Ancient Mikados and Heroes
End of Dynasty of Susa-no-wo—Dynasty of Sun-goddess—The First Emperor of Japan—Mikado as Descendant of the Sea-god, the “Abundant Pearl Prince”—A Japanese Gilgamesh—Quest of the Orange Tree of Life—The “Eternal Land”—The Polynesian Paradise and Tree of Life—Yamato-Take, National Hero of Japan—Conflicts with Gods and Rebels—Enchantment and Death of Hero—The Bird-soul—Empress Jingo—Mikado deified as God of War—Shinto Religion and Nature-worship—The Goddess Cult in Japan—Adoration of the Principle of Life in Jewels, Trees, Herbs, &c.—Buddhism—Revival of Pure Shinto—Culture-mixing in China and Japan—China “not a nation”.
Many children were born to Ohonamochi, but the Celestials would not give recognition to the Dynasty of Susa-no-wo, and resolved that Ninigi, the august grandchild of the sun-goddess, should rule Japan. Ohonamochi was deposed, and several deities were sent down from heaven to pacify the land for the chosen one.
Ninigi’s wife was Konohana-sakuyahime, and two of their children were Hohodemi, the hunter, and Ho-no-Susori, the fisherman.
It was Hohodemi who wooed and wed the “Abundant Pearl Princess” and lived with her for a time in the land under the ocean.[1] After she gave birth to her child, she departed to her own land, deeply offended because her husband beheld her in dragon (wani) shape in the parturition house he had built for her on the seashore.
This child was the father of the first Emperor of [[379]]Japan, Jimmu Tenno.[2] The Mikados were therefore descended from the sun-goddess Ama-terâsu and the Dragon-king of Ocean, the “Abundant Pearl Prince”.
When engaged pacifying the land, Jimmu followed a gigantic crow[3] that had been sent down from heaven to guide him. He possessed a magic celestial cross-sword and a fire-striker. His two brothers, who accompanied him on an expedition across the sea, leapt overboard when a storm was raging so that the waves might be stilled. They were subsequently worshipped as gods.
Yamato now becomes the centre of the narrative, Idzumo having lost its former importance.
Jimmu Tenno reigned until he was 127 years of age, dying, according to Japanese dating, in 585 B.C. His successor was Suisei Tenno. There follows a blank of 500 years which is bridged by the names of rulers most of whom had long lives, some reaching over 120 years.
At the beginning of the Christian era, the Mikado was Sui-nin, who died at the age of 141 years. This monarch sent the hero Tajima-mori to the Eternal Land with purpose to bring back the fruit of the “Timeless (or Everlasting) Fragrant Tree”. The Japanese Gilgamesh succeeded in his enterprise. According to the Ko-ji-ki: