Episode 12:
The God Who was the Exact Image of the Emperor
From the Kojiki, Volume III
“Mt. Katsuragi”
One day, when Ohatsuse-no-Wakatakeru-no-mikoto (Emperor Yuryaku) was climbing Mt. Katsuragi accompanied by his attendants, he saw a group of people coming from the ridge on the opposite side of the mountain. Their appearance was very much like that of his party. Not only the number of the people, but their clothes too were exactly the same. Just like the emperor’s attendants, they were wearing blue tunics with red strings.
In surprise the emperor said, “I am the only emperor of the Kingdom of Yamato. There cannot be anyone else. Who on earth are they, who look just like us?” Then, as he did so, he heard the same words coming from the other group.
The emperor was furious, and aimed an arrow at them. His attendants did the same. Much to his astonishment, the other group, too, aimed their arrows at his party.
The emperor called out, “Give your name. Let’s introduce ourselves to each other before we exchange arrows.” The head of the other group answered, “Since I was asked first, I’ll be the first to give my name. I am the great god Hitokotonushi (lit. ‘man of a single word’) of Katsuragi, who will announce an oracle in a single word, whether the fortune is good or bad.”
The emperor was astounded. Deeply ashamed, he said, “What an honor this is! I never thought that my god would show himself in this world.” The emperor removed his sword, bows and arrows and also ordered his attendants to take off their tunics. He then offered all these things to the god.
The great god Hitokotonushi clapped his hands in delight and accepted the offerings. When the emperor went home, it is said that the god went with him from Mt. Katsuragi to the foot of the mountain in Hatsuse (now Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture) to see him off.
It is pleasant to imagine Emperor Yuryaku, who is remembered as a violent-tempered tyrant, getting flustered in the face of the god who was the exact image of himself. One of the of the Kojiki’s appealing points is that it contains slightly mysterious and amusing episodes like this.
Related tourism site:
Katsuragi-Hitokotonushi Shrine
（ Moriwaki, Gose City）
Katsuragi-Hitokotonushi Shrine enshrines the great god Hitokotonushi, who appears in the Kojiki. He is the god of oracles and announces people’s fortunes in a single word, whether the fortune is good or bad. Today, he is worshipped by many people as the god who will answer their prayers if there is just one wish in them. Nicknamed “Ichigon-san” (lit. ‘a single word’), the shrine is very popular among the local people.
