Okunohime-miko
Encyclopedia
Princess Ōku (大来皇女 or 大伯皇女) (February 12, 661 (the 8th Day of the 1st Month of the Saimei's era 7) - January 29, 702 (the 27th Day of the 12th Month of Taihō
1)) was a Japanese princess during the Asuka period
of Japanese history. She was the daughter of Emperor Temmu and sister of Prince Ōtsu
. As a young girl, she would have witnessed the Jinshin War
. According to the Man'yōshū (The Anthology of Ten Thousand Leaves), she became the first Saiō
to serve at Ise Shrine
. After the death of her brother in 686, she returned from Ise to Yamato
to enshrine his remains on Mt. Futakami, before a quiet end was put to her life at age 40.
. Her name derived from her birthplace.
She had a younger brother named Prince Ōtsu
, who was born three years later in Na no Ōtsu of Kyūshū.
Her mother, Princess Ōta, died when she was seven years old.
In the 9th Day of the 10th Month of the Temmu's era 3 (674), when she was twelve, she was appointed the Saiō
by her father, Emperor Temmu, and sent to the Saikū
near Ise Shrine
and spent 13 years there as the Saiō to serve the Goddess Amaterasu-Ōmikami that dwelled in the shrine.
Her brother, Prince Ōtsu, earned the Emperor's trust and became one of the candidates of his successor. In 686, when the Emperor is dying, Prince Ōtsu secretly visited the Saikū to see her. (Probably he went and see her in order to tell her that he was likely to succeed the throne after the Emperor died.) She was very pleased to see him again and celebrated his promotion.
However, he could not be the next emperor after the Emperor died. Because Empress-consort Uno-no-Sarara
had so much power that she declared that her son, Prince Kusakabe, should be appointed the next emperor. She told that Prince Ōtsu was a riot, and ordered the officers to arrest him. He was captured on the 2nd Day of the 10th Month, and a day later death by hanging was bestowed to him in his house of Osada.
His death shocked Ōku very much. More than that, she was dismissed from the position of the Saio on account of her near relative's death (Because death was considered as impure, no persons with their near relative's death can serve to God or Goddess anymore.) and returned to the capital from the Saikū. After returning to the capital, she composed three verses of lament for the sake of her brother, which are collected in the Man'yōshū.
After that, she neither did what was recorded in the chronicle nor married anybody. Her only work we know was the foundation of a temple of Natsumi
at the Nabari district in the province of Iga
by her vow.
are credited to Princess Ōku in the Man'yōshū. The following tell the story of the death of her brother, Prince Ōtsu
.
Taiho (era)
was a after a late 7th century interruption in the sequence of nengō after Shuchō and before Keiun. This period spanned the years from March 701 through May 704. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
1)) was a Japanese princess during the Asuka period
Asuka period
The , was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 , although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period...
of Japanese history. She was the daughter of Emperor Temmu and sister of Prince Ōtsu
Prince Otsu
was a Japanese poet and the son of Emperor Temmu.-Background:His mother was Princess Ōta whose father was Emperor Tenji. He was therefore the younger full-blood brother of Princess Ōku. His consort was Princess Yamanobe, daughter of Emperor Tenji, thus his cousin...
. As a young girl, she would have witnessed the Jinshin War
Jinshin War
The was a succession dispute in Japan which broke out in 672 following the death of Emperor Tenji. The name refers to the jinshin or ninth year of the sixty-year Jikkan Jūnishi calendrical cycle, corresponding to the Western year 673....
. According to the Man'yōshū (The Anthology of Ten Thousand Leaves), she became the first 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...
to serve at 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 ....
. After the death of her brother in 686, she returned from Ise to Yamato
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...
to enshrine his remains on Mt. Futakami, before a quiet end was put to her life at age 40.
Genealogy
She was born on 8th Day of the 1st Month of the Saimei's era 7 (661), in the cabin of the Imperial ship which dropped anchor at the sea of Ōku on the Empress Saimei's way to KyūshūKyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. Her name derived from her birthplace.
She had a younger brother named Prince Ōtsu
Prince Otsu
was a Japanese poet and the son of Emperor Temmu.-Background:His mother was Princess Ōta whose father was Emperor Tenji. He was therefore the younger full-blood brother of Princess Ōku. His consort was Princess Yamanobe, daughter of Emperor Tenji, thus his cousin...
, who was born three years later in Na no Ōtsu of Kyūshū.
Her mother, Princess Ōta, died when she was seven years old.
In the 9th Day of the 10th Month of the Temmu's era 3 (674), when she was twelve, she was appointed the 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...
by her father, Emperor Temmu, and sent to the Saikū
Saiku
, also known as "Itsukinomiya" , was a village located approximately 10 kilometers north-west of Ise Shrine, arguably the most significant Shinto shrine in Japan...
near 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 ....
and spent 13 years there as the Saiō to serve the Goddess Amaterasu-Ōmikami that dwelled in the shrine.
Her brother, Prince Ōtsu, earned the Emperor's trust and became one of the candidates of his successor. In 686, when the Emperor is dying, Prince Ōtsu secretly visited the Saikū to see her. (Probably he went and see her in order to tell her that he was likely to succeed the throne after the Emperor died.) She was very pleased to see him again and celebrated his promotion.
However, he could not be the next emperor after the Emperor died. Because Empress-consort Uno-no-Sarara
Empress Jito
was the 41st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.In the history of Japan, Jitō was the third of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The two female monarchs before Jitō were Suiko and Kōgyoku/Saimei...
had so much power that she declared that her son, Prince Kusakabe, should be appointed the next emperor. She told that Prince Ōtsu was a riot, and ordered the officers to arrest him. He was captured on the 2nd Day of the 10th Month, and a day later death by hanging was bestowed to him in his house of Osada.
His death shocked Ōku very much. More than that, she was dismissed from the position of the Saio on account of her near relative's death (Because death was considered as impure, no persons with their near relative's death can serve to God or Goddess anymore.) and returned to the capital from the Saikū. After returning to the capital, she composed three verses of lament for the sake of her brother, which are collected in the Man'yōshū.
After that, she neither did what was recorded in the chronicle nor married anybody. Her only work we know was the foundation of a temple of Natsumi
Natsumi Templesite
The former was a Buddhist temple complex during the Nara period in the city of Nabari, Mie Prefecture, Japan. It was built under a vow of Princess Oku in remembrance of her dead father, Emperor Temmu. The structures were burnt out in the end of the 10th century, but the foundations were found...
at the Nabari district in the province of Iga
Iga Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today western Mie Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iga bordered on Ise, Ōmi, Yamato, and Yamashiro Provinces.-Geography:...
by her vow.
Man'yōshū Poetry
A number of Waka poemsWaka (poetry)
Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
are credited to Princess Ōku in the Man'yōshū. The following tell the story of the death of her brother, Prince Ōtsu
Prince Otsu
was a Japanese poet and the son of Emperor Temmu.-Background:His mother was Princess Ōta whose father was Emperor Tenji. He was therefore the younger full-blood brother of Princess Ōku. His consort was Princess Yamanobe, daughter of Emperor Tenji, thus his cousin...
.
- Upon the departure of Prince Ōtsu for the capital after his secret visit to the Shrine of Ise
- To speed my brother
- Parting for Yamato,
- In the deep of night I stood
- Till wet with the dew of dawn.
- The lonely autumn mountains
- Are hard to pass over
- Even when two go together-
- How does my brother cross them all alone!
- On her arrival at the capital after the death of Prince Ōtsu
- Would that I had stayed
- In the land of Ise
- Of the Divine Wind.
- Why have I come
- Now that he is dead!
- Now that he is no more --
- My dear brother-
- Whom I so longed to see,
- Why have I come,
- Despite the tired horses!
- On the removal of Prince Ōtsu's remains to the Futagami mountains
- From tomorrow ever
- Shall I regard as brother
- The twin-peaked mountain of FutagamiFutagami Manyo Botanical GardensThe are botanical gardens located in Takaoka, Toyama, Japan.The garden site occupies about 10,000 m², and contains both wildflowers and many plant varieties mentioned in the Man'yōshū anthology.- References :*...
- - I, daughter of man!
- I would break off the branch
- Of the flowering staggerbush
- Growing on the rocky shore;
- But no one says he lives
- To whom I would show it!
External links
- Kanji Haitani's Man'yoshu Best 100, with explanations and translation.
- 2001 Waka: The Man'yôshû 日本古代史料本文データ Downloadable lzh compressed file of text of Man'yōshū