Emperor Suinin
Encyclopedia
; also known as Ikumeiribikoisachi no Mikoto; was the 11th emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 29 BC–AD 70.
(509-571), the 29th emperor of Japan
according to the traditional order of succession, is the first for which contemporary historiography are able to assign verifiable dates; however, the conventionally accepted names and dates of the early emperors were not to be confirmed as "traditional" until the reign of Emperor Kammu
(737–806), the 50th sovereign of the Yamato dynasty. The name Suinin-tennō was assigned to him posthumously
by later generations.
Legend says that about two thousand years ago, Emperor Suinin ordered his daughter, Princess Yamatohime-no-mikoto
, to set out and find a suitable permanent location from which to hold ceremonies for Amaterasu Omikami
, the Sun Goddess. After twenty years of searching, she is said to have settled on the area of Ise
, establishing the Ise Shrine
. According to Asama Shrine
tradition, the earliest veneration of Konohanasakuya-hime
at the base of Mount Fuji
was in the 8th month of the 3rd year of the reign of Emperor Suinin.
Nihonshoki records the wrestling match in which Nomi no Sukune
and Taima no Kehaya held during his era, as the origin of Sumai (Sumo wrestling
). In the context of events like this, the Japanese have traditionally accepted this sovereign's historical existence; however, no extant contemporary records have been discovered which confirm a view that this historical figure actually reigned.
Jien
records that Suinin was the third son of Emperor Sujin
, and that he ruled from the palace of Tamaki-no-miya at Makimuku in what will come to be known as Yamato province
. Jien also explains that during the reign of Emperor Suinin, the first High Priestess (Saiō
, also known as saigū) was appointed for Ise Shrine
in what would become known as Ise province
.
Suinin is a posthumous name
. It is undisputed that this identification is Chinese in form and Buddhist in implication, which suggests that the name must have been regularized centuries after the lifetime ascribed to Suinin, possibly during the time in which legends about the origins of the Yamato dynasty were compiled as the chronicles known today as the Kojiki
.
The actual site of Suinin's grave
is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Shinto
shrine
(misasagi) at Nara
.
The Imperial Household Agency
designates this location as Suinin's mausoleum
. It is formally named Sugawara no Fushimi no higashi no misasagi.
Suinin's tomb can be visited in Nishi-machi, Amagatsuji, Nara City. This kofun
-type Imperial tomb is characterized by a keyhole-shaped island located within a wide, water-filled moat.
Empress(second): Hibasuhime (日葉酢媛命), daughter of Tanba no Michinoushi (丹波道主王)
Nubataniirihime (渟葉田瓊入媛), younger sister of Hibasuhime
Matonohime (真砥野媛), younger sister of Hibasuhime
Azaminiirihime (薊瓊入媛), younger sister of Hibasuhime
Kaguyahime (迦具夜比売), daughter of Ootsutsukitarine (大筒木垂根王)
Kanihatatobe (綺戸辺), daughter of Yamashiro no Ookuni no Fuchi (山背大国不遅)
Karihatatobe (苅幡戸辺), older sister of Kanihatatobe
unknown
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, according to the traditional order of succession.
No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 29 BC–AD 70.
Legendary narrative
Suinin is regarded by historians as a "legendary emperor" and there is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further verification and study. The reign of Emperor KimmeiEmperor Kimmei
was the 29th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.His reign is said to have spanned the years from 539 through 571.-Traditional narrative:...
(509-571), the 29th emperor of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
according to the traditional order of succession, is the first for which contemporary historiography are able to assign verifiable dates; however, the conventionally accepted names and dates of the early emperors were not to be confirmed as "traditional" until the reign of Emperor Kammu
Emperor Kammu
was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806.-Traditional narrative:Kammu's personal name was . He was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe , and was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne...
(737–806), the 50th sovereign of the Yamato dynasty. The name Suinin-tennō was assigned to him posthumously
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
by later generations.
Legend says that about two thousand years ago, Emperor Suinin ordered his daughter, Princess Yamatohime-no-mikoto
Yamatohime-no-mikoto
is a Japanese deity figure that is said to have established Ise Shrine, where the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Omikami is enshrined. Yamatohime-no-mikoto is recorded as being the daughter of Emperor Suinin, Japan's 11th Emperor.-Traditional historical view:...
, to set out and find a suitable permanent location from which to hold ceremonies for Amaterasu Omikami
Amaterasu Omikami
, or is apart of the Japanese myth cycle and also a major deity of the Shinto religion. She is the goddess of the sun, but also of the universe. the name Amaterasu derived from Amateru meaning "shining in heaven." The meaning of her whole name, Amaterasu-ōmikami, is "the great August kami who...
, the Sun Goddess. After twenty years of searching, she is said to have settled on the area of Ise
Ise, Mie
, formerly called Ujiyamada , is a city located in eastern Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan.Ise is home to Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shintō Shrine in Japan, and is thus a very popular destination for tourists. The city has a long-standing nickname—Shinto —that roughly means...
, establishing the Ise Shrine
Ise Shrine
is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
. According to Asama Shrine
Asama Shrine
is a type of Shinto Shrine in Japan centered around the worship of the kami of volcanos in general, and Mount Fuji in particular.Per the Jinja Honchō, there are approximately 1300 Asama shrines in the country, centered primarily in Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture, and to a lesser...
tradition, the earliest veneration of Konohanasakuya-hime
Konohanasakuya-hime
Konohanasakuya-hime , in Japanese mythology, is the blossom-princess and symbol of delicate earthly life. She is the daughter of the mountain god Ohoyamatsumi. She is often considered an avatar of Japanese life, especially since her symbol is the Sakura, She is the wife of Ninigi...
at the base of Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
was in the 8th month of the 3rd year of the reign of Emperor Suinin.
Nihonshoki records the wrestling match in which Nomi no Sukune
Nomi no Sukune
was a Japanese legendary sumo wrestler during Emperor Suinin era. He kicked and killed his opponent under the Emperor's instruction. It wasn't modern sumo, but he is regarded as the human creator of sumo. He was an ancestor of Sugawara no Michizane.-References:...
and Taima no Kehaya held during his era, as the origin of Sumai (Sumo wrestling
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
). In the context of events like this, the Japanese have traditionally accepted this sovereign's historical existence; however, no extant contemporary records have been discovered which confirm a view that this historical figure actually reigned.
Jien
Jien
Jien was a Japanese poet, historian, and Buddhist monk.-Biography:Jien was the son Fujiwara no Tadamichi, a member of the Fujiwara family of powerful aristocrats. He joined a Buddhist monastery of the Tendai sect early in his life, first taking the Buddhist name Dokaie, and later changing it to...
records that Suinin was the third son of Emperor Sujin
Emperor Sujin
; also known as Mimakiiribikoinie no Sumeramikoto or Hatsukunishirasu Sumeramikoto; was the tenth emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession....
, and that he ruled from the palace of Tamaki-no-miya at Makimuku in what will come to be known as Yamato province
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...
. Jien also explains that during the reign of Emperor Suinin, the first High Priestess (Saiō
Saio
A , also known as "Itsuki no Miko", was an unmarried female relative of the Japanese emperor, sent to Ise to serve at Ise Grand Shrine from the late 7th century until the 14th century. The Saiō's residence, Saikū , was approximately 10 km north-west of the shrine...
, also known as saigū) was appointed for Ise Shrine
Ise Shrine
is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
in what would become known as Ise province
Ise Province
or was a province of Japan including most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces.The ancient provincial capital was at Suzuka...
.
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
. It is undisputed that this identification is Chinese in form and Buddhist in implication, which suggests that the name must have been regularized centuries after the lifetime ascribed to Suinin, possibly during the time in which legends about the origins of the Yamato dynasty were compiled as the chronicles known today as the Kojiki
Kojiki
is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...
.
The actual site of Suinin's grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
(misasagi) at Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
.
The Imperial Household Agency
Imperial Household Agency
The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
designates this location as Suinin's mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
. It is formally named Sugawara no Fushimi no higashi no misasagi.
Suinin's tomb can be visited in Nishi-machi, Amagatsuji, Nara City. This kofun
Kofun
Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun period . Many of the Kofun have a distinctive keyhole-shaped mound , unique to ancient Japan...
-type Imperial tomb is characterized by a keyhole-shaped island located within a wide, water-filled moat.
Consorts and Children
Empress(first): Sahohime (狭穂姫命), daughter of Hikoimasu (彦坐王)- Prince Homutsuwake (誉津別命)
Empress(second): Hibasuhime (日葉酢媛命), daughter of Tanba no Michinoushi (丹波道主王)
- Prince Inishikiirihiko (五十瓊敷入彦命)
- Prince Ootarashihikoosirowake (大足彦忍代別尊) Emperor KeikōEmperor Keiko; also known as Ootarashihikooshirowake no Sumeramikoto, was the 12th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 71–130.-Legendary narrative:Keikō is...
- Princess Oonakatsuhime (大中姫命)
- Princess YamatohimeYamatohime-no-mikotois a Japanese deity figure that is said to have established Ise Shrine, where the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Omikami is enshrined. Yamatohime-no-mikoto is recorded as being the daughter of Emperor Suinin, Japan's 11th Emperor.-Traditional historical view:...
(倭姫命) SaiōSaioA , also known as "Itsuki no Miko", was an unmarried female relative of the Japanese emperor, sent to Ise to serve at Ise Grand Shrine from the late 7th century until the 14th century. The Saiō's residence, Saikū , was approximately 10 km north-west of the shrine... - Prince Wakakiniirihiko (稚城瓊入彦命)
Nubataniirihime (渟葉田瓊入媛), younger sister of Hibasuhime
- Prince Nuteshiwake (鐸石別命), ancestor of Wake clan (Wake no KiyomaroWake no Kiyomarowas a high-ranking Japanese official during the Nara period. He was born in Bizen Province to a family of politically important, devoted Buddhists who hoped to keep Buddhism and politics separate through religious reform...
) - Princess Ikatarashimime (胆香足姫命)
Matonohime (真砥野媛), younger sister of Hibasuhime
Azaminiirihime (薊瓊入媛), younger sister of Hibasuhime
- Prince Ikohayawake (息速別命)
- Princess Wakaasatsuhime (稚浅津姫命)
Kaguyahime (迦具夜比売), daughter of Ootsutsukitarine (大筒木垂根王)
- Prince Onabe (袁那弁王)
Kanihatatobe (綺戸辺), daughter of Yamashiro no Ookuni no Fuchi (山背大国不遅)
- Prince Iwatsukuwake (磐撞別命), ancestor of Mio clan (三尾氏)
- Princess Futajiirihime (両道入姫命), wife of Yamatotakeru, mother of Emperor ChūaiEmperor Chuai; also known as Tarashinakatsuhiko no Sumeramikoto; was the 14th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 192–200....
Karihatatobe (苅幡戸辺), older sister of Kanihatatobe
- Prince Oochiwake (祖別命)
- Prince Ikatarashihiko (五十日足彦命)
- Prince Itakeruwake (胆武別命)
unknown
- Prince Tuburame (円目王)