Shinkoku-O Gosho - Part 1

Shinkoku-O Gosho 
(Sovereigns of Our Divine Land)
Part 1


Japan: Land and sovereigns

As I contemplate, Japan is also known variously as Mizuhonokuni (the Land of Luxuriant Rice Plants), Yamato, Akitsushima or Fuso. It consist of 66 provinces and two island of Iki and Tsushima, totaling 68 provinces, extending 3,000 ri east to west, though the measurement from north to south is not positively known.

The land of Japan is divided into five provinces in the Central district and seven circuits. The five central provinces are Yamashiro, Yamato, kawachi, Izumu, and Settsu. the seven circuits are: Tokai-do covering fifteen provinces, Tosan-do eight provinces, Hokuriku-do seven provinces, San'in-do eight provinces, San'yo-do eight provinces, Nankai-do six provinces, and Saikai-do eleven provinces, which is also called Chinzei or Dazaifu. This is the land of Japan.

Considering the rulers of Japan next, twelve gods, seven heavenly and five terrestrial gods reigned over Japan during the pre-historic legendary period. The first of the seven heavenly rulers was Kunitokotachi no Mikoto..., the seventh being Izanagi no Mikoto and his wife, Izanami no Mikoto. The first of the five terrestrial sovereigns was Amaterasu Omikami, who is the Sun Goddess enshrined at the Grand Shrine of Ise. She is the daughter of Izanagi and Izanami.(...) The fifth terrestial sovereign, Hikonagi Satake Ugaya Fukiaezu no Mikoto, was the son of Hikohohodami no Mikoto, the fourth sovereign. His mother was the daughter of the dragon king. These five reigns of terrestrial gods, together with the seven reigns of heavenly gods constitute the twelve reigns of divine rulers.

Human sovereigns, I suppose, will number about one hundred, begining with emperor Jinmu, son of Hikonagi Satake Ugaya Fukiaezu no Mikoto.(...) the fourteenth was the Emperor Chuai (Father of Great Bodhisattva Hachiman). The fifteenth was Empress jingu (Mother of Great Bodhisattva Hachiman). The sixteenth was Emperor Ojin, who is a son of Emperor Chuai and empress Jingu and now worshipped as Great Boddhisattva Hachiman.(...) Herefore, till the twenty-ninth reign of Emperor Senka, Buddhism had not been transmitted to Japan although it existed in India and China.

by Nichiren Daishonin

12th year of Bun'ei Era (1275)