Amenohiboko

Statue of Amenohiboko in Fukui Prefecture, Tsuruga City

Amenohiboko (天日槍) was a legendary prince of Silla who settled in Japan during the era of Emperor Suinin, around the 3rd or 4th century[1] and was said to have lived in Tajima Province. His descendants are the Tajima clan.[2] Amenohiboko is the ancestral god of Tajima Province and is supposedly enshrined in the Shinto Shrine (Izushi jinja) at Toyooka in Hyōgo Prefecture.[3]

Seven or eight treasures brought by Amenohiboko are thought to be housed in Izushi Shrine in Hyōgo Prefecture.

According to the Nihon Shoki, "In Kagami Village, Omi Province, there was a craftsman of Suebe who served the prince of Silla, Amenohiboko, who came to Japan."[4][5] However, at present, early Sueki was not found at Kagamiyama ruins of old kilns in Ryuocho, Shiga Prefecture, which is closely linked to this description, or either in Tajima region where Amenohiboko is said to have lived. Amenohiboko is attributed, in legend, some parts of Toyooka City.[6]

His descendant became the mother to Empress Jingū.

  1. ^ Nihon Shoki, Vol.6 "天日槍對曰 僕新羅國主之子也 然聞日本國有聖皇 則以己國授弟知古而化歸之"
  2. ^ Nihon Shoki, Vol.6 "故天日槍娶但馬出嶋人 太耳女麻多烏 生但馬諸助也 諸助生但馬日楢杵 日楢杵生清彦清彦生田道間守也"
  3. ^ TOYOOKA City Hyogo Prefecture [Travel Guide] [1] Archived 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine "“Amenohiboko”, the ancestral god of the Tajima area is enshrined and eight kinds of treasure are present as Tajima's best shrine. Its name appears listed in the oldest literature of Japan, the Kojiki- and Nihon-shoki ("The Description of Folk History" and "The Chronicle of Japan," written in the Nara era), and is said to have been an important shrine of the San-in area since ancient days."
  4. ^ Kanzaki, Shiho. "The history of Shigaraki pottery". www.the-anagama.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  5. ^ The Suinin Chronicle of Nihonshoki "是以近江国鏡谷陶人。則天日槍之従人也"
  6. ^ "Introduction". www.city.toyooka.hyogo.jp. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 26 August 2016.