Takeminakata

Takeminakata (タケミナカタ), also known as Minakatatomi or Takeminakatatomi, is a kami in Japanese mythology. Also known as or after Suwa Grand Shrine (Suwa Taisha) in Nagano Prefecture in which he is enshrined alongside his consort Yasakatome, Takeminakata is historically worshiped as a god of wind, water and agriculture, as well as a patron of hunting and warfare, in which capacity he enjoyed a particularly fervent cult from various samurai clans during the medieval period such as the Hōjō or the Takeda. Takeminakata was also held to be the mythical ancestor of certain families who once served at the shrine as priests, foremost among them being the Suwa clan, the high priests of the Upper Shrine of Suwa who were also revered as living vessels of the god.

There are multiple, often conflicting accounts regarding the deity. The mythology of the imperial (Yamato) court as recorded in the Kojiki (ca. 712 CE) and the Sendai Kuji Hongi portrays Takeminakata as a son of the god Ōkuninushi who was defeated by the heavenly deity Takemikazuchi and fled to Lake Suwa. Local traditions from Suwa itself, however, present markedly different narratives. These portray him, for example, as an invading deity (sometimes said to have descended from heaven) who subjugated the area's indigenous gods, as an unseen divine presence that chose a young boy as its human embodiment (the future ancestor of the Suwa clan), or as a serpentine or dragon-like being. As worship of the Suwa deity spread throughout Japan from the medieval period onward, additional legends developed, shaped by regional adaptation and the syncretism of Buddhism and Shinto. These later stories often diverged from both Suwa's own traditions and the Yamato court's account, portraying the Suwa deity, for example, as a king from India who manifested in Japan, or identifying him with figures such as the warrior Kōga Saburō.

Name Reproduction of Takeda Shingen's Suwa Hosshō banner (諏訪法性旗). The inscription reads: Namu Suwa Nangū Hosshō Kamishimo (or Jōge) Daimyōjin (南無諏方南宮法性上下大明神) The god is named 'Takeminakata-no-Kami' in both the Kojiki (ca. 712 CE) and the Sendai Kuji Hongi (ca. 807-936 CE). Variants of the name found in the imperially commissioned national histories and other literary sources include the following:

Minakatatomi-no-Kami (南方刀美神) Minakatatomi-no-Mikoto-no-Kami (御名方富命神) Takeminakatatomi-no-Mikoto (健御名方富命 / 建御名方富命) Takeminakatatomi-no-Mikoto-no-Kami (建御名方富命神)

The etymology of the name '(Take)minakata(tomi)' is unclear. While most commentators seem to agree that take- (and probably -tomi) are honorifics, they differ in how to interpret the other components of the name. Some of the proposed solutions are as follows.

The Edo period kokugaku scholar Motoori Norinaga explained both take- (建) and mi- (御) as honorifics (称名 tatae-na), with kata (方) as yet another tatae-na meaning "hard" or "firm" (堅). Basil Chamberlain followed Motoori's lead and rendered the god's name as 'Brave-August-Name-Firm' in his translation of the Kojiki. Ōta Akira (1926) interpreted take-, mi- and -tomi as honorifics and took Nakata (名方) to be a place name: Nakata District (名方郡) in Awa Province (modern Ishii, Tokushima Prefecture), where Takeminatomi Shrine (多祁御奈刀弥神社) stands. Ōwa Iwao (1990) suggests that the presence of Azumi people in both Awa and Shinano, as well as the possible connection between the Azumi and the Lower Shrine of Suwa, may explain the similarity between 'Takeminakata(tomi)' and 'Takeminatomi'. Minakata has also been linked to the Munakata (宗像) of Kyushu. Matsuoka Shizuo (1936) interpreted Minakatatomi as originally being a goddess – citing the fact that the deities of Munakata shrine were female – that was later conflated with the male god Takeminakata. Another explanation proposes minakata to mean "south(ern)" (南方). A variant of this hypothesis sees the name as hinting at a connection between the god and metalworking, in which the southern direction is important: Mayumi Tsunetada (1981) for instance proposed that Takeminakata's name refers to the southern pillar of a takadono (a high-roofed house housing a tatara furnace). Gustav Heldt's translation of the Kojiki (2014), where the name is translated as 'Brave Southward Smelter', follows this interpretation. Yet another theory interprets mi(na)- to mean "water" (水), pointing to the god being a water deity perhaps associated with Lake Suwa. The full name is thought to derive from a word denoting a body of water or a waterside region such as 水潟 (minakata, "lagoon" or "inlet")

Suwa Daimyōjin

During the medieval and early modern periods, the god enshrined in Suwa Grand Shrine – specifically, in the Upper Shrine (Kamisha) located southeast of Lake Suwa – was popularly known as Suwa Daimyōjin ( / 諏方大明神) or Suwa Myōjin , a name also applied via metonymy to the shrine itself. The name '(Take)minakata(tomi)' was rarely used, if at all, during this period: indeed, medieval documents from Suwa Shrine simply refer to the god as sonshin / sonjin (尊神, "revered deity") or myōjin (明神, "bright deity" or "manifest deity"). This however is hardly unusual, as before the early modern period use of titles such as myōjin or gongen for various gods and their shrines were so widespread that these deities were rarely referred to by their classical names.

Other epithets applied to the Suwa deity include Nangū Daimyōjin (南宮大明神, "Daimyōjin of the Southern Shrine (Nangū)"), Hosshō Daimyōjin (法性大明神, "Dharma-Nature Daimyōjin"), a combination of the two such as Nangū Hosshō Daimyōjin (南宮法性大明神), or Suwa Hosshō Kamishimo (or Jōge) Daimyōjin (諏訪法性上下大明神, "Dharma-Nature Daimyōjin of the Upper and Lower Suwa [Shrines]"). Some of the war banners used by Sengoku daimyō Takeda Shingen (a devotee of the god) for instance contain the inscription Suwa Nangū Hosshō Kamishimo / Jōge Daimyōjin (諏訪南宮法性上下大明神 / 諏方南宮法性上下大明神). A hanging scroll given by Emperor Go-Nara (reigned 1526–1557) to the Upper Shrine in 1553 (Tenbun 22), written in the emperor's own calligraphy, refers to the god as Suwa Shōichii Nangū Hossho Daimyōjin (諏方正一位南宮法性大明神, "Dharma-Nature Daimyōjin of the Suwa Nangū, of Upper First Rank").

Comparison of Lake Suwa at its prime (Kofun - Heian periods) with its current size. Also shown are two of the four shrines that comprise Suwa Taisha (Kamisha Honmiya and Shimosha Akimiya). A number of explanations have been proposed for the origin of the term Nangū. One theory posits it to refer to the geographical location of the Upper Suwa Shrine, which is located southeast of Lake Suwa, at the southern half of Shinano Province, while another claims it to be derived from 'Minakatatomi' (南方刀美), one of the variant names for the deity, with minakata being apparently understood to mean "south(ern)" (cf. etymology of 'Takeminakata' above). The term has also been interpreted to come from the medieval belief that the Suwa deity was the guardian of the south side of the imperial palace or the Shinto-Buddhist concept that the god is an enlightened being who manifested in this world, which in Buddhist cosmology is the southern continent of Jambudvīpa.

Hosshō, meanwhile, is believed to refer to the concept of the dharmakāya (法性身, hosshōshin), the formless, transcendent ultimate truth that is the source of all buddhas, which are its physical manifestations (nirmāṇakāya). A certain medieval legend claims that the Suwa deity chose an eight-year-old boy to become his priest while declaring: "I have no (physical) body and so make this priest my body".

Mythology

In imperial mythology

Parentage Takeminakata is portrayed in both the Kojiki and the Sendai Kuji Hongi as a son of the god Ōkuninushi, although the former does not include him in its genealogy of Ōkuninushi's children. The Kuji Hongi meanwhile identifies him as the son of Ōnamuchi (Ōkuninushi) with one of his wives, Nunakawahime of Koshi.

Defeat by Takemikazuchi

The passage concerning Takeminakata's appearance and defeat from the oldest extant manuscript of the Kojiki, the Shinpukuji-bon (真福寺本, written 1371–1372)Takeminakata appears in both the Kojiki and the Kuji Hongi in the context of Ōkuninushi's "transfer of the land" (kuni-yuzuri) to the amatsukami, the gods of the heavenly realm of Takamagahara.

When the heavenly deities, headed by the sun goddess Amaterasu and/or the primordial deity Takamimusubi, sent Takemikazuchi and another messenger to demand that Ōkuninushi relinquish his authority over the earthly realm of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni (the "Central Land of Reed-Plains") to Amaterasu's progeny, he told the messengers to consult his son Kotoshironushi, who immediately accepted their demands and advised his father to do likewise. Upon being asked if he had any other sons who ought to express their opinion, Ōkuninushi told the messengers that he had another son named Takeminakata. Takeminakata then appeared, bearing a heavy boulder (千引之石, chibiki no iwa, i.e. a boulder so large it would take a thousand men to pull) on his fingertips, challenging Takemikazuchi to a test of strength. Takeminakata attempted to grab the messenger's arm(s), but Takemikazuchi transformed them into a column of ice and then a sword blade, frightening him. Takemikazuchi then retaliated by grasping and crushing Takeminakata's arm(s) "like a young reed." The defeated god fled to "the sea of Suwa in the land of Shinano," where he was cornered. To save his life, Takeminakata vowed never to leave Suwa and gave his assent to his father's and brother's decision. With Takeminakata's surrender, Ōkuninushi finally ceded the land to the amatsukami and withdrew himself into the unseen spirit world.

Variants and retellings

Suwa Daimyōjin Ekotoba

The opening section of the Suwa Daimyōjin Ekotoba, a Nanboku-chō period compilation of legends and other information regarding Suwa Shrine and its festivals completed in 1356, retells the Kuji Hongi version of this story, albeit with Takeminakata's shameful defeat in the hands of Takemikazuchi notably omitted.

Originally, it was believed that the compiler, Suwa (Kosaka) Enchū (1295-1364), a member of a branch of the Suwa clan based in Kyoto, deliberately edited the story to cast the shrine's deity in a more favorable light.

Part of "The Matter of Suwa Shrine" (諏方社事, Suwa-sha no koto) appended to the Shinpuku-ji Kojiki Jōkan-shō. The omission of the passage recounting Takeminakata's defeat is marked with an 云々 (unnun, "and so forth," "etc." - fourth column from left)

This excerpt is thought to have been produced by the Urabe clan, a priestly lineage associated with the Yoshida and Hirano Shrines in Kyoto influential in the Department of Divinities (Jingi-kan). The Urabe frequently utilized the Kuji Hongi as a primary reference for inquiries regarding shrine origins. During his research for what would become the Ekotoba, Enchū is known to have consulted with two Urabe clan members—Urabe Kanetoyo (卜部兼豊) of the Yoshida branch, then serving as senior assistant director (神祇大輔, jingi taifu) of the Jingi-kan, and Urabe Kanemae (卜部兼前) of the Hirano branch. It is highly probable that one of these men provided Enchū with the redacted account.

This more heroic depiction of Takeminakata in the Ekotoba and the Kōshiki had a lasting impact, especially before the Kojiki became widely popular during the Edo period. It introduced this version of the myth (which seems to have originally been specific to the imperial court and was unknown in Suwa itself - see 'Analysis' below) to the Suwa region, where it influenced subsequent texts.

According to Maeda (2023), the Ekotoba was probably not introduced to Suwa before the 17th century, although the Kōshiki seems to have been known earlier among Suwa Shrine’s priestly families, as indicated by allusions in late 15th-century documents produced by the Upper Shrine’s Moriya clan (守矢氏). Over time, the Ekotoba gained acceptance among Suwa’s priestly clans, who produced numerous copies of it. For example, the Shinshu Suwa Daimyōjin Engi (信州諏方大明神縁起, "The Origin Story of Suwa Daimyōjin of Shinano Province"), written in 1684 by the hatamoto Suwa Morieda (1646-1695), the younger brother of Suwa Tadaharu, the third daimyō of Takashima Domain, retells the reinterpreted kuni-yuzuri myth. Morieda framed Takeminakata's actions in a Neo-Confucian light, comparing his ceding of the land to a meritorious act of filial piety comparable to Taibo's renunciation of the throne of Zhou.

Even in the 19th century, when knowledge of the Kojiki and its less flattering account of Takeminakata's defeat became more widespread, this positive reinterpretation persisted within Suwa: a mid-19th century genealogical chart of Takeminakata issued by the Upper Shrine for instance quotes the Shinshu Suwa Daimyōjin Engi. A document submitted in 1834 to the Commissioner of Shrines and Temples (Jisha-bugyō) by the Lower Shrine's Momoi clan (桃井氏) of priests relates the following:

A third text found in the Moriya family archives titled "The Origin of Suwa Daimyōjin" (諏訪大明神由来, Suwa Daimyōjin yurai) features Takeminakata striking fear into Futsunushi and Takemikazuchi after displaying his power to them, only agreeing to cede Ashihara no Nakatsukuni after he was convinced by their reasoning. The three then go to Suwa, where they defeat the local deity Moriya (see below).

Other versions

Similar attempts at retelling or reinterpreting the myth in a more positive way are found in other texts. In one version, for instance, Takeminakata is portrayed as going to Suwa not so much to flee from Takemikazuchi but to pacify it under the orders of his father Ōkuninushi.

A variant found in a commentary on the Nihon Shoki penned by a 15th-century monk named Shun'yu (春瑜), the Nihon Shoki Shikenmon (日本書紀私見聞), claims 'Suwa Daimyōjin' (諏防大明神) to be the third son of the deity Sannō Gongen, the guardian deity of Mount Hiei. After engaging in a failed rebellion against Amaterasu, the deity surrendered and settled down in the land of Shinano.

Local legends from within Nagano Prefecture claim Takeminakata to have passed or stayed in various places within the region during his escape. A local legend in Shimoina District (located south of Suwa) for instance claims that Takemikazuchi caught up with the fleeing Takeminakata in the modern village of Toyooka, where they agreed to an armistice and left imprints of their hands on a rock as a sign of their agreement. The rock, bearing the gods' supposed handprints (tegata), is found in Otegata Shrine (御手形神社) in Toyooka. After Takemikazuchi's departure, Takeminakata temporarily resided in the neighboring village of Ōshika, where he discovered hot springs of saltwater while hunting for deer.

The contest between Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata has also been sometimes interpreted as an origin myth for sumo wrestling and aiki. This interpretation apparently follows an alternative reading of the text which sees Takemikazuchi as not so much crushing and tearing Takeminakata's arm(s) off but seizing him by the arm and throwing him into the ground.

Other myths

Entry into Suwa

Fujishima Shrine (藤島社) in Suwa City. It is one of two 'Fujishima Shrines' associated with Suwa Myōjin's battle against Moriya; the other is located in the city of Okaya by the Tenryū River.

A foundational myth from the Suwa area portrays the advent of Suwa Myōjin and his conflict with the local god Moriya (Moreya). This story is recorded in several medieval texts, each with unique details.

The Suwa Daimyōjin Ekotoba relates a variant of this myth as an origin story of Fujishima Shrine (藤島社) in Suwa City, one of the Upper Shrine's auxiliary shrines where its yearly rice-planting ceremony is traditionally held. In this version, the deity of Fujishima Shrine (藤嶋ノ明神, Fujishima no Myōjin) - usually equated with Suwa Myōjin - defeats "Moriya the evil outlaw" (洩矢ノ惡賊, Moriya no akuzoku) with a wisteria branch:

Another version of this myth is recorded in the Suwa Nobushige Gejō (諏訪信重解状, "The Petition of Suwa Nobushige"). This document purports to be a formal petition submitted in 1249 by the Upper Shrine of Suwa's high priest or Ōhōri (大祝), Suwa Nobushige, to the Kamakura shogunate in order to assert the Upper Shrine's primacy and legitimacy over the Lower Suwa Shrine. However, it is now regarded by some scholars as apocryphal, likely a forgery created in the 14th century or later. In this version, the Suwa deity is portrayed as descending from heaven in order to take possession of the land of 'Moriya Daijin' (守屋大臣, lit. 'Minister Moriya').

The yasaka no suzu (八栄の鈴), a set of bronze bells dating from the Heian period kept in the Upper Suwa Shrine. Medieval myth claimed it to be one of the treasures Suwa Myōjin brought with him when he first arrived in Suwa.

This portrayal of Suwa Myōjin as a heavenly deity can also be observed in other texts such as the Inako Ōmatsubara Daimyōjin Engi (伊那古大松原大明神縁起), the origin narrative of Matsubara Suwa Shrine (located in the town of Koumi at the eastern part of Nagano Prefecture) composed in 1340, where Suwa Myōjin describes his descent couched in Buddhist terminology:

Moriya being called 'Minister Moriya' (Moriya Daijin) in the Gejō suggests that the deity was already being conflated with the historical figure Mononobe no Moriya at the time the text was composed. The Suwa Daimyōjin Kōshiki already hints at this connection by drawing a parallel between the two figures:

The local deity Moriya's outright conflation with Mononobe no Moriya can already be observed in the Jinshi Keizu (神氏系図, "Genealogy of the Jin (Miwa) Clan"), a lineage record of the Kyoto branch of the Suwa clan attributed to Suwa Sadamichi (諏訪貞通), Enchū's third great-grandson and the copyist of the extant Kōshiki manuscript. The text dates the arrival of Suwa Myōjin during the reign of Emperor Yōmei (585-587) - the precise era of the historical conflict between Prince Shōtoku and Mononobe no Moriya - and describes him as defeating 'Moriya' (守屋) in a battle at Mount Moriya. This same variant appears in another genealogical record of the Suwa clan.

Kashima, Katori, Suwa no Miya, and Hira Myōjin; also Su in Awa, Otaka Myōjin in Tai no Kuchi, Yatsurugi in Atsuta, and Tado no Miya in Ise.|title=Ryōjin Hishō|source=song 258

During the Kamakura period, the Suwa clan's association with the shogunate and the Hōjō clan helped further cement Suwa Myōjin's reputation as a martial deity. The shrines of Suwa and the priestly clans thereof flourished under the patronage of the Hōjō, which promoted devotion to the god as a sign of loyalty to the shogunate.

The Takeda clan of Kai Province (modern Yamanashi Prefecture) were devotees of Suwa Myōjin, its most famous member, the Sengoku daimyō Takeda Shingen being no exception. His devotion is visibly evident in some of his war banners, which bore the god's name and invocations such as Namu Suwa Nangū Hosshō Kamishimo Daimyōjin (南無諏方南宮法性上下大明神 'Namo Dharma-Nature Daimyōjin of the Suwa Upper and Lower Shrines'). Shingen also issued an order for the reinstitution of the religious rites of both the Kamisha and the Shimosha in 1565.