The First Of The Mikados
The year 1 in Japan is the same date as 660 B.C. of the Christian era,
so that Japan is now in its twenty-sixth century. Then everything began.
Before that date all is mystery and mythology. After that date there is
something resembling history, though in the early times it is an odd
mixture of history and fable. As for the gods of ancient Japan, they
were many in number, and strange stories are told of their doings. Of
the early men of the island kingdom we know very little. When the
ancestors of the present Japanese arrived there they found the islands
occupied by a race of savages, a people thickly covered with hair, and
different in looks from all the other inhabitants of Asia. These in time
were conquered, and only a few of them now remain,--known as Ainos, and
dwelling in the island of Yezo.
In the Japanese year 1 appeared a conqueror, Jimmu Tenno by name, the
first of the mikados or emperors. He was descended from the goddess of
the Sun, and made his home at the foot of Kirishima, a famous mountain
in the island of Kiushiu, the most southerly of the four large islands
of Japan. As to the smaller islands of that anchored empire, it may be
well to say that they form a vast multitude of all shapes and sizes,
being in all nearly four thousand in number. The Sea of Japan is truly
a sea of islands.
By way of the sailing clouds, and the blue sky which rests upon
Kirishima's snowy top, the gods stepped down from heaven to earth. Down
this celestial path came Jimmu's ancestors, of whom there were four
between him and the mighty Sun goddess. Of course no one is asked to
accept this for fact. Somewhat too many of the fathers of nations were
sons of the gods. It may be that Jimmu was an invader from some foreign
land, or came from a band of colonists who had settled at the mountain's
foot some time before, but the gods have the credit of his origin.
At any rate, Hiuga, as the region in which he dwelt was called, was not
likely to serve the ends of a party of warlike invaders, there being no
part of Japan less fertile. So, as the story goes, Jimmu, being then
fifty years old, set out to conquer some richer realm. He had only a few
followers, some being his brothers, the others his retainers, all of
them, in the language of the legends, being kami, or gods. Jimmu was
righteous; the savages were wicked, though they too had descended from
the gods. These savages dwelt in villages, each governed by a head-man
or chief. They fought hard for their homes, and were not easily driven
away.
The story of Jimmu's exploits is given in the Kojiki, or "Book of
Ancient Traditions," the oldest book of Japan. There is another, called
the Nihongi, nearly as old, being composed in 720 A.D. These give us
all that is known of the ancient history of the island, but are so full
of myths and fables that very little of the story is to be trusted.
Histories of later times are abundant, and form the most important part
of the voluminous literature of Japan. The islanders are proud of their
history, and have preserved it with the greatest care, the annals of
cities and families being as carefully preserved as those of the state.
Jimmu the conqueror, as his story is told in the Kojiki, met strange
and frightful enemies on his march. Among them were troops of spiders of
colossal size and frightful aspect, through whose threatening ranks he
had to fight his way. Eight-headed serpents had also to be dealt with,
and hostile deities--wicked gods who loved not the pious
adventurer--disputed his path. Some of these he rid himself of by
strength of arm and sharpness of sword, some by shrewdness of wit. His
line of march lay to Usa, in the district of Buzen; thence to Okada,
where he took ship and made his way through the windings of the Suwo
Nada, a part of the Inland Sea of Japan.
Landing in Aki, Jimmu built himself a palace, and dwelt there for seven
years, after which he sought the region of Bizen, where for eight years
more he lived in peace. Then, stirred once more by his in-dwelling love
of adventure, he took to the sea again with his faithful band and sailed
to the eastward. Rough waves and swift currents here disputed his way,
and it was with difficulty that he at length landed on Hondo, the main
island of Japan, near where the city of Osaka now stands. He named the
spot Nami Haya ("swift waves").
Jimmu Tenno, the name of the conqueror, means "spirit of war," and so
far victory had perched upon his banners as he marched. But now defeat
came. The people of the great island fought fiercely for their homes and
liberties, a brother of Jimmu was wounded, and he and his band of
followers were driven back with loss.
The gods surely had something to do with this,--for in those days the
gods were thought to have little to do besides busying themselves with
the affairs of men,--and the cause of the defeat was sought by means of
sacred ceremonies and invocations. It proved to be an odd one. The
legend states they had offended the Sun goddess by presuming to travel
to the east, instead of following the path of the sun from east to west.
This insult to the gods could be atoned for only by a voyage to the
west. Taking to their ships again, they sailed westward around Kii, and
landed at Arasaka.
Jimmu had expiated his fault, and was again in favor with the gods. The
chief whom he now faced surrendered without a blow, and presented the
conquering hero with a sword. A picture of this scene, famous in the
early history of Japan, is printed on one of the Japanese greenback
notes issued in 1872.
The victor next sought the mountain-defended land of Yamato, which was
to be reached only by difficult mountain-passes, unknown to the chief
and his followers. But the gods had taken him in charge and came to his
aid, sending a giant crow, whose wings were eight feet long, to guide
him to the fertile soil of Yamato. A crow with smaller spread of wing
might have done the work as well, but would have been less satisfactory
to the legend-makers.
Fierce was the conflict now impending, and stern the struggle of the
natives for life and liberty. Here were no peaceful chiefs, like the one
met at Arasaka, and only by dint of trenchant blows was the land to be
won. On went the fight, victory now inclining to one side, now to the
other, until in the midst of the uncertain struggle the gods sent down a
deep and dark cloud, in whose thick shadow no man could see his foe, and
the strife was stayed. Suddenly, through the dense darkness, a bird in
the shape of a hawk came swooping down from the skies, enveloped in a
flood of golden light, and, dispersing the cloud, rested upon the hero's
bow. The light shed by his refulgent wings struck like the glare of
lightning upon the eyes of the enemy, so dazzling them with its radiance
that they broke into panic flight.
A victory gained in such a fashion as this does not seem quite
satisfactory to modern ideas. It is not fair to the other side. Yet it
was in this way that the Greeks won victory on the plains of Troy, and
that many other legendary victories were obtained. One cannot help
wishing that the event of battle had been left to the decision of brave
hearts and strong hands, instead of depending upon the interposition of
the gods. But such was the ancient way,--if we choose to take legend for
truth,--and we must needs receive what is given us, in default of
better.
At any rate, Jimmu was now lord of the land, and built himself a capital
city at Kashiwabara, near the site of the modern Kioto, from which he
governed the wide realms that the sword had made his own. The gods were
thanked for their aid by imposing religious ceremonies, and the people
rejoiced in the peace that had come upon the land. The soldiers who had
followed the hero to victory were amply rewarded, and his chiefs made
lords of provinces, for the control over which they were to pay in
military service. Thus early a form of feudal government was established
in Japan.
All being now at peace within the realm, the weapons of war were hung up
in home and temple, sacrifices were offered to the goddess of the Sun,
and the three sacred emblems of the new kingdom, the mirror, the sword,
and the ball, were deposited with solemn ceremonies in the palace of the
emperor.
The remainder of Jimmu's story may be briefly told. He took for bride
the princess Tatara, the daughter of one of his chiefs, and the most
beautiful woman in all the land. The rest of his life was spent in
strengthening his rule and extending the arts of civilization throughout
his realm. Finally he died, one hundred and thirty-seven years old, as
the Kojiki states, leaving three children, one of whom he had chosen
as the heir of the throne.
That there was an actual Jimmu Tenno is more than any one can say. Of
course the crow and kite, serpents and spiders, are myths, transformed,
perhaps, from some real incidents in his career, and the gods that
helped and hindered were doubtless born in men's fancies in later days.
The Chinese have their story of how Japan was settled. Taiko,
grandfather of the first emperor of the Shu dynasty, had three sons,
and, loving the youngest most, wished to leave him his title and estate.
These by law and custom belonged to the eldest, and the generous young
prince, not wishing to injure his brother, secretly left home and sailed
to the south. Leaving Southern China with a colony, he landed in Japan.
This took place about forty-six years before the beginning of Jimmu's
conquering career, so that the dates, at least, agree.
Whether there ever was a Jimmu or not, the Japanese firmly believe in
him. He stands on the list as the first of the mikados, and the reigning
emperor claims unbroken descent from him. April 7 is looked upon as the
anniversary of his accession to the throne, and is the Japanese national
holiday, which is observed with public rejoicings and military and naval
salutes. The year 1 was the year in which Jimmu ascended the throne.