Kokaji Text

Author Unknown
School Version Kongō
Translation Rebecca Teele Ogamo

ACT 1

Waki Enters: Nanori
Wakizure:
Somo somo kore wa
Ichijō-no-In ni tsukae-tatematsuru.
Tachibana-no-Michinari to wa waga koto nari.
Sate mo mikado konya kidoku no go-reimu, mashimashite.
Sanjō-no-Kokaji Munechika ni.
Mi-tsurugi wo utaserarubeshi to no
senji tadaima narikudarite sōrō hodo ni.
Kono yoshi wo Munechika ni mōshi-tsukebaya to zonji sōrō.
Wakizure:
To begin with,
I am in the service of the Emperor Ichijo.
I am known as Tachibana no Michinari.
It so happens that his Lordship
has this night had a portentous dream oracle.
The Sanjo swordsmith Munechika
must be ordered to forge a blade.
I am on my way now to tell Munechika of this matter.
Waki Enters: Mondō 1
Wakizure:
Ikani kono uchini Munechika no watari-sōrō ka
Wakizure:
Is Munechika at home?
Waki:
Tare nite watari sōrozo.
Waki:
Who is it that has come here?
Wakizure:
Kore wa senji nite sōrō
Waga kimi konya fushigi no reimu, mashimashite.
Mitsurugi wo utaserarubeshi tono onkoto nari.
Tōtō tsukamatsuri sōrae
Wakizure:
I am a messenger from the Emperor.
His Majesty has this night had a marvelous oracle in a dream.
According to the oracle you must forge a fine sword for him.
Please comply with this order at once.
Waki:
Senji kashikomatte uketamawari sōrō sarinagara.
Orifushi aizuchi utsubeki mono naku sōrō wo ba,
nani to tsukamatsuri sōrō beki.
Waki:
While I certainly must agree to execute this imperial order,
as I do not have anyone to assist me,
I do not know how I will be able to carry it out.
Wakizure:
Fushigi no koto wo mōsu mono kana.
Sono na wo etaru, nanji naruga
aizuchi utsubeki mono no naki towa.
Kokoroegataki iigotokana.
Wakizure:
What you say, sir, seems most strange.
To hear that someone of your reputation
does not have an appropriate assistant,
is most unfortunate news.
Waki:
Kore wa ōse nite sōrae domo,
Kayō no ichidaiji no mono wo tsukamatsuru ni wa,
ware ni hodonaru koto no mono no aizuchi, tsukamatsuri koso.
Mitsurugi wo mo uchimōsubekere.
Tonikaku ni onpenji wo mōshikane.
Sekimenshitaru bakari nari.
Waki:
Even though I am commanded to do so,
without an assistant whose skill is equal to my own,
it will not be possible fulfill this order
to forge a fine imperial blade.
This is the answer I must give,
though I am overcome with embarrassment.
Wakizure:
Mōsu tokoro wa saru koto naredomo.
Mikado mo fushigi no reimu mashimaseba.
Ikanaru koto ka sōrōbeki
tanomoshiku omoi mōshitsutsu
hayahaya ryōjō mōlsubeshito.
Kasanete senji arikereba
Wakizure:
Even though it may be as you say,
yet as this is the Emperor’s wonderful dream oracle,
it surely must be relied upon
and you must quickly say
you will accept the order.
Let me repeat the imperial command!
Waki Enters: Ageuta 1
Waki:
Kono ue wa tonimo kakunimo Munechika ga,
Waki:
At this point, in any case, Munechika,
Jiutai:
Tonimo kakunimo Munechika ga,
Shintai koko ni kiwamarite.
Mitsurugi no yaiba no midaruru kokoro narikeri.
Sarinagara goseitō sugunaru ima no miyo nareba,
moshimo kidoku no ariyasen.
Sore nomi tanomu kokoro kana.
Sore nomi tanomu kokoro kana.
Jiutai:
In any case, Munechika,
must here decide his course of action.
Like the ripples beaten along a well-forged blade his heart wavers.
Yet as the reign in the present age is righteous,
a miracle may well be afforded me.
I must place my trust only in this.
I must place my trust only in this.
Waki Enters: Dialogue
Wakizure:
Senji ni makase tōtō mitsurugi wo tsukamatsuri sōrae.
Wakizure:
Hurry and make the sword.
Waki:
Kashikomatte sōro.
Waki:
Yes, sir.
Waki Enters: Monologue
Waki:
Kore wa ichidaiji no koto wo, ōse idasarate sōrō mono kana.
Kayō no koto ni wa shinriki wo tanomu naradewa, bechigi naku sōro.
Soregashi ga uji no shin na Inari no, myōjin nite sōrō hodoni.
Kore yori sugu ni, Inari ni mairi.
Kono koto kisei mōsabaya to zonji-sōro.
Waki:
This is a great task you have come to give me.
Such a command can be carried out if I ask for divine help.
As my family deity is Inari no Myojin,
I will go at once to Inari,
and pray concerning this matter.
Dialogue: Mondō 2
Shite:
Nō nō are naru wa Sanjō no Kokaji Munechika nite, on iri sōrō ka.
Shite:
Ho there! Is that the Swordsmith of Sanjo, Munechika ?
Waki:
Fushigi ya na nabete narazaru on-koto naru ga.
Michi mo naki kata yori kitaritamai
waga na wo sashite notamō wa.
Ikanaru hito nite mashi-masu zo.
Waki:
How mysterious! Here is someone who is certainly not an ordinary person.
There is no path from the direction from which he has appeared,
and now he has called me by name.
What manner of man are you ?
Shite:
Kumo no ue naru kimi yori mo
tsurugi wo uchite mairaseyo to
nanji ni ōse ari shi yo nō.
Shite:
You have been ordered
by his Imperial Majesty
to forge a sword!
Waki:
Sareba koso,
sore ni tsukete mo nao nao kidoku no on-koto nare.
Tsurugi no choku mo tadaima naru wo.
Hayaku mo shiroshimesaruru koto
Kaesu-gaesu mo fushin nari.
Waki:
As I thought, you are not what you seem to be,
and events must be of great importance indeed.
I have just received the order to make a blade!
How could it be that anyone could know so soon ?
No matter how I consider it, the matter is most strange.
Shite:
Geni geni sore wa saru koto naredomo
ware nomi shireba moro bito made mo.
Ten ni koe ari, chi ni hibiku.
Shite:
In truth, it is as you say. It is said: To know a thing one's self,
is to find it known to all.
A voice in heaven, echoes on the earth!
Dialogue: Ageuta 2
Jiutai:
Kabe ni mimi:
Iwa no mono iu yo no naka ni,
Iwa no mono iu yo no naka ni,
Kakure wa araji koto ni nao,
kumo no uebito no mitsurugi no
hikari wa nanika kurakaran.
Tada tanome kono kimi no
Megumi ni yoraba mitsurugi mo
nado ka kokoro ni kanawazaru.
Nado ka wa kanawazarubeki.
Jiutai:
Wall have ears:
In the world where rocks may speak,
In the world where rocks may speak,
and nothing is hidden,
nothing shall dim the radiance
of the Emperor's sword.
Only have faith
that through his Majesty's grace and the sword
will be realized as you wish.
It must be realized.
Shite Performs: Kuri
Jiutai:
Sore Kan-nō sanseki no tsurugi
inagara Shin no midare wo shizume.
Mata Yō-tei ga Kei no tsurugi
Shiujt'n no hikari wo ubaeri.
Jiutai:

Once with such a blade, the Emperor’s Three-Foot Sword1,
subdued the rebellion of the Ts’in by its reputation alone.
Again, the Yang Emperor, with his sword Kei
outshone the brilliance of the House of Chou.

Shite Performs: Sashi
Shite:
Sono nochi Gensō Kō-tei no Shōki Daijin mo,
Shite:

In later years, the Emperor Huan Tsung’s Minister Chung K’ei too,2

Jiutai:
Tsurugi no toku ni konpaku wa,
kunpen ni tsukae-tatematsuri.
Mōryō kijin ni itaru made
tsurugi no yaiba no hikari ni osorete
sono ada wo nasu koto wo ezu.
Jiutai:
joined his spirit after death with the virtue of his sword,
and thus, served at his Lord's side.
Even evil spirits and demons
were in fear of that sword's glow,
and the destruction they sought was not achieved.
Shite:
Kanka honchō ni oite tsurugi no itoku
Shite:
Indeed, the virtue of the swords in China and Japan
Jiutai:
mōsu ni oyobanu kidoku to kaya.
Jiutai:
and their miraculous power is beyond expression!
Shite Performs: Kuse
Jiutai:
Mata waga chō no sono hajime.
Ninnō jūnidai Keikō-tennō ,
miko no mikato no on-na wo ba
Yamata-dake to mōshishiga.
Kiui wo Taiji no chiku wo uke.
Seki no higashi mo harukanaru.
Azuma no tabi no michi sugara.
Ise ya Owari no umizura ni tatsu nami made mo
kaeru koto yo to urayami,
itsu ka warera mo kaeru nami no,
koromode ni arama shi to omoi-tsuzukete-yuku hodo ni.
Jiutai:

And so, it was in the early days of our history,
the Twelfth of the Imperial Line, the Emperor Keikō,
had a son known by the name Yamato-dake.3
The wild barbarians! He received the order to subdue them.
The barrier check points far behind as yet further to the East.
The road of his journey to the Eastern provinces took him.
Even at Ise and Owari the waves on the sea rise and return!
With envy he wondered always,
when he too might find himself, with foam-drenched sleeves
returning home, even as he continued on his way.

Shite:
Koko ya kashiko no tatakai ni,
Shite:
In the battles in one place and in the next ,
Jiutai:
Jin-ba gankutsu ni mi wo kudaki,
Chi wa takuroku no kawa to natte,
kōha tate nagashi sudo ni oyoberu Ebisu mo.
Kabuto wo nuide hoko wo fuse
mina kōsan wo mōshikeri.
Mi-koto no gyō yori mi-kariba wo susume tamaeri.
Koro wa Kami-na-zuki,
hatsu ka amari no koto nareba.
Yo-mo no momiji mo fuyugare no
tō-yama ni miyuru hatsu-yuki wo,
nagame sase tamaishi ni,
Jiutai:
men and horses: their bodies crushed in their caverns,
their blood on the battlefields a river,
their shields swept away on crimson waves again and again.
Finally, the barbarians removed their helmets,
lay down their arms and were made to surrender.
From the time of this Prince's reign, the royal sport of hunting was begun.
It was an incident that occurred,
on the twentieth day of the Tenth month:
Everywhere the autumn tints had faded,
and even on the distant winter withered mountains,
the traces of the first snow fall could be seen.
Shite:
Yebisu shi-hō wo kakomitsutsu.
Shite:
The barbarians surrounding him on every side.
Jiutai:
Kare-no no kusa ni hi wo kake
yo-en shikiri ni moe-kitari.
Kataki-seme-tsuzumi wo uchi-kakete.
Ka-en wo hanachite kakarikareba.
Jiutai:
Set fire to the grass of the withered fields, and as the blaze burned high
and as the blaze burned high with heavy lingering billows of smoke.
Began to beat their war drums in the signal to attack.
The Towering flames! as the attack blazed forward.
Shite:
Mi-koto tsurugi wo nuite...
Shite:
The Prince drew his sword....
Jiutai:
Mi-koto tsurugi wo nuite,
atari wo harai tachimachi.
ni honō mo tachi-shirizoke to,
shi-hō no kusa wo nagi-haraeba.
Tsurugi no seirei arashi to natte,
hon wo mo kusa mo fuki-kaesarete.
Ten ni kakayaki chi ni michite.
Myō-ka wa kaette kataki wo yakeba.
Su man gi no Yebisu-domo wa,
tachimachi koko nite usetengeri.
Sono nochi shi-kai osamarite,
Jin-ka to-zashi wo wasureshi mo.
Sono Kusanagi no yue to ka ya.
Tadaima nanji ga utsubeki
kono zuisō no mitsurugi mo.
Ika de sore ni wa otorubeki.
Tsutōru ie no Munechika yo,
kokoro yasuku mo omoite ge-kō shi tamae.
Jiutai:
The Prince drawing his sword,
wielded it about him.
At once, the flames drew back,
as it mowed down the grasses in all directions.
The spirit of the sword became a storm
blasting back the raging flames and grasses too.
The blaze lit up the heavens, covered the earth!
A furnace of fierce flames turned back to devour the enemy forces.
Thus, the countless barbarians,
and cavalrymen were brought down.
So, in later years the Empire was at peace:
So much so that the people forgot to bar the doors of their houses.
This is because of the 'Grass-cutter', it was said.
And now, this auspicious omened blade
that you must forge!
Is there any reason it should be a lesser blade than that ?
Munechika, heir to a house of proud tradition,
set your heart at rest and go home now.
Shite Exits: Kakeai 1
Waki:
Kanka honchō ni oite tsurugi no itoku
Toki ni totte no shiugen mōsu, hakari no kusōrō.
Sate satemo onmi wa ikanaru hito zo.
Waki:
What you have told me of the power of the swords in China and Japan
has gladdened my heart at this important hour.
Yet, I press you again to tell me who you are.
Shite:
Yoshi tare nari tomo tanomubeshi.
Mazumazu choku no mitsurugi wo
utsu beki dan no kazaritsutsu.
Sono toki ware wo machitamawaba.
Shite:
Who I may be is of no consequence, but you must pray!
Before anything else adorn your forge mound
where you will temper the Imperial blade.
And at that time, if you will but wait for me.
Shite Exits: Ageuta 3
Jiutai:
Tsūriki no mi wo henji.
Tsūriki no mi wo henji,
kanarazu sono jiset'n ni
mairi aite onchikara wo tsuke-mōsubeshi.
Machitamae to.
Iugumo no Inariyama,
yukue mo shirazu usenikeri.
Yukue mo shirazu usenikeri.
Jiutai:
I will change into supernatural form.
Having changed into a supernatural form,
I will come without fail, at the appointed time,
and join you, adding my strength to yours.
Then wait for me!
So saying, into the evening clouds of Mt. Inari,
without a sign of where he went, he vanished.
Without a sign of where he went, he vanished.

AIKYŌGEN

Kyōgen:
Kayō ni sōro mono wa Inari Daimyōjin ni,
tsukaemōsu massha noshin nite sōro.
Tadaima kore eh izuru koto, yomo gi ni arazu.
Satemo, ninnō Rokujūrokudai Ichijō no in,
kono hodo, fushigi no ontsuge mashimashite,
Sanjō no Kokaji Munechika ni,
mitsurugi wo utaserarubeki to no on koto nari.
Sunawachi Michinari nōkyō, chokushi to natte,
senji no omomuki. ōserare sureba,
Munechika, sneji uketemawari kahodo daiji no mitsurugi wo,
uchimōsu ni wa, soregashi ichinin nite wa hakaraigatashi.
Ware ni otonaru aizuchi nakute wa kanawaji tote,
mazu wa gojitai nasaresōrō ga ringen nase nogotoshi,
kastu wa ie no menboku to zonji, ouke wo mōsoresōro.
Sarinagara, kono tabi no mitsurugi wo uchimōsuni wa,
Soregashi ichinin wa hakaraigatashi,
Shinriki wo tanomōruru tote,
sunawachi, Inari Daimyōjin na ujishin nari.
Koto sara, kaji wo mamori tamao ongami nareba,
Tadaima sankei tsukamatsuri sōro. Tokoro no.
Katajikenakumo tosha myojin gozonji atte
kari ni dōji sugata to genji Munechika ni uchiai,
on-kotoba wo kawasaresōro.
Sōjite, wagakyō ni oite,
kamiyo yori tsutōru reiken, futatsu ari.
Totsuka no tsurugi to mōsu wa, Susanō no mikoto,
Izumo no kuni, Hi no kawakami ni, daijya no arishi wo,
Tsukamaetamaishimo, kono tsurugi no itoku nari.
Matta,Murakumo no tsurugi to mōsu wa,
sono toki daijya no wo ni arishi tsurugi nari.
Matta, ninō junidai Keikō tenno, daini no miko,
Yamatodake no Mikoto tōi wo tairagetamaishi wo,
sono tsurugi no itoku nari.
Sore yori aratame, Kusanagi no tsurugi to wa, kore wo mōsu nari.
Sono hoka, Kan no kōsō Sanseki no ken,
Kan Shō Bakuga no tsurugi, morokoshi wagakyo ni oite
tsurugi no itoku, kotogotoku onmonogatari nasare.
Nonji mo, na wo ehtaru kaji nareba, izure ni ototoru.
Mitsurugi wo uchimōsu nari. Kane wo kitōte matsubeshi.
Sono toki Myojin raigenatte,
Aizuchi wo utaserarubeki to no onkoto nareba,
Munechika mo, yorokobi no mayu wo hikari,
tadaima, gekō tsukamatsurite sōrō.
Sōjite nanigoto mo kisei wo kakemōseba,
shōganjōju utagai nashi.
Kamaete sono bun, kokoroe sōrae.
Kyōgen:
I am the god of a subsidiary shrine and in the service o Inari Daimyōjin.
I have come here before you now on a matter of no small importance.
Now then, it seems that Emperor Ichijo, sixty-sixth of the imperial line,
has recently had a portentous dream oracle.
According to it, the Sano swordsmith Munechika
must be ordered to forge a blade.
At that time, Minister Michinari was the imperial envoy,
who gave him the details of the imperial message.
Munechika hearing the message, agreed to comply with the order,
though to forge such an important blade, he said, though to forge such an important blade,
was something he could not do by himself.
“As it will be impossible without an assistant of skill equal to my own,
I should certainly refuse this order, but as this is a request from the Emperor himself,
I know I would bring great shame to my house to decline and so I will accept it”, he said.
And so, as it would not be possible for him to forge the sword by himself on this occasion,
in order to do it he decided he must call on divine power,
in other words, on Inari Daimyojin, his family’s tutelary god.
If indeed a deity who would watch over his forge,
he decided he must go at once and pray concerning this matter.
As he did this then so humbly, the god of Inari shrine knew of it and,
taking the form of a youth, appeared and with
Munechika, and spoke to him.
Commonly, in our land there have,
from the Age of the Gods, been two sacred swords.
The one called “Totsuka no Tsurugi”, the Ten-span Sword
was used by Susanō no mikoto,
when learning of a great serpent at the headwaters of the Hi River, in the country of Izumo,
he destroyed it, due to the virtue of this sword.
Then again, the sword called “Murakumo no Tsurugi” the Gathering Clouds Sword,
was the sword he found at that time in the tail of the great serpent.
Then again, Yamato dake no Mikoto, the second son of Enperor Keikō,
the twelfth of the imperial line, subdued the people of the eastern lands,
this also due to the virtue of that sword.
From that time, it was renamed and known as “Kunasagi no tsurugi”, the Grass Cutting Sword,
the Gan Jiang and Mo Ye Swords. He told him many stories
of the virtue of swords, both in China and in our own country.
“You too, if you are a swordsmith of repute, will be able to forge a blade of equal merit.
“Prepare, temper the metal and wait”.
At that time, Myojin will appear and be your assistant
In forging the blade. This being the case,
Munechika, his eyebrows relaxed in joy,
is even now coming this way to do these things.
In this way then, when prayers are offered,
they shall be fulfilled without a doubt.
On this matter, rest assured.

ACT 2

Waki Waits: Notto
Waki:
Munechika choku ni shitagatte
fujō wo hedatsuru nanae no shime
shi-hō ni honzon no kake tatematsuri
heihaku wo sasage, ōgi negawakuwa
Nin-nō rokuju-roku dai,
Ichijo-no-In no gyo-o ni
sono shoku no homare wo kō-muru koto
kore watakushi no chikara ni arazu.
Izanagi Izanami no Mikoto
Amano-Ukihashi wo fumi-watari
Toyo-ashi-wara wo saguri tamaishi
mi-hoko yori hajimareri.
Sono nochi Nansen-Sōkata-koku Bashi
Mida Sonja yori kono kata
Amakuni Fujito no shison ni tsutaete ima ni itareri.
Waki:
To begin with,
Now, I, Munichika, in compliance with the Imperial Will
have accordingly ascended the dais to ward off impurities.
It is adorned with the Seven-fold Sacred Rope,
and in the four corners sacred images placed in reverence.
I raise up this Sacred wand and make my petition.
Now, in the reign of the Sixty-sixth Emperor Ichijo,
I have been honored greatly in my craft,
through no effort of my own,
rather, I have held in trust those skills.
When Izanagi and Izanami crossed over
the Floating Bridge of Heaven,
and probed the Abundant Reed Plain
with the Sacred Spear was their beginning.
Later, from holy Hashimida of Eastern India
the descendants of Amakuni and Fujito learned arts
which I am now the master of.
Waki Waits: Noriji-1
Waki:
Negawaku wa,
Waki:
Now, I pray!
Jiutai:
Negawaku wa,
Munechika watakushi no kōmyō ni arazu,
futensotto no chokumei ni yoreri,
sāraba jippō gōja no shojin,
tadaima no Munechika ni chikara wo awasete tabitamae tote.
Heihaku wo sasagetsutsu.
Ten ni aogi kōbe ō katamuke kot'nzui no tansei kiki-ire.
Nōjiu seshime tamaeya.
Jiutai:
Now I petition: It is not for the glory of my name: Munechika,
but at the imperial command of the Emperor,
whose rule extends from heaven to earth, that I call on all divine beings,
numberless as the sand of the Ganges,
to join your strength now with Munechika.
I offer up this sacred wand.
I bow my head before heaven as I seek divine aid from my inmost being.
Hear and grant my prayer.
Waki:
Kinjyo:
Waki:
With profound reverence:
Jiutai:
Saihai
Jiutai:
My supplication!
Shite Performs: Noriji 2
Wakizure:
Ika ni ya Munechika choku no tsurugi.
Ika ni ya Munechika choku no tsurugi.
utsubeki jisetsu wa kōku ni shireri.
Tanome ya, tanome ya, tada tanome.
Wakizure:
Now, Munechika -- the Imperial Blade!
Now, Munechika -- the Imperial Blade!
The appointed time for forging is known!
Trust and have faith! Only trust!
Shite Performs: Noriji 3
Shite:
Tōnan dan no ue ni agari.
Shite:
A young boy ascends the forge mound!
Jiutai:
Tōnan dan no ue ni agatte
Munechika ni sanpai no hiza wo kusshi.
Sate mitsurugi no kane wa to ieba
Munechika mo kyōet'n no kokoro wo saki toshite
Kane tori-idashi.
Oshie no tsuchi wo hattate uteba.
Jiutai:
A young boy ascends the forge mound,
kneels and bows three times before Munechika.
"Now then, the metal for the blade?" he says
and Munechika, his heart joyful, in reply
brings for the metal.
As he strikes the first blow with his mallet,
Shite:
Chō to utsu
Shite:
Clang! we strike!
Jiutai:
Chō
Jiutai:
Clang!
Shite:
Chō to
Shite:
Clang, again.
Jiutai:
Uchi kasanetaru tsuchi no hibiki
Tenchi ni kikoete obitatashiya.
Jiutai:
The blows coming, one on another, the sound of their mallets
echoes throughout heaven and earth - How it resounds!
Shite Exits: Kakeai 2
Waki:
Kakute mitsurugi wo uchitatematsuri.
Omote ni Kokaji Munechika to utsu.
Waki:
And so the Imperial Blade is forged:
On the face of it I strike: "Munechika, Swordsmith"!
Shite:
Shintai toki no deshi nareba.
Kogitsune to ura ni azayakani.
Shite:

As your timely apprentice the god: “Little Fox”4, I skillfully strike on the reverse.

Shite Exits: Kiri
Jiutai:
Uchi-tatemōsu mitsurugi no
yaiba wa kumo wo midashitareba
Ama-no-mura-kumo tomo kore nare ya.
Jiutai:
Along the edge of the blade are beaten traces
like wild clustering clouds.
"Clustering Clouds of Heaven", it will be!
Shite:
Ten-ga dai-ichi no.
Shite:
First under Heaven:
Jiutai:
Ten-ga dai-ichi no,
futatsu no mei no mitsurugi nite.
shi-kai wo osame tamaeba,
go-koku jōju mo kono toki nare ya.
Sunawachi nanji ga uji no shin
Inari no shintai Kogitsune-maru wo,
chokushi ni sasage-mōshi.
Kore made nari to ii-sutete,
mata mura-kumo ni tobi-norite,
Higashiyama Inari no mine ni zo kaerikeru.
Jiutai:

First under Heaven:
The sword with two inscriptions!
It will rule the land to the four seas,
celebrate the abundance of the five staple crops.
“I, before you, as the deity of your clan:
the manifestation of Inari: the Little Fox,
come to aid you in fulfilling your task.
Now, I am done!” So saying, takes his leave.
Once more he leaps upon the mass of clouds,
Again, more he leaps upon the mass of clouds,
and return to Higashiyama, the eastern mountains, the peak of Mt. Inari!

  1. It starts with a reference to Liu Bang (256 – 195 BC), the founding Emperor of the Han dynasty. It is said that shortly before dying he exclaimed that “wielding a three-foot sword, as a commoner I conquered the world.” It is followed by a reference to Yang Jian (541 – 604 AD) the first Emperor of the Sui Dynasty and his sword Kei who defeated the House of Chou. ↩︎

  2. The Emperor Huan Tsung (713 – 742 AD) dreamed about his late Minister Chung K’ei coming to his defense with a sword. ↩︎

  3. Emperor Keikō feared the brutal temperament of his son who had slewed his elder brother. Thus, to keep him at distance, he sent him to the Eastern provinces, but before leaving, Yamato-dake met with his aunt Princess Yamato-hime, who lent him a holy sword named ‘Kunasagi no tsurugi’ ↩︎

  4. The deity’s use of ‘Little Fox’ as his signature comes from the fact that foxes, often regarded as messengers are associated with various Inari shrines. ↩︎