Legendary narrative

The Japanese have traditionally accepted this sovereign's historical existence, and a mausoleum (misasagi) for Ōjin is currently maintained. The following information available is taken from the pseudo-historical Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, which are collectively known as or Japanese chronicles. These chronicles include legends and myths, as well as potential historical facts that have since been exaggerated and/or distorted over time. The circumstances surrounding the future emperor's birth are controversial as they involve a supposed invasion of the Korean Peninsula as well as a biologically impossible gestation period (3 years). It is said by the Kiki that Ōjin was conceived but unborn when his father Emperor Chūai died. Empress Jingū then became a de facto ruler who allegedly invaded a "promised land" (Korea) out of revenge, then returned three years later to the Japanese mainland to give birth. The records state that Ōjin was born to Empress Jingū in Tsukushi Province sometime in 201 AD, and was given the name . He became the crown prince at the age of four, but was not crowned Emperor until 270 AD at the age of 70. Emperor Ōjin supposedly lived in two palaces which are now located in present-day Osaka. His reign lasted 40 years until his death in 310 AD, in all he fathered 28 children with one spouse and ten consorts. His fourth son Ōosazaki was later enthroned as the next emperor in 313 AD.

Known information

While the historical existence of Emperor Ōjin is debated among historians, there is a general consensus that he was "probably real". There is also an agreement that Ojin's three year conception period is mythical and symbolic, rather than realistic. William George Aston has suggested that this can be interpreted as a period of less than nine months containing three "years" (some seasons), e.g. three harvests. If Ōjin was an actual historical figure then historians have proposed that he ruled later than attested. Dates of his actual reign have been proposed to be as early as 370 to 390 AD, to as late as the early 5th century AD. At least one Japanese historian has cast doubt on this theory though, by revising a supporting statement given in 1972. In this new narrative Louis Perez states: "only kings and emperors after the reign of Ojin... ...are seen as historical figures". In either case there is also no evidence to suggest that the title tennō was used during the time to which Ōjin's reign has been assigned. It is certainly possible that he was a chieftain or local clan leader, and that the polity he ruled would have only encompassed a small portion of modern-day Japan. The name Ōjin-tennō was more than likely assigned to him posthumously by later generations.

While the actual site of Ōjin's grave is not known, this regent is traditionally venerated at a kofun-type Imperial tomb in Osaka. The Imperial Household Agency designates this ___location as Ōjin's mausoleum, and is formally named Eega no Mofushi no oka no misasagi. At some point Ōjin was made a guardian Kami of the Hata clan, and is now also deified as Hachiman Daimyōjin. Outside of the Kiki, the reign of Emperor Kinmei ( – 571 AD) is the first for which contemporary historiography has been able to assign verifiable dates. The conventionally accepted names and dates of the early Emperors were not confirmed as "traditional" though, until the reign of Emperor Kanmu between 737 and 806 AD.

Family

Emperor Ōjin's family allegedly consisted of 28 children, which include 2 unnamed princesses from a previous marriage. He had one spouse who bore him a son that would become the next Emperor, as well as 10 consorts.

Spouse & concubines

Issue

Family tree

傳說與歷史

根據史書記載，應神天皇本名來紗別尊，是仲哀天皇第四子，也是神功皇后唯一的孩子。由於是在皇后親征新羅時所懷之子，故又稱作「胎中天皇」。據說天皇年輕時曾赴越地（今北陸地方），而在當地拜祭角鹿笥飯大神並交換名字，故號大神改名為去來紗別神，身為太子的天皇則改名譽田別尊。

天皇早在三歲時便由神功皇后立為太子。在皇后長達69年的攝政裡，太子似乎與皇后共同治理國家。皇后百歲過世後，譽田別尊於隔年登基天皇。比起過去的天皇，應神天皇的后妃與子女可謂十分眾多：在《日本書紀》中，天皇共有七位后妃生有十男十女。而在《古事記》裡，天皇共有九位后妃生有十一男十五女。

《續日本紀》說應神天皇有尾巴。他最大功勞是引入漢字與邀請百濟學者阿直岐與王仁到日本。

神道教尊之為戰神八幡神，因為神佛習合，又通稱為八幡大菩薩。是源氏的氏神，軍人的守護神，全日本的武士的總氏神。

征討新羅

武內宿禰事件

傳位問題

家庭

• 皇后：仲姬命（なかつひめのみこと、中日賣命） - 品陀真若王（五百城入彥皇子王子）之女

　• 荒田皇女（あらたのひめみこ、木之荒田郎女）

　• 大鷦鷯尊（おおさざきのみこと、大雀命・仁德天皇）

　• 根鳥皇子（ねとりのみこ） - 大田君祖

• 妃：高城入姬命（たかきのいりびめ、高木之入日賣命） - 品陀真若王女、仲姬命同母姊

　• 額田大中彥皇子（ぬかたのおおなかつひこのみこ）

　• 大山守皇子（おおやまもりのみこ） - 土形君・榛原君祖

　• 去來真稚皇子（いざのまわかのみこ、伊奢之真若命） - 深河別祖

　• 大原皇女（おおはらのひめみこ） - 《先代舊事本紀》作弟姬命所生。

　• 澇來田皇女（こむくたのひめみこ、高目郎女）

• 妃：弟姬命（おとひめ、弟日賣命） - 品陀真若王女、仲姫命同母妹

　• 阿倍皇女（あへのひめみこ）

　• 淡路御原皇女（あわじのみはらのひめみこ、阿具知能三腹郎女） - 根鳥皇子妃

　• 紀菟野皇女（きのうののひめみこ、木之菟野郎女）

　• 滋原皇女（しげはらのひめみこ） - 不見于記紀，《先代舊事本紀》補之。

　• 三野郎女（みののいらつめ）

• 妃：宮主宅媛（みやぬしやかひめ、宮主矢河枝比賣） - 和珥日觸使主女。

　• 菟道稚郎子皇子（うじのわきいらつこのみこ、宇遲能和紀郎子） - 應神天皇皇太子

　• 矢田皇女（やたのひめみこ、八田皇女・八田若郎女） - 仁德天皇皇后

　• 雌鳥皇女（めとりのひめみこ、女鳥王） - 隼總別皇子妃（隼總別異母弟）。

• 妃：小甂媛（おなべひめ） - 和珥日觸使主女、宮主宅媛妹。

　• 菟道稚郎女皇女（うじのわきいらつめのひめみこ、宇遲能若郎女） - 仁德天皇妃

• 妃：息長真若中比賣（おきながまわかなかつひめ、弟媛） - 河派仲彥王（息長田別王之子、日本武尊孫）女

　• 稚野毛二派皇子（わかぬけのふたまたのみこ、若沼毛二俁王） - 息長君等祖、繼體天皇高祖父、忍阪大中姬・衣通姬父

• 妃：糸媛（いとひめ、糸井比賣） - 櫻井田部連島垂根女、男鉏妹

　• 隼總別皇子（はやぶさわけのみこ、隼別皇子、速總別命）

• 妃：日向泉長媛（ひむかのいずみのながひめ）

　• 大葉枝皇子（おおはえのみこ、大羽江王）

　• 小葉枝皇子（おはえのみこ、小羽江王）

　• 幡日之若郎女（はたびのわかいらつめ） - 履中天皇皇后

• 妃：迦具漏比賣（かぐろひめ） - 須賣伊呂大中日子王（稚武彥王王子、日本武尊孫）王女

　• 川原田郎女（かわらたのいらつめ）

　• 玉郎女（たまのいらつめ）

　• 忍阪大中比賣

　• 登富志郎女

　• 迦多遲王（かたじのみこ、堅石王）

• 妃：葛城野伊呂賣（かつらぎののいろめ、怒能伊呂比賣？） - 武內宿禰之女？

　• （伊奢能麻和迦王） - 與去來真稚皇子重複。

• 妃：兄媛（えひめ） - 吉備武彥命（稚武彥命子）女、吉備御友別妹

關連項目

• 八幡神

• 王朝交替說

• 譽田八幡宮

• 宇美八幡宮

• 米餅搗大使主