White-Sun-Youth;[1] the Land of Toyo[2] is called Luxuriant-Sun-Youth;[3] the Land of Hi is called Brave-Sun-Confronting-Luxuriant-Wondrous-Lord-Youth;[4] the Land of Kumaso is called Brave-Sun-Youth.[5] Next they gave birth to the Island of Iki,[6] another name for which is Heaven's One-Pillar.[7] Next they gave birth to the Island of Tsu,[8] another name for which is Heavenly-Hand-net-Good-Princess.[9] Next they gave birth to the Island of Sado.[10] Next they gave birth to Great-Yamato-the-Luxuriant-Island-of-the-Dragon-Fly,[11] another name for which is Heavenly-August-
- ↑ Shira-bi-wake.
- ↑ Toyo means “luxuriant” or “fertile.” Hi appears to signify “fire” or “sun.” Kumaso is properly a compound, Kuma-so, as the district is often mentioned by the simple name of So. Kuma signifies “bear,” and Motowori suggests that the use of the name of this the fiercest of beasts as a prefix may be traced to the evil reputation of that part of the country for robbers and outlaws. He quotes similar compounds with kuma in support of this view.
- ↑ Toyo-bi-wake.
- ↑ Take-hi-mukahi-toyo-kuzhi-hine-wake. The interpretation of this name follows Motowori,
- ↑ Take-bi-wake.
- ↑ Etymology uncertain, but there seems reason to suppose that the name was originally pronounced Yiki or Yuki.
- ↑ Ame-hito-tsu-bashira.
- ↑ Tsu (Tsu-shima) means “port,” “anchorage,” a name probably given to this island on account of its being the midway halting-place for junks plying between Japan and Korea.
- ↑ Ame-no-sade-yori-hime. The interpretation of sade (rendered “hand-net”) is uncertain. The translator has followed that sanctioned by an ode in Vol. I of the “Collection of a Myriad Loaves” and by a passage in the “Japanese Words Classified and Explained.” Hirata takes sa to be an Honorific and te to be the usual word for “hand,” while Motowori gives up the name in despair.
- ↑ Etymology uncertain.
- ↑ Oho-yamato-toyo-aki-dzu-shima (the original of the alternative personal name is Ama-no-mi-sora-toyo-aki-dzu-ne-wake). The etymology of Yamato is
variations in the names, Himuka (Hiuga), which it certainly seems strange to omit, being the fourth on the list with the alternative name of Toyokuzhi-hine-wake, while the alternative name of Hi is Haya-hi-wake. Motowori argues that an enumeration of four agrees better with the context, while Moribe in his Critique on Motowori's Commentary decides in favour of the five. There are thus texts and authorities in favour of both views.
