• • Period: Legendary Period
  • Occupation: Warrior
  • Family: –
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Chichika no Inaki

Chichika no Inaki is a warrior seen during the reign of Emperor Keikō from Owari Province.

He is brought by Otohikogimi to help Yamato Takeru deal with the rebelling Kumaso.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: Warrior
  • Family: –
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Tako no Inaki

Tako no Inaki is a warrior seen during the reign of Emperor Keikō from Owari Province.

He is brought by Otohikogimi to help Yamato Takeru deal with the rebelling Kumaso.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: Warrior
  • Family: –
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Ishiura no Yokotachi

Ishiura no Yokotachi is a warrior seen during the reign of Emperor Keikō from Owari Province.

He is brought by Otohikogimi to help Yamato Takeru deal with the rebelling Kumaso.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: –
  • Family: –
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Yamanobe no Ohotaka

Yamanobe no Ohotaka is a man seen in the kojiki during the exploits to try and get Prince Homutsuwake to speak.

Though the prince had grown into a man he still could not speak, however, one day he saw a swan and remarked at it. And so Yamanobe no Ohotaka was sent to retrieve the swan by Emperor Suinin.

He followed the swan through Harima to Kii, Inaba to Tanba, Tajima then eastwards until Afumi,  Minu to Wohari, and finally Shinano to Koshi. There in the estuary of Wanami he caught it and brought it to the Emperor. Though this does not cause to prince to speak again.¹²

The accounts in the nihongi differ slightly with the name of the man being Amano Yukaha Tana volunterring to pursue the swan all the way to Tajima.

After capturing the swan, he returns and presents it to Homutsuwake and he finally learns to speak.³

Footnotes

1. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
2. Chamberlain, B. H. (1932) “Translation of the Kojiki.” Kobe: J.L. Thompson & Co.
3. 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: Emperor Suinin (father) Sahobime (mother) Hinagahime (wife)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Homutsuwake

Homutsuwake (誉津別命) was the son of Emperor Suinin and Sahobime.¹²³

Birth

Nihongi Version

Homutsuwake was born prior to the assassination attempt on his father’s life by his mother.

His mother, mourning that she nearly took her husbands life, sneaks into her brothers castle (Sahobiko) with the prince Homutsuwake.

Attacks by the emperor against the castle intensify and eventually the castle is set on fire.¹

Kojiki Version

In the kojiki the Empress had not yet given birth, and so after entering the castle the Emperor turned aside his armies to allow her to have her child. After this the child was put outside the stronghold. The Emperor being told if he considered the boy his child he could come and take him.

He sends his men to take the child and to also try and capture the Empress.

Angered they were unable to capture his wife he asks her to choose the childs name. As he had been born as the castle burnt she gave him the name Homutsuwake (Fire-possessing Lord)

Suinin then asked how he should raise the child, Sahobime saying to give him a foster mother and bathing women.

He then asks who should remove the girdle she placed around his waist and in reply she says Yehime and Otohime, daughters of Tatsumichinoushi Prince of Taniha as their parentage is unsullied.

And so the Empreror kills Sahobiko and Sahohime.

Homuchiwake was then entertained after they made a canoe for him from cedar from Ahidzu in Wohari and they placed it in the pools of Ichishi and Karu in Yamato.²³

Homutsuwake learns to talk

Nihongi Version

By the age of 30 the prince still did not speak. One day he sees a swan and finally talks saying ‘what is this thing?’

The Emperor happy at this asks who will go and collect this swan for his son. Amano Yukaha Tana volunteers and pursues it all the way to Tajima.

After capturing the swan, he returns and presents it to Homutsuwake and he finally learns to speak.

The Emperor then gives Amano the title of Tottori no Miyakko and also at this time established the Be of Torikahibe and Homutsube.¹

Kojiki Version

It is said someone by the name of Yamanobe no Ohotaka was sent to go and collect the swan.

He followed the swan through Harima to Kii, Inaba to Tanba, Tajima then eastwards until Afumi,  Minu to Wohari, and finally Shinano to Koshi. There in the estuary of Wanami he caught it and brought it to the Emperor.

The emperor thought seeing the bird again would make the prince talk, but it did not, and so the Emperor retired and had a dream. He dreamt a kami said if he built a shrine like his abode then the prince would speak.

The next day he asks an oracle to see which deity spoke finding out it was Ōkuninushi who had placed this curse on the prince. The Emperor readied the Prince to go to the shrine to pay reverence, with a man called Aketatsu being sent to attend to him.

Aketatsu swore a sacred oath ‘if there is an answer to be found in adoring this kami, then let the heron I see on Sagisu no ike fall dead.’ And the heron then died.

In reply to this he said ‘by this oath live’ and the heron came back to life. By his oath he then made wither and come back to life an oak upon Cape Amakashi (Amakashi no saki)

They also leave with Prince Unakami leaving Nara through the Ki Gate, as leaving through the Nara Gate or Ohosaka Gate would have caused them to meet a lame or blind person which was bad luck. On their journey everyone they pass they give the name of Homujibe.

After arriving at the shrine, they pray and return. A temporary Palace with a black plaited bridge is then made for Homutsuwake in the middle of the River Hi.

A man called Kihisatsumi then made a mountain adorned with green leaves and placed it downstream. Just before he presented food to Homutsuwake he finally spoke.

‘This mountain is not a mountain, perhaps it is the court of those who worship Ashiharashikowo.’

And so they informed the Emperor and he rejoiced, and the prince was left to live in the palace of Nagaho in Ajimasa.

Here he married Hinagahime for a single night where he discovered she was a serpent and flees from her. She pursued him to the ocean, where he then flees up valleys in his boat towards Yamato.²³

Footnotes

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

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• See also: List of Provinces

Shinano Province

Shinano Province (信濃国) was one of the many provinces of Japan.

Folktales

The folktale The Clever Boar and Monkey is set in this province.⁵

Legenedary Period

Yamanobe no Ohotaka passed through here on his way to catch a swan for the Prince Homutsuwake.⁴

Nara Period

Around 717AD we see the Priest Manzei promoted to the rank of Junior Fourth-rank Upper-grade and subsequently made General of Owari, Mikawa and Shinano Provinces.¹

Azuchi-Momoyama Period

The Provinces of Shinano and Echigo were attacked by Takeda Shingen after displacing his father Nobutora in 1541. In 1542 he was made shugo of Shinano by Ashikaga Yoshiteru. A series of later failed alliences led to the Battle of Mitakagahara in 1573 against Oba Nobunaga of which the Takeda were the victors.²

Takeda Katsuyori was daimyō of the Shinano, Kai, Suruga and Kōzuke Province during his lifetime.²

Edo Period

The poet Kobayashi Issa was born here in the village of Kashiwabara in 1736. Here he was educated by a village teacher, his teaching under the name of Shimpo writing haiku.³

Footnotes

1. Miller, R. A.. (1981) “The Lost Poetic Sequence of the Priest Manzei”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.36 No.2 pp.133-172
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
3. Carter, S.D. (1991) “Traditional Japanese Poetry: An Anthology.” California, Stanford University Press.
4. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
5. Ozaki, Y.T. (2015) “Japanese Fairy Tales” USA: Cavalier Classics.

Former Provinces of Japan
Kinai	Izumi * Kawachi * Settsu * Yamashiro * Yamato
Tōsandō	Dewa * Hida * Kōzuke * Mino * Mutsu * Omi * Shimotsuke * Shinano
Hokurikudō	Echigo * Echizen * Etchū * Kaga * Koshi * Wakasa
San’indō	Hōki * Inaba * Izumo * Tajima * Tamba * Tango
Tōkaidō	Ise * Kai * Kazusa * Mikawa * Owari * Sagami * Shimōsa * Suruga * Tōtōmi
Nankaidō	Awa * Iyo * Kii * Sanuki * Tosa
San’yōdō	Aki * Harima * Mimasaka
Saikaidaō	Bungo * Chikuzen * Hizen * Hyūga * Iki * Tsushima
Pre-Taihō Code	Kibi

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Mikawa Province

Mikawa Province (三河国) was one of the many provinces of Japan.

Nara Period

Priest Manzei was made General of Owari, Mikawa and Shinano Provinces.¹

Azuchi-Momoyama Period

Takeda Katsuyori invade the province, going against Tokugawa Ieyasu,² however here he was routed by Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga at the Battle of Nagashino in 1581.²³

Footnotes

1. Miller, R. A.. (1981) “The Lost Poetic Sequence of the Priest Manzei”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.36 No.2 pp.133-172
2. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
3. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

Former Provinces of Japan
Kinai	Izumi * Kawachi * Settsu * Yamashiro * Yamato
Tōsandō	Dewa * Hida * Kōzuke * Mino * Mutsu * Omi * Shimotsuke * Shinano
Hokurikudō	Echigo * Echizen * Etchū * Kaga * Koshi * Wakasa
San’indō	Hōki * Inaba * Izumo * Tajima * Tamba * Tango
Tōkaidō	Ise * Kai * Kazusa * Mikawa * Owari * Sagami * Shimōsa * Suruga * Tōtōmi
Nankaidō	Awa * Iyo * Kii * Sanuki * Tosa
San’yōdō	Aki * Harima * Mimasaka
Saikaidaō	Bungo * Chikuzen * Hizen * Hyūga * Iki * Tsushima
Pre-Taihō Code	Kibi

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Hear about Priest Manzei on Episode 55 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives.

• See also: Priest Manzei Poems
• Period: Nara Period
• Occupation: Governor of Mino, General of Owari, Mikawa and Shinano, Udaiben, Buddhist Monk (sami), bettō, Poet
• Family: –
• Birth: –
• Death:-

Priest Manzei

Priest Manzei (満誓 沙弥 – He Who Fulfills the Vow/Compleat Votary) was the religous name of Kasa Maro (笠[朝臣] 麻呂).

His famiy name of Kasa (笠) is cited as almost surley a loan word from Korean into Japanese which could hint at a continental origin for his family.

Though it is not mentioned in the journal being cited for this page currently, the two Kanji in Manzei’s name [朝臣] in the journal translate as Ason. This was a high level rank given to people under the Kabane System.

Life

We first seen Manzei mentioned in 704 where he is given the rank of Junior Fifth-rank Lower-grade. By 706 he is posted as the Governor of Mino Province, which he was posted to again in 708. During this time he oversaw major road projects including the Kiso Highway. His work here led him to be decorated with merit in 714.

By 717 he had progressed to the rank Junior Fourth-rank Upper-grade and we subsequently see him made General of Owari, Mikawa and Shinano Provinces.

In 720 he was appointed to the office of Udaiben (Great Councilor of the Right).

Turn to Religion/Exile

In 721 we see Manzei turning to religion, though we are unsure why, he petitioned the throne to ‘leave secular life and enter religion.’ This desire was granted and he became a priest.

This change of careeer coincided with a petition from the throne stating for ‘a hundred consecrated men and women shoud be dedicated to religion as votaries to secure [Empress Genmei’s] recovery,’ as the Empress has fallen ill.

Manzei asked for his career change a mere 6 days after this decree.

Empress Genmei, however, died within the year and following a series of unfortunate events the clergy is chastised for these events. After this we see Manzei posted (exiled) to Kyushu in 723 as a bettō (Intendant) to supervise the construction of Tsukushi Kanzeonji.

During his exile here he comes into contact with Ōtomo no Tabito and other members of the Tsukushi Poetic Circle.

From what we can tell, Manzei lived here until his death, but we do know he had one son with a woman indentured to his temple.

Descendants

In 866 we have records of 3 men who claimed a 5th generational descent from Manzei.

Poetry

In total we know of only 7 poems of Manzei’s that have come down to us.

His poems were cut up and placed in Books 3, 4 and 5 of the Man’yōshū. Luckily their original order was preserved when being placed into this text which has allowed scholars to easily restore them as a poetic sequence. Additionally, the use of colophons and other notations next to these poems has allowed us to establish they were all written by Manzei.

This information has show the sequence was likely written between 723-728, and certainly no later than 730.

The way in which he talks of faith in the poems shows that they only have a ‘veneer’ of Buddhism in them. This is due to the fact that during the time he turned to religion everyone who did so was self ordained and did not need a great understanding of the religion. In fact the title he held of sami translates to ‘cleric of minor orders,’ and not actually a ‘priest’ of Buddhism.

The second poem in his sequence can also be found included in the Shuishū and this poem was subjected to the art of honkadori. For instance, in the Tōkan Kikō it states that Manzei wrote this poem whilst standing on Mt. Hiei gazing over Lake Biwa.

We also see this poem alluded to in the Hōjōki where it states:

‘on mornings when I feel myself short-lived as the white wake building behind a boat, I go to the banks of the river and, gazing at the boats plying to and fro, compose verses in the style of Priest Manzei.’¹

Footnotes

1. 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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Provinces

The Japanese provinces (国 kuni or koku) were geographical areas which were establsihed by the Kokugun System and the Taika Reforms came into being in 645AD.

Initially they comprised of 58 kuni with 3 islands provinces, however by 822AD this had changed to 66 kuni and 2 islands provinces.

These areas existed under the Meiji Restoration and were offically abolished in 1871 and replaced with the current Prefectural System.¹ When the Prefectures were established the old provinces were grouped by geographical location into the ‘Five Provinces of Kinai’ and the ‘Seven Circuits.²

During their existence they were lead by Kokushi (Provisional Governors) and Gunji (District Officials).¹

Here follows a list of Provinces on our site. This is not yet completely and will continued to be added to over time.

Provinces of the Kinai

• • Izumi Province
  • Kawachi Province
  • Settsu Province
  • Yamashiro Province
  • Yamato Province

Tōsandō Circuit

• • Dewa Province
  • Hida Province
  • Kōzuke Province
  • Mino Province
  • Mutsu Province
  • Omi Province
  • Shimotsuke Province
  • Shinano Province

Hokurikudō Circuit

• • Echigo Province
  • Echizen Province
  • Etchū Province
  • Kaga Province
  • Koshi Province
  • Wakasa Province

San’indō Circuit

• • Hōki Province (also called Hahaki Province)
  • Inaba Province
  • Izumo Province
  • Tajima Province
  • Tamba Province
  • Tango Province

Tōkaidō Circuit

• • Ise Province
  • Kai Province
  • Kazusa Province
  • Mikawa Province
  • Owari Province
  • Sagami Province
  • Shimōsa Province
  • Suruga Province
  • Tōtōmi Province

Nankaidō Circuit

• • Awa Province
  • Iyo Province
  • Kii Province
  • Sanuki Province
  • Tosa Province

San’yōdō Circuit

• • Aki Province
  • Harima Province (also called Banshu Province)
  • Mimasaka Province

Saikaidaō Circuit

• • Bungo Province
  • Chikuzen Province
  • Hizen Province
  • Hyūga Province (also called Himuka Province)
  • Iki Province
  • Tsushima Province

Pre-Taihō Code

• • Kibi Province

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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• See also: List of Provinces

Owari Province

Owari Province (尾張国) was once a Province of Japan, located in what is now Aichi Prefecture. Created in 646 under the Kokugun System³, it is one of the 15 Provinces traversed by the Tokaido Road.¹³ This Province is also known as Bishū (尾州).³

Legendary Period

Ceder was gathered from Ahidzu during the reign of Emperor Suinin to make a boat for Homutsuwake.⁵⁶

Yamanobe no Ohotaka would also pass through here when trying to catch a swan for prince Homutsuwake.⁵⁶

It was apparently the home of Princess Miyazu Hime, the wife of the legendary Yamato Takeru.²

The warriors Ishiura no Yokotachi, Tako no Inaki and Chichika no Inaki are said to have come from here.⁷

Nara Period

During this period we know the Priest Manzei was made General of Owari, Mikawa and Shinano Provinces.⁴

Later Periods

The area developed as the early site of the Atsuta Shrine. From the 12th century onwards it came under the domain of shugo (military governor) such as the Hatakeyama Family, Imagawa Family, Shiba Family and Oda Family.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi is known to have come from Owari.

One of Tokugawa Ieyasu‘s sons established a headquarters in Owari at Nagoya Castle.

The area flourished as a major center for rice, cotton, sake and ceramics known as seto ware.

In 1871 Owari was combined with Mikawa Province to form Aichi Prefecture.³

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Littleton. C.S. (1995) “Yamato-takeru: An Arthurian Hero in Japanese Tradition”. Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 54, No.2, pp.259-274.
3. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
4. Miller, R. A.. (1981) “The Lost Poetic Sequence of the Priest Manzei”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.36 No.2 pp.133-172
5. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
6. Chamberlain, B. H. (1932) “Translation of the Kojiki.” Kobe: J.L. Thompson & Co.
7. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.

Former Provinces of Japan
Kinai	Izumi * Kawachi * Settsu * Yamashiro * Yamato
Tōsandō	Dewa * Hida * Kōzuke * Mino * Mutsu * Omi * Shimotsuke * Shinano
Hokurikudō	Echigo * Echizen * Etchū * Kaga * Koshi * Wakasa
San’indō	Hōki * Inaba * Izumo * Tajima * Tamba * Tango
Tōkaidō	Ise * Kai * Kazusa * Mikawa * Owari * Sagami * Shimōsa * Suruga * Tōtōmi
Nankaidō	Awa * Iyo * Kii * Sanuki * Tosa
San’yōdō	Aki * Harima * Mimasaka
Saikaidaō	Bungo * Chikuzen * Hizen * Hyūga * Iki * Tsushima
Pre-Taihō Code	Kibi

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