In Japanese mythology

Japanese mythology

Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...

, the and -- were magical gems that the Sea God

Water deity

A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with water or various bodies of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great river was more important...

 used to control the tides. Classical Japanese history

History of Japan

The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...

 texts record an ancient myth that the ocean kami

Kami

is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...

Watatsumi

Watatsumi

was a legendary Japanese dragon and tutelary water deity. In Japanese mythology, is another name for the sea deity Ryūjin 龍神; and the ruling the upper, middle, and lower seas were created through the divine progenitor Izanagi's ceremonial purifications after returning from Yomi "the...

 海神 "sea god" or Ryūjin

Ryujin

, also known as Ōwatatsumi, was the tutelary deity of the sea in Japanese mythology. This Japanese dragon symbolized the power of the ocean, had a large mouth, and was able to transform into a human shape. Ryūjin lived in Ryūgū-jō, his palace under the sea built out of red and white coral, from...

 龍神 "dragon god" presented the kanju and manju to his demigod son-in-law Hoori

Hoori

, also known as Hikohohodemi no Mikoto, was, in Japanese mythology, the third and youngest son of the kami Ninigi-no-Mikoto and the blossom princess Konohanasakuya-hime. He is one of the ancestors of the Emperors of Japan. He is also called Hohodemi and is most frequently known as Yamasachihiko ,...

, and a later legend that Empress Jingū used the tide jewels to conquer Korea. Tide jewels interrelate Japanese dragon

Japanese dragon

Japanese dragons are diverse legendary creatures in Japanese mythology and folklore. Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and India. The style of the dragon was heavily influenced by the Chinese dragon...

s and wani

Wani (dragon)

was a dragon or sea monster in Japanese mythology. Since it is written using the kanji 鰐 wani is translated as "crocodile", or sometimes "shark" ....

sea-monsters, Indonesian mythology

Indonesian mythology

- History :The origin of Indonesian mythology can be traced back to the earliest development of Indonesian kingdom predominantly called the Javanese Empire. Fossil evidence suggests the Indonesian archipelago was inhabited by Homo erectus, popularly known as the "Java Man". Estimates of its...

, the nyoi-ju 如意珠 "cintamani

Cintamani

Cintamani also spelled as Chintamani is a wish-fulfilling jewel within both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, equivalent to the philosopher's stone in Western alchemy....

; wish-fulfilling jewel" in Japanese Buddhism, magic jewels of Nāga

Naga

Naga or NAGA may refer to:* Nāga, a group of serpent deities in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.-People:* Nayan / Nayar/Nair people of Kerala Society* Naga people, a diverse ethnic identity in Northeast India...

 kings in Hindu mythology

Hindu mythology

Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...

, and the pearl

Pearl

A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...

 associations of Chinese dragon

Chinese dragon

Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...

s in Chinese mythology

Chinese mythology

Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...

.

Terminology

The Japanese compounds

Compound (linguistics)

In linguistics, a compound is a lexeme that consists of more than one stem. Compounding or composition is the word formation that creates compound lexemes...

 kanju 干珠 lit. "ebb jewel" and manju 満珠 lit. "flow jewel" combine kan 干 (cf. 乾) "dry up; drain off; ebb (tides); recede; oppose" and man 満 "fill; full; rise (tides); fulfill; satisfy" with ju, shu, or tama 珠 "gem; jewel; precious stone; pearl; bead". Compare the reversible compounds kanman 干満 and mankan 満干or michihi 満ち干 meaning "ebb and flow; high and low tides; the tides". Shiomitsu-tama 潮満珠 and shiohiru-tama 潮干珠 are archaic "tide jewel" names using shio or chō 潮 "tide; flow; salt water".

Early references

Two Nara period

Nara period

The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...

 (710-794 CE) historical texts record myths that the Sea God presented the kanju and manju to Hoori, and a Kamakura period

Kamakura period

The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....

 (1192-1333 CE) text says the legendary Empress Jingū used the tide jewels to conquer a Korean kingdom in 200 CE.

The tide jewels are central to "The Lost Fishhook" legend about the fisherman Hoderi

Hoderi

Hoderi-no-Mikoto, in Japanese mythology, was the eldest son of the god Ninigi-no-Mikoto and the blossom princess Konohanasakuya-hime. His name, Hoderi, means 'fire shine'. He was a fisherman, and the older brother of Hosuseri-no-Mikoto and Hoori-no-Mikoto....

 and hunter Hoori

Hoori

, also known as Hikohohodemi no Mikoto, was, in Japanese mythology, the third and youngest son of the kami Ninigi-no-Mikoto and the blossom princess Konohanasakuya-hime. He is one of the ancestors of the Emperors of Japan. He is also called Hohodemi and is most frequently known as Yamasachihiko ,...

, two brothers who argued over replacing a lost fishhook. Hoori went searching to the bottom of the sea, where he met and married Toyotama-hime

Toyotama-hime

, better known as , is a goddess in Japanese mythology, and is featured in the Kojiki as well as Nihon Shoki. She is the beautiful daughter of Ryūjin, the god of the sea. She married the hunter Hoori and gave birth to a son, who in turn produced Emperor Jimmu, the first Emperor of Japan...

, the daughter of the dragon Sea God. After living three years in the undersea Ryūgū-jō

Ryugu-jo

In Japanese mythology, Ryūgū-jō is the undersea palace of Ryūjin, the dragon god of the sea. Depending on the version of the legend, it is built from red and white coral, or from solid crystal. The inhabitants of the palace were Ryūjin's servants, which were various denizens of the sea...

竜宮城 "dragon palace castle", Ryūjin presented Hoori with his brother's fishhook and the tide jewels, and arranged for him to take his sea-dragon bride back to land.

Kojiki

The ca. 680 CE Kojiki 古事記 "Record of Ancient Matters" uses the archaic names shiomitsu-tama 潮満珠 "tide-flowing jewel" and shiohiru-tama 潮干珠 "tide-ebbing jewel" in two consecutive passages.

The first describes the sea-god's advice to Hoori about how to confront his duplicitous brother Hoderi.

"What thou shalt say when thou grantest this fish-hook to thine elder brother [is as follows]: 'This fish-hook is a big hook, an eager hook, a poor hook, a silly hook.' Having [thus] spoken, bestow it with thy back hand. Having done thus, – if thine elder brother make high fields, do Thine Augustness make low fields; and if thine elder brother make low fields, do Thine Augustness make high fields. If thou do thus, thine elder brother will certainly be impoverished in the space of three years, owing to my ruling the water. If thine elder brother, incensed at thy doing thus, should attack thee, put forth the tide-flowing jewel to drown him. If he express grief, put forth the tide-ebbing jewel to let him live. Thus shalt thou harass him." With these words, [the Sea-Deity] gave [to His Augustness Fire-Subside] the tide-flowing jewel and the tide-ebbing jewel, – two in all, – and forthwith summoned together all the crocodiles, and asked them, saying: "The Sky's-Sun-Height, august child of the Heaven's-Sun-Height, is now about to proceed out to the Upper-Land. Who will in how many days respectfully escort him, and bring back a report?" So each according to the length of his body in fathoms spoke, fixing [a certain number of] days, – one of them, a crocodile one fathom [long], saying: "I will escort him, and come back in one day." So then [the Sea-Deity] said to the crocodile one fathom [long]: "If that be so, do thou respectfully escort him. While crossing the middle of the sea, do not alarm him!" Forthwith he seated him upon the crocodile's head, and saw him off. So [the crocodile] respectfully escorted him home in one day, as he had promised. (tr. Chamberlain 1919:149-150)

This "crocodile" translates wani 鰐, a legendary Japanese dragon and sea-monster also translated as "shark". At the end of Toyotama-hime's pregnancy, she asks Hoori not to look at her during childbirth (hinting at shapeshifting

Shapeshifting

Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...

), but he looks and sees her true shape of a dragon (Kojiki) or a wani (Nihongi).

The subsequent passage describes Hoori using the tide jewels to force his brother's submission.

Hereupon [His Augustness Fire-Subside] gave the fish-hook [to his elder brother], exactly according to the Sea-Deity's words of instruction. So thenceforward [the elder brother] became poorer, and poorer, and, with renewed savage intentions, came to attack him. When he was about to attack [His Augustness Fire-Subside, the latter] put forth the tide-flowing jewel to drown him; on his expressing grief, he put forth the tide-ebbing jewel to save him. When he had thus been harassed, he bowed his head, saying: "I henceforward will be Thine Augustness's guard by day and night, and respectfully serve thee." (tr. Chamberlain 1919:153-4)

Nihongi

The ca. 720 CE Nihon shoki 日本書紀 "Chronicles of Japan" or Nihongi日本紀 has several references to tide jewels. Chapter 2 ("The Age of the Gods", Part 2) includes five versions of the Hoori-Hoderi myth, three of which mention the tide jewels. Chapter 8 ("Emperor Chūai") has a legend that Empress Jingū found a Buddhist nyoi-ju 如意珠 lit. "as-one-wishes jewel", and Chapter 9 ("Empress Jingū") tells how the Sea God and Wind God helped her to conquer the Korean kingdom of Silla

Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...

.

Three of the five "Lost Fishhook" myth versions specifically mention Hoori using the tide jewels to control the tides and cause his fisherman brother Hoderi to submit. The other two variations involve controlling winds rather than tides. In the second version (Aston 1896:95-98), the Sea God promises to directly control the sea winds; "if thy brother cross the sea, I will then assuredly stir up the blasts and billows, and make them overwhelm and vex him." In the fifth version (Aston 1896:101-105), the water deity tells Hoori that whistling can create winds (cf. tides from Tangaroa

Tangaroa

In Māori mythology, Tangaroa is one of the great gods, the god of the sea. He is a son of Ranginui and Papatuanuku, Sky and Earth. After he joins his brothers Rongo, Tūmatauenga, Haumia, and Tane in the forcible separation of their parents, he is attacked by his brother Tawhirimatea, the god of...

's breathing); "Now that which raises the wind is whistling. If thou doest so, I will forthwith stir up the wind of the offing and the wind of the shore, and will overwhelm and vex him with the scurrying waves."

The first Nihongi version (Aston 1896:92-95) is consistent with the Kojiki, except that Hoori learns that Toyotama-hime is pregnant before, instead of after, returning home to Japan. It uses manju and kanju once each. The Sea God said.

"If the Heavenly Grandchild desires to return to his country I will send him back." So he gave him the fish-hook which he had found, and in doing so instructed him, saying: "When thou givest this fish-hook to thy elder brother, before giving to him call to it secretly, and say, "A poor hook." He further presented to him the jewel of the flowing tide and the jewel of the ebbing tide, and instructed him, saying: "If thou dost dip the tide-flowing jewel, the tide will suddenly flow, and therewithal thou shalt drown thine elder brother. But in case thy elder brother should repent and beg forgiveness, if, on the contrary, thou dip the tide-ebbing jewel, the tide will spontaneously ebb, and therewithal thou shalt save him. If thou harass him in this way, thy elder brother will of his own accord render submission." … When Hiko-hoho-demi no Mikoto returned to his palace, he complied implicitly with the instructions of the Sea-God, and the elder brother, Ho-no-susori no Mikoto, finding himself in the utmost straits, of his own accord admitted his offence, and said: "Henceforward I will be thy subject to perform mimic dances for thee. I beseech thee mercifully to spare my life." Thereupon he at length yielded his petition, and spared him. (tr. Aston 1896:94)

The third version of the myth (Aston 1896:98-101) mentions the tide jewels 9 times, and elaborates the feature of mind control

Mind control

Mind control refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator, often to the detriment of the person being manipulated"...

.

I am rejoiced in my inmost heart that the Heavenly Grandchild has now been graciously pleased to visit me. When shall I ever forget it? So he took the jewel which when thought of makes the tide to flow, and the jewel which when thought of makes the tide to ebb, and joining them to the fish-hook, presented them, saying: 'Though the Heavenly Grandchild may be divided from me by eightfold windings (of road), I hope that we shall think of each other from time to time. Do not therefore throw them away.' And he taught him, saying: 'When thou givest this fish-hook to thy elder brother, call it thus: 'A hook of poverty, a hook of ruin, a hook of downfall.' When thou hast said all this, fling it away to him with thy back turned, and deliver it not to him face to face. If thy elder brother is angry, and has a mind to do thee hurt, then produce the tide-flowing jewel and drown him therewith. As soon as he is in peril and appeals for mercy, bring forth the tide-ebbing jewel and therewith save him. If thou dost vex him in this way, he will of his own accord become thy submissive vassal!' Now Hiko-hoho-demi no Mikoto, having received the jewels and the fish-hook, came back to his original palace, and followed implicitly the teaching of the Sea-God. First of all he offered his elder brother the fish-hook. His elder brother was angry and would not receive it. Accordingly the younger brother produced the tide-flowing jewel, upon which the tide rose with a mighty overflow, and the elder brother was drowning. Therefore he besought his younger brother, saying: 'I will serve thee as thy slave. I beseech thee, spare my life.' The younger brother then produced the tide-ebbing jewel, whereupon the tide ebbed of its own accord, and the elder brother was restored to tranquility. After this the elder brother changed his former words, and said: 'I am thy elder brother. How can an elder brother serve a younger brother?' Then the younger brother produced the tide-flowing jewel, which his elder brother seeing, fled up to a high mountain. Thereupon the tide also submerged the mountain. The elder brother climbed a lofty tree, and thereupon the tide also submerged the tree. The elder brother was now at an extremity, and had nowhere to flee to. So he acknowledged his offence, saying: 'I have been in fault. In future my descendants for eighty generations shall serve thee as thy mimes in ordinary. [One version has' dog-men.'] I pray thee, have pity on me.' Then the younger brother produced the tide-ebbing jewel, whereupon the tide ceased of its own accord. Hereupon the elder brother saw that the younger brother was possessed of marvelous powers, and at length submitted to serve him. (tr. Aston 1896:99-100)

The condensed fourth version (Aston 1896:101-105) mentions each tide jewel twice.

'When thou givest this to thy elder brother thou must recite the following : "A big hook, an eager hook, a poor hook, a silly hook." After saying all this, fling it to him with a back-handed motion.' Then he summoned together the sea-monsters, and inquired of them, saying: 'The Grandchild of the Heavenly Deity is now about to take his departure homewards. In how many days will you accomplish this service? 'Then all the sea-monsters fixed each a number of days according to his own length. Those of them which were one fathom long of their own accord said: 'In the space of one day we will accomplish it.' The one-fathom sea-monsters were accordingly sent with him as his escort. Then he gave him two precious objects, the tide-flowing jewel and the tide-ebbing jewel, and taught him how to use them. He further instructed him, saying: 'If thy elder brother should make high fields, do thou make puddle fields; if thy elder brother make puddle fields, do thou make high fields. In this manner did the Sea-God in all sincerity lend him his aid. Now Hiko-hoho-demi no Mikoto, when he returned borne, followed implicitly the God's instructions, and acted accordingly. When the younger brother produced the tide-flowing jewel, the elder brother forthwith flung up his hands in the agony of drowning. But when, on the other hand, he produced the tide-ebbing jewel, he was relieved, and recovered. After that Hi no susori no Mikoto pined away from day to day, and lamented, saying: 'I have become impoverished.' So he yielded submission to his younger brother. (tr. Aston 1896:102-103)

The Nihongi chapters on legendary Emperor Chūai

Emperor Chuai

; also known as Tarashinakatsuhiko no Sumeramikoto; was the 14th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 192–200....

 (supposedly r. 192-200 CE) and his shamanistic Empress Jingū (r. 201-269 CE) combine myths about Japanese kanju and manju tide jewels with Indian nyoi-ju 如意珠 "cintamani; wish-fulfilling jewels".

The former context says that in the 2nd year (193 CE) of Chūai's reign, he started an expedition against the Kumaso

Kumaso

The were a people of ancient Japan, believed to have lived in the south of Kyūshū until at least the Nara period. William George Aston, in his translation of the Nihongi, says Kumaso refers to two separate tribes, Kuma and So...

 rebellion in southern Kyūshū

Kyushu

is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....

 and made preparations at Toyora (Nagato Province

Nagato Province

, often called , was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces....

). In the 7th month, (tr. Aston 1896:219), "The Empress anchored in the harbour of Toyora. On this day the Empress found in the sea a Nyoi pearl." (Aston notes that, "A Buddhist term is of course an anachronism in this narrative.") In the 8th year (199 CE), they sailed to Tsukushi (Chikuzen

Chikuzen Province

was an old province of Japan in the area that is today part of Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Chikugo Province. Chikuzen bordered Buzen, Bungo, Chikugo, and Hizen Provinces....

 and Chikugo Province

Chikugo Province

is the name of a former province of Japan in the area that is today the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Chikuzen Province...

s), and their ships were met by a Kuma-Wani 熊鰐 "bear shark/crocodile" sea-monster with a decorated sakaki

Sakaki

Sakaki is a flowering evergreen tree native to warm areas of Japan, Korea and mainland China. It can reach a height of 10 m. The leaves are 6–10 cm long, smooth, oval, leathery, shiny and dark green above, yellowish-green below, with deep furrows for the leaf stem. The bark is dark reddish...

 tree (see tamagushi

Tamagushi

is a form of Shinto offering made from a sakaki-tree branch decorated with shide strips of washi paper, silk, or cotton. At Japanese weddings, funerals, miyamairi and other ceremonies at Shinto shrines, tamagushi are ritually presented to the kami by parishioners or kannushi priests.-Linguistic...

). Both ships encountered problems with divinely-controlled tides and grounded in the harbor at Oka (Chikuzen), resonating with the tide jewels myth.

8th year, Spring, 1st month, 4th day. The Emperor proceeded to Tsukushi. At this time Kuma-wani, the ancestor of the Agata-nushi of Oka, hearing of the Emperor's arrival, pulled up beforehand a 500-branched Sakaki tree, which he set up on the bows of a nine-fathom ship. On the upper branches he hung a white-copper mirror, on the middle branches he hung a ten-span sword, and on the lower branches he hung Yasaka jewels. With these he went out to meet him at the Bay of Saha in Suwo, and presented to him a fish-salt-place. In doing so, he addressed the Emperor, saying: "Let the Great Ferry from Anato to Mukatsuno be its Eastern Gate and the Great Ferry of Nagoya be its Western Gate. Let the Islands of Motori and Abe and none else be the august baskets: let the Island of Shiba be divided and made the august pans: let the Sea of Sakami be the salt-place." He then acted as the Emperor's pilot. Going round Cape Yamaga, he entered the Bay of Oka. But in entering the harbour, the ship was unable to go forward. So he inquired of Kuma-wani, saying: "We have heard that thou, Kuma-wani, hast come to us with an honest heart. Why does the ship not proceed?" Kuma-wani addressed the Emperor, saying: "It is not the fault of thy servant that the august ship is unable to advance. At the entrance to this bay there are two Deities, one male and the other female. The male Deity is called Oho-kura-nushi, the female Deity is called Tsubura-hime. It must be owing to the wish of these Deities." The Emperor accordingly prayed to them, and caused them to be sacrificed to, appointing his steersman Iga-hiko, a man of Uda in the province of Yamato, as priest. So the ship was enabled to proceed. The Empress entered in a different ship by the Sea of Kuki. As the tide was out, she was unable to go on. Then Kuma-wani went back and met the Empress by way of Kuki. Thereupon he saw that the august ship made no progress, and he was afraid. He hastily made a fish-pond and a bird-pond, into which he collected all the fishes and birds. When the Empress saw these fishes and birds sporting, her anger was gradually appeased, and with the flowing tide she straightway anchored in the harbour of Oka. (tr. Aston 1896:219-220)

The latter context says that in the 9th year (200 CE), the emperor wanted to invade Kumaso, but the gods told the empress that he should instead invade Shiragi (Silla

Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...

) on the Korean peninsula. After refusing to believe her prophecy, he died prematurely and she assumed control as regent for as yet unborn Emperor Ōjin. Empress Jingū worshiped and sacrificed to the gods, and conducted a type of fishhook divination in Hizen Province

Hizen Province

was an old province of Japan in the area of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Higo Province. Hizen bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. The province was included in Saikaidō...

. She "bent a needle and made of it a hook" (tr. Aston 1896:227; note that Japanese hari 針 means both "needle; pin" and "fishhook") and prayed that catching a fish foretold conquering Silla. A rare trout hooked itself, and she declared, "It is a strange thing." Later that year, the legend says a divine tsunami

Tsunami

A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...

 propelled the Japanese fleet across the Sea of Japan

Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...

.

Sail was set from the harbor of Wani [Tsushima]. Then the Wind-God made a breeze to spring up, and the Sea-God uplifted the billows. The great fishes of the ocean, every one, came to the surface and encompassed the ships. Presently a great wind blew from a favourable quarter on the ships under sail, and following the waves, without the labour of the oar or helm, they arrived at Silla. The tide-wave following the ships reached far up into the interior of the country. (tr. Aston 1896:230)

According to this legend, which is unsupported by historical evidence, the King of Silla surrendered after being astonished by the tsunami and terrified by the invading fleet.

Mizukagami

The ca. 1195 CE Mizukagami 水鏡 "Water Mirror", which is a collection of historical tales, confabulates the Nihongi legends about the tide jewels and Jingū conquering the Koreans (Bassett 1885:74). This text uses some different names, Sāgara 沙竭羅 (one of the 8 Dragon King

Dragon King

The four Dragon Kings are, in Chinese mythology, the divine rulers of the four seas . Although Dragon Kings appear in their true forms as dragons, they have the ability to shapeshift into human form...

s) for the Sea God, and Koryo 句麗 or Koma 蓋馬 for the Korean kingdom Goguryeo

Goguryeo

Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....

.

In the year 200, when the Empress Jingō (200-269) arrived in Korea, she took some sea water in her hand and prayed from far to the god of Kashima (in Hitachi) and Kasuga (Takemikazuchi …). Then came the gods of Kasuga and Sumiyoshi and Suwa, clad in armour and with helmets on their heads, to the Empress's ship. Kasuga sent the Great God (Daimyōjin) of Kawakami as a messenger to the Dragon-palace (龍宮, ryūgū) at the bottom of the sea, and this mighty river-god took the "pearl of ebb" and the "pearl of flood" from the Great Dragon-king Sāgara and brought them with him to the surface. While the Korean warships were put up in battle array, the pearl of ebb, thrown into the sea, made the water suddenly dry up. Then the king of Koma entered the sea-bed with his troops in order to destroy the Japanese fleet; but as soon as he did so the god of Kawakami, following Kasuga's order, threw the pearl of flood into the sea, and behold, all of a sudden the water rose tremendously and filled the whole sea-bed. The frightened troops all prayed for their lives, for the water covered even the whole of Koma land. Then the pearl of ebb was thrown into the sea again, and the water sank. So the Empress by Kasuga's assistance conquered the enemy's army without shedding a single drop of blood, and obtained three ships laden with tributes and treasures from the king of Koma. (tr. de Visser 1913:142-143)

Later references

The history of the kanju and manju tide jewels continues into the present day, long after the myths about Hoori's lost fishhook and Jingō's invented conquest.

Jewels, pearls, moons, and tides are common motifs among Indian, Chinese, and Japanese dragons (Ingersoll 1928, de Visser 1913:13-14, 71, 88, 107). The Japanese word for "pearl", shinju 真珠 lit. "true jewel", compares with kanju 干珠 "tide-ebbing jewel" and manju 満珠 "tide-flowing jewel". This kanji 珠 is also pronounced tama, cognate with tama 玉 "jewel; gem; jade" seen above in the name Toyotama-hime and below in the next.

The fable of Tamatori-hime 玉取姫 "Princess Jewel Taker", which was a favorite ukiyo-e

Ukiyo-e

' is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries, featuring motifs of landscapes, tales from history, the theatre, and pleasure quarters...

subject of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, is a variation of the Hoori and Toyatama-hime love story. Tamatori was supposedly an ama diver who married Fujiwara no Fuhito

Fujiwara no Fuhito

Fujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful member of the imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods...

 and recovered a precious jewel that the Sea God stole.

The legend of Princess Tamatori (Tamatorihime), or Ama, developed around the historical figure Fujiwara no Kamatari (614-69), who was the founder of the powerful Fujiwara clan. Upon Kamatari’s death, the Tang dynasty emperor, who had received Kamatari’s beautiful daughter as a consort, sent three priceless treasures to Japan in order to comfort his grieving lover by honoring her father. One of the treasures, a pearl, was stolen by the dragon king during a storm on its way to Japan in the inlet of Fusazaki. Kamatari’s son Fujiwara no Fuhito (659-720) went in search of the pearl to the isolated area where he met and married a beautiful pearl diver named Ama, who bore him a son. Ama, full of love for their son, vowed to help recover the stolen pearl. After many failed attempts, Ama was finally successful when the dragon and grotesque creatures guarding it were lulled to sleep by music. Upon reclaiming the treasure, she came under pursuit by the awakened sea creatures. She cut open her breast to place the pearl inside for safekeeping the resulting flow of blood clouded the water and aided her escape. She died from the resulting wound but is revered for her selfless act of sacrifice for her husband Fuhito and their son. (Miller 2007:137)

Manju Shima 満珠島 "tide-flowing jewel island" and Kanju Shima 干珠島 "tide-ebbing jewel island" are uninhabited islet

Islet

An islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....

s in the Kanmon Straits

Kanmon Straits

The Kanmon Straits or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshū side of the water is Shimonoseki and on the Kyūshū side is Kitakyūshū, whose former city and present ward, Moji , gave the strait its "mon"...

 near Chōfu 長府 in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi

Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi

is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is at the southwestern tip of Honshū, facing the Tsushima Strait and also Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits....

. In the 1185 CE Battle of Dan-no-ura

Battle of Dan-no-ura

The ' was a major sea battle of the Genpei War, occurring at Dan-no-ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the southern tip of Honshū. On March 24, 1185, the Genji clan fleet, led by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, defeated the Heike clan fleet, during a half-day engagement.The Taira were outnumbered, but...

 during the Genpei War

Genpei War

The was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the fall of the Taira clan and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192....

, the Minamoto (Genji) fleet defeated the Taira (Heike) fleet by taking advantage of the tides around these two islands. In 1943, the Manju maru 満珠丸 and Kanju maru 干珠丸 Etorofu class coastal defense ship

Etorofu class coastal defense ship

The were a class of ships in the service of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.The Japanese called these ships Kaibōkan, "ocean defence ships", , to denote a multi-purpose vessel....

s were named after the tide-jewel islands.

Several Shinto shrines were allegedly repositories for the ancient tide jewels. The ca. 1335 CE Usa hachiman no miya engi 宇佐八幡宮縁起 "History of the Hachiman Shrine

Hachiman Shrine

A is a Shinto shrine dedicated to kami Hachiman. It is the second most numerous type of Shinto shrine after those dedicated to Inari.Originally the name was read Yawata or Yahata, a reading still used in some occasions.-Famous Hachiman shrines:...

 at Usa

Usa, Oita

' is a city located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. Usa is famous for being the location of the Usa Shrine, built in 725, the head shrine of all of Hachiman shrines in Japan.Usa is made up of three areas.*Usa, the area surrounding the Usa Shrine...

" notes (tr. Wheeler 2006:521, cf. de Visser 1913:143), "The two jewels are kept in the Kawakami-no Miya of Saga District, in Hizen Province. The jewel-of-ebb-tide is white, but the jewel-of-flood-tide is blue. Each is five sun [i.e., Chinese cun

Cun (length)

The cun is a traditional Chinese unit of length. Its traditional measure is the width of a person's thumb at the knuckle, whereas the width of the two forefingers denotes 1.5 cun and the width of all fingers side-by-side is three cuns...

 寸] in length." Wheeler (2005:521) cites records that the tide jewels were preserved in the Uda Shrine around 1185 CE and the Kagoshima Shrine in 1916. In addition, the Ōwatatsumi-jinja 大海神社 in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka

Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka

is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It is located on the southern part of the Uemachi Plateau, in the southern most part of Osaka City, and is separated from Sakai City's Sakai-ku and Kita-ku by the Yamato River...

 and the Mekari-jinja 和布刈神社 in Moji-ku, Kitakyūshū

Moji-ku, Kitakyushu

is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is the former city of Moji which was one of five cities merged to create Kitakyūshū in 1963. It faces the city of Shimonoseki across the Kanmon Straits between Honshū and Kyūshū....

 purportedly housed the original tide jewels. The Yasaka Shrine

Yasaka Shrine

', once called , is a Shinto shrine in the Gion District of Kyoto, Japan. Situated at the east end of Shijō-dōri , the shrine includes several buildings, including gates, a main hall and a stage.-History:...

 in Kyoto

Kyoto

is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...

 annually holds the Gion Matsuri

Gion Matsuri

The takes place annually in Kyoto and is one of the most famous festivals in Japan. It spans the entire month of July and is crowned by a parade, the on July 17. It takes its name from Kyoto's Gion district....

 celebrating the legend of Jingū using the tide jewels to defeat the Koreans.

De Visser (1913:141) found strong similarities between Indonesian myths from the Kei Islands and Minahassa Peninsula and the Japanese Hoori-Hoderi legend. However, instead of the tide-flowing jewel, "the hero of the Minahassa legend by his prayers caused the rain to come down in torrents upon his evil friend. "Several stories from the Pacific islands", adds Andrews (2000:205), "involved controlling the tides with jewels owned by the dragon-king who guarded them in his palace under the waves."

Japanese tide-jewels are well known in the West both as a legend (Pfoundes 1878, Davis and Paul 1992:330-331) and an artistic motif (Ball 2004:6-7).

External links

• The Tide-Jewels, The Baldwin Project
• Tale of the Tide Jewels, The Serene Dragon
• The Tide-Jewels, SurLaLune Fairy Tale Pages