ce of
Yamato.

Prince Jimmu, or whoever was the foreign ruler who conquered and
founded an empire in Japan, must have been a bold, enterprising,
and sagacious man. The islands he subdued were barbarous, and he
civilized them; the inhabitants were warlike and cruel, and he kept
them in peace. He founded a dynasty which extended its dominion
over Nagato, Izumo, and Owari, and still has representatives in
rulers whose people are by far the most progressive dwellers in the
East.

That part of the following historical matter, which is translated
from the old Japanese chronicle, the _Nehongi_, is marked by local
color and by Oriental characteristics, whereby it curiously
contrasts with the plain recitals of modern and Western history.

SIR EDWARD REED

There are endless varying legends about this god-period of Japan. All
that we need now say in the way of reciting the legends of the gods has
relation to the descent of the mikados of Japan from the deities.

It was the misconduct of Susanoo that drove the sun-goddess into the
cave and for this misconduct he was banished. Some say that, instead of
proceeding to his place of banishment, he descended, with his son
Idakiso no Mikoto, upon Shiraga (in Corea), but not liking the place
went back by a vessel to the bank of the Hinokawa River, in Idzumo,
Japan.

At the time of their descent, Idakiso had many plants or seeds of trees
with him, but he planted none in Shiraga, but took them across with him,
and scattered them from Kuishiu all over Japan, so that the whole
country became green with trees. It is said that Idakiso is respected as
the god of merit, and is worshipped in Kinokuni. His two sisters also
took care of the plantation. One of the gods who reigned over the
country in the prehistoric period was Ohonamuchi, who is said by some to
be the son of Susanoo, and by others to be one of his later descendants;
"And which is right, it is more than we can say," remarked one of my
scholarly friends.

However, during his reign he was anxious about the people, and,
consulting with Sukuna no Mikoto, applied "his whole heart," we are
told, to their good government, and they all became loyal to him. One
time he said to his friend just named, "Do you think we are governing
the people well?" And his friend answered: "In some respects well, and
in some not," so that they were frank and honest with each other i