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, originally , was a Japanese legendary prince of the Yamato dynasty, son of Emperor Keiko, who is traditionally counted as the 12th Emperor of Japan. The story of his life and death are told principally in the Japanese chronicles ''Kojiki'' (712) and ''Nihon Shoki'' (720), but also mentioned in ''Kogo shūi'' (807) and some histories like the (721). One of his sons became Emperor Chūai, the 14th Emperor of Japan. His history is uncertain but based on the chronicles his life can be calculated. He was born circa 72 and died in 114. Details are different between the two books, and the version in ''Kojiki'' is assumed to be loyal to the older form of this legend. ==Legendary narrative== Prince Ōsu slew his elder brother . His father, the emperor Keikō, feared his brutal temperament. To keep him at a distance, the father sent him to Izumo Province, today the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture, and then the land of Kumaso, today Kumamoto Prefecture. However, Ōsu succeeded in defeating his enemies, in the latter case by cross-dressing as a maid attendant at a drinking party (see image left). One of the enemies he defeated praised him and gave him the title Yamatotakeru, meaning ''The Brave of Yamato''. But Emperor Keikō's mind was unchanged. Keikō sent Yamato Takeru to the eastern land whose people disobeyed the imperial court. Yamatotakeru met his aunt Princess Yamato-hime, the highest priestess of Amaterasu at Ise Grand Shrine (in Ise Province) and grieved, "my father wishes I would die?" Princess Yamato-hime showed him compassion and lent him a holy sword named ''Ame no Murakumo no tsurugi (Kusanagi no tsurugi)'', which Susanoo, the brother god of Amaterasu, found in the body of the eight-headed great serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Yamatotakeru went to the eastern land. He lost his wife Oto tachibana-hime during a storm when she sacrificed herself to soothe the anger of the sea god. He defeated many enemies in the eastern land, and legend has it that he and a local old man composed the first sedōka in Kai Province with Mount Tsukuba (now in Ibaraki Prefecture) as its theme. On his return he blasphemed a local god of Mount Ibuki, which sits on the border of Ōmi Province and Mino Province. The god cursed him with disease and he fell ill. The story above is found in the ''Kojiki''. In the ''Nihonshoki'' version, the father and Yamatotakeru keep a good relation. According to traditional sources, Yamato Takeru died in the 43rd year of Emperor Keiko's reign (景行天皇43年).〔Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1953) ''Studies in Shinto and Shrines,'' p. 433.〕 The possessions of the dead prince were gathered together along with the sword Kusanagi; and his widow venerated his memory in a shrine at her home. Some time later, these relics and the sacred sword were moved to the current location of Atsuta Shrine.〔Ponsonby-Fane, p. 434.〕 Yamato Takeru is believed to have died somewhere in Ise Province. According to the legend, the name of Mie Prefecture was derived from his final words. After death his soul turned into a great white bird and flew away. His tomb in Ise is known as the Mausoleum of the White Plover. A statue of Yamato Takeru stands in Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, Ishikawa. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Yamato Takeru」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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