Japanese Mythology · hero

Yamato Takeru

日本武尊
also: Yamato Takeru-no-Mikoto · the Brave Hero of Yamato
heroherowarthe imperial line

A semi-legendary imperial prince-hero of the 7th-century tradition, famed for his campaigns; a literary/legendary hero rather than a Kojiki deity.

YA
The account

Who they are

Yamato Takeru-no-Mikoto ('Brave Hero of Yamato') is a semi-legendary prince-hero of the Japanese imperial line, a central figure of later (7th-century and later) legend and the 'heroic' stratum of Japanese narrative [S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch. He is famed for his campaigns (the eastern and southern subjugations) and his death by a trick (the 'arrow that sings'). He belongs to the heroic/legendary layer rather than the primordial Kojiki theogony, and he illustrates the range of the Japanese tradition from cosmic theogony to imperial hero-legend [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch[S21]S21 · *Shinto: A Very Short Introduction* — Sue Keown (Oxford UP, 2010) — SCHOLARLY OVERVIEW (for the living-tradition framing and later developme.
Worth knowing
  • A semi-legendary imperial prince-hero [S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
  • Famed for his campaigns and his death by a trick (the 'arrow that sings') [S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
  • Belongs to the heroic/legendary layer, not the primordial theogony [S21]S21 · *Shinto: A Very Short Introduction* — Sue Keown (Oxford UP, 2010) — SCHOLARLY OVERVIEW (for the living-tradition framing and later developme.
Uncertainties & variants
  • His historicity is uncertain; he is a legend/semi-legendary figure, and the details of his exploits are literary [S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch[S21]S21 · *Shinto: A Very Short Introduction* — Sue Keown (Oxford UP, 2010) — SCHOLARLY OVERVIEW (for the living-tradition framing and later developme.
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No typed relationships recorded for this entity.

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Their corner of the divine world

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hierarchical — generations top → bottom, partners side by side
Overlays
FocusYamato TakeruJapanese
JAPANESE · 21♥♥♥Kusanagi-no-Tsu…Yasakani no Mag…Yata no KagamiAme-no-NubokoAme-no-UzumeAmenominakanushiInariIzanagiIzanamiTakamimusubiKotohikoneKushinada-himeNinigiŌkuninushiSarutahikoTakemikazuchiYamata-no-OrochiYamato TakeruAmaterasuKagutsuchiKonohanasakuya-h…SusanooTsukuyomiToyotama-himeHooroni (Ōyahata)
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