Prince Oousu (大碓皇子)

Prince Oousu (Oousu no Mikoto) appeared in the Kiki ("Kojiki" [A Record of Ancient Matter] and the "Nihonshoki" [Chronicles of Japan]) as an Imperial family (royal family) during the Kofun (tumulus period) period in Japan. Prince Oousu (大碓皇子) was also written as Oousu no Mikoto (大碓命). Prince Oousu was a prince of the Emperor Keiko. The mother of Prince Oousu was Harima no Inabi no Oiratsume. The maternal half-brothers of Prince Oousu were Prince Kushitsunowake and Prince Yamato Takeru, his twin brother. The Emperor Seimu was a paternal half-brother of Prince Oousu. Prince Oousu was an ancestor of Mugetsu [(牟義都); it was also written in "牟宜都" and "身毛津," but always pronounced as "Mugetsu."].

The Emperor Keiko ordered Prince Oousu on a mission; the Emperor sent him to Mino Province, instruction him to escort two beautiful ladies to the Imperial court. However, Prince Oousu committed adultery with one lady (or the ladies) and did not complete his mission, incurring the Emperor Keiko's ill will. In a later period of time, according to the "Kojiki," because Prince Oousu didn't attend breakfast and dinner meetings with family, he was attacked by Prince Ousu when he entered the bathroom. Afterward, Prince Ousu [(小碓); Prince Yamato Takeru] severed his [Prince Oousu (大碓)] hands and feet then wrapped his body in straw matting, and disposed him in unknown location. However, this story was not in "Nihonshoki." According to the "Nihonshoki," and other historical books, in 114, Prince Oousu ran away because he was afraid of the order, the Emishi Seito (the conquest of Emishi, who were a group of people living in the northern part of land) and was then confined in Mino Province.

The Sanage Shrine, located in Sanage-Cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, has worshiped Prince Oousu as the shusaijin (main enshrined deities), and there is the tomb as his burial place in the back of the Nishinomiya, inside the Shrine property. Additionally, according to the traditional story which was passed onward from the founder of the Shrine; after Prince Oousu was confined in Mino Province, he put his efforts into developing this local area. However, in 126, he was bitten by snake while climbing the Sanage mountain; then, he would meet with his demise from the venomous poison of the snake, at the age of forty two.

[Original Japanese]