The Hall of Miwa
(Of sweet sake fame),
Even its morning-door
I would push open—
The door of the Hall of Miwa.[1]
So the door of the Shrine of the God was thrown open, and the Emperor proceeded on his way.
He who was called Oho-tata-neko was the first ancestor of the Kimi of Miwa.
B.C. 89. 9th year, Spring, 3rd month, 15th day. The Emperor had a dream in which a divine person appeared to him and instructed him, saying:—"Take eight red shields and eight red spears and do worship to the God of Sumi-zaka. Take moreover eight black shields and eight black spears and do worship to the God of Oho-zaka."
Summer, 4th month, 16th day. In accordance with the instruction he had received in the dream, he worshipped the Gods of Sumi-zaka and Oho-zaka.[2]
B.C. 88. 10th year, Autumn, 7th month, 24th day. He proclaimed to the company of Ministers, saying:—"For the guidance of the people, the chief thing is education. Now that I have performed due rites to the Gods of Heaven and Earth, all calamity has become spent. The distant savages, however, do not receive our calendar because they are yet unaccustomed to (V. 9.) the civilizing influences of our rule. We will, therefore, select some of our company of Ministers and despatch them to the four quarters, so that they may cause our Will to be known."
9th month, 9th day. The Emperor sent Oho-hiko no Mikoto to the northern region, he sent Takenu-kaha wake to the Eastern Sea,[3] he sent Kibi[4]-tsu-hiko to the Western road,
- ↑ The sentiment of these poems seems to be the same as that of our own "We won't go home till morning."
Metre irregular. - ↑ However unhistorical all this may be, one thing clearly appears from it, viz., that in the early days of Japan the king and high priest were identical. Both the civil and religious functions, however, might be equally delegated.
- ↑ In the original Tō-kai, whence Tōkaidō, East-sea-road, the great highway from Kioto to the East and also the provinces lying to each side it.
- ↑ Kibi is the ancient name for Bizen, Bingo, and Bittchiu, which lie west of Yamato.
