Staying at Sakawori Palace he composed a song at night time which went as follows:

Since I passed Tsukuba,
And Nihibari,
How many nights have I slept?

Man in charge of the lights responding to him saying:

Counting the days –
Of nights there are nine nights,
Of days there are ten days.

Finding a Forgotten Sword on a Tree

Near the end of his life he rediscovered a sword against a tree he had once left there and forgotten.

Oh! Thou single pine-tree!
Thou art right opposite
To Ohari –
Ah me- thou single pine-tree!
If thou wert a man,
Garments I would clothe thee with,
A sword I would gird on thee.¹

Footnotes

1. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.

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Onihitokuchi

Onihitokuchi (鬼一口 – One Swallow of an Oni) is the act of an Oni swallowing a person whole. It is included in yōkai compendiums including the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi by Toriyama Sekien.

One such tale can be found in the Tales of Ise in which the unnamed protagonist of the tale, takes the future Empress of Emperor Nijō, who is then thought to have been eaten by an Oni.

This turns out to not be true as her brothers had actually taken her back to the capital; which the protagonist did not know about.

External Links

• • View the book online here: Konjaku Hyakki Shūi Online.

Footnotes

1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

List of Supernatural Creatures

Abura akago * Aka Manto * Akaname * Akashita * Amanozako * Amefuri Kozo * Ameonna * Amikiri * Aoandō * Aōbozu * Aonyobo * Aosagi no hi * Ayakashi * Buruburu * Chochin bi * Dōjōji no kane * Dōmeki * Dorotabō * Enenra * Funa Yurei * Furaribi * Fūri * Furutsubaki no rei * Gaikotsu * Ganbari Nyudo * Gagoze * Gangikozō * Gensuke * Haka no hi * Hangonkō * Hannya * Hashi-Hime * Hatahiro * Hiderigami * Hikeshi baba * Himamushi-nyūdō * Hinode * Hitodama * Hitotsume Kozō * Hiyoribo * Hōkō * Hone Onna * Hyōsube * Ikiryō * Inugami * Jakotsubaba * Jatai * Jorōgumo * Kamaitachi * Kamikiri * Kanedama * Kageonna * Kappa * Kasha * Katawa Guruma * Kawa Akago * Kawauso * Kazenbō * Kidōmaru * Kitsunebi * Kejoro * Kerakeraonna * Kodama * Kokuribaba * Kosamebō * Kosode no te * Kosenjo no hi * Kurozuka * Makurageishi * Mikoshi * Minobi * Momiji-gari * Momonjii * Morinji no Kama * Nekomata * Ningyo * Ninmenju * Noderabō * Nopperabo * Nuppeppō * Nurarihyon * Nureonna * Nuribotoke * Nyūnai Suzume * Obariyon * Oboro-guruma * Ōkaburo * Ōkubi * Okiku * Ōmagatoki * Oni * Onihitokuchi * Onmoraki * Osakabe * Oshiroibaba * Otoroshi * Ouni * Ōzatō * Rokurokubi * Sakabashira * Samebito * Sansei * Sarakozoe * Satori * Sesshō-seki * Seta * Shinkirō * Shirachigo * Shiranui * Shōkera * Shokuin * Shuten-dōji * Sōgenbi * Suiko * Takaonna * Tamamo-no-mae * Tanuki * Tenasobi * Tenjō-Kudari * Tengu * Tengu Tsubute * Tenome * Teratsutsuki * Tesso * Tōdaiki * Tōfu Kozō * Tsurubebi * Ubagabi * Ubume * Umibozū * Umizatō * Ushinotoki-mairi * Ushioni * Uwan * Waira * Wani * Wanyudo * Yamabiko * Yamauba * Yamawarawa * Yanari * Yukionna * Zenki and Goki

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