Episode 4:
A Jealous Empress
From the Kojiki, Volume III
“The Empress’s Jealousy and Kurohime” and “Yata-no-waka-iratsume”
Emperor Nintoku or Ōsazaki no Mikoto, ruled over Japan from the Takatsu-no-miya Palace in Naniwa (now Osaka). He was known as the Holy Emperor and was adored by his people. For instance, when he observed that no cooking smoke was rising from the houses of his people, he realized that they were very poor and had nothing to eat, so he stopped collecting taxes for three years.
His Empress, Iwanohime no Mikoto from the Katsuragi region, on the other hand, is believed to have been a very jealous woman.
One day, Kurohime, a lady from the Kibi region, was invited to the imperial palace by the Emperor to serve him. Empress Iwanohime no Mikoto became dreadfully jealous of her. Kurohime was so afraid of the Empress that she fled back to her home. The Empress, however, couldn’t overcome her jealousy. She forced Kurohime to disembark from the ship and go back on foot.
Meanwhile, the Emperor didn’t learn from this experience. He gave way to passion over and over again. One day, he lied to the Empress, saying that he was going to see Awajishima Island, but instead he had a secret arrangement to meet Kurohime.
The Empress made a journey to Ki-no-kuni. During her absence, the Emperor invited another lady, Yata-no-waka-iratsume, to the palace. The Empress learned of this on her voyage back and became mad with jealousy. Though already close to the palace, she changed course and ordered the ship to change its course for Yamashiro-no-kuni. There she stayed at the house of a man named Nurinomi, who was originally from Paekche (one of the three kingdoms of ancient Korea).
Afterwards,thanks to Nurinomi, she made peace with her husband. What sparked this conflict:a woman’s jealousy or the flirtatiousness of a man who didn’t understand his wife’s feelings? In terms of the subtleties of men’s and women’s attitudes,there seems to be little difference between imperial couples from the times of Kojiki and people today.
Related tourism sites:
The mausoleum of Iwanohime no Mikoto, Saki, Nara City
This mausoleum is said to be dedicated to Iwanohime no Mikoto, the wife and empress of Emperor Nintoku. It is a keyhole-shaped tumulus covered with trees and surrounded by a moat. In early summer, irises and water lilies beautify the moat.
Miyayama Tumulus, Muro, Gose City
This huge 238 meter long keyhole-shaped tumulus is also called the Great Tumulus of Muro. It is said to be the tumulus of Katsuragi no Sotsuhiko, Iwanohime no Mikoto’s father. Its scale shows how powerful the Katsuragi family was.
