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On Emperor Kei-tai
(Dec.6, 2006)

Fukui, which was once called Echizen and Wakasa, has many oral epics and folk stories about an ancient emperor Keitai. Moreover, there are many Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Keitai.

The capital of Echizen area was placed in Takefu. Murasaki, a writer of the famous Tale of Genji lived in Takefu with her father. Their residence was located by Hino River. She looked up at the top of Mt. Hino from its base and remembered the good old days in urban living in Kyoto. She composed several waka poems about this sentiment.

Hino, Asuwa, and Ku-zu-ryu Rivers joins together at the port of Mikuni. As seen from its name Ku-zu-ryu [nine-headed dragon], Ku-zu-ryu has many subsidiary streams. Legend has it that Emperor Keitai was born in a village located in the midstream watershed area, where there remains many big ancient tombs. It is also said that he repaired Ku-su-ryu River for people. The former legend is quite consistent with the latter. The water transportation system was very important in Echizen area until Meiji period [in the reign of EMperor Mitsuhito; 1868-1912]. The legend of Emperor Keitai and his repair of Ku-zu-ryu River cannot be properly understood until we appreciate the significance of the water transportation system in Echizen area.

Ima-date, the producing center of Echizen paper is adjacent to Kawada village, the producing center of Echizen-style japan ware. Legend has it that Emperor Keitai's crown was made of japan ware. Moreover, it is said that, around the same time, Princess Kawakami invented how to make Japan paper in Echizen area. These folklore might suggest that what Emperor Keitai did in Echizen before his coronation and emigration to the capital city.

Echizen area has many good harbors such as Tsuruga and Mikuni, which were the gateway to the advanced technologies and cultures from the ancient China. I imagine that the people in the ancient Echizen had a closer connection to the ancient China than generally thought.

THe people in Aji-mano of Echizen area have made Hna-gatami[flower basket] since ancient times. In her essay on Noh [Japanese lyrical drama], Ms. SHIRASU, Masako (a famous essayst, 1910-98) mentions a relationship between the Hana-gatami of Aji-mino and Emperor Keitai. There are various views on the birthplace of Emperor Keiotai. Some people think that it is Maruoka, and others think that it is Takefu or Mikuni. However, at any rate, these cities are very close to each other. We will have the jubilee of 1500 years of Emperor Keitai's accession to the throne.

I am now living by ancient burial mounds, which are the biggest ones in Hokuriku area. Emperor Keitai dominated the whole country of Japan. This was far back of the time of ODA Nobunaga, TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Iyeyasu [who are all the great warriors and tried to dominate Japan in the 14/15th century]. I have a reason to think of the romance of the ancient Japanese history. Emperor Keitai was brought forward as the true heir of the imperial line by local ruling families from around Japan. What a grand story it is!

Our age is often called the age of localism. This is another motivation for me to think of the ancient Japan, which must have been also the age of localism in a different sense. Many factors inspire my imagination.

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