User:Immanuelle/sandbox/Aso Faith

the grasslands of Aso

This is the genealogy of the Aso clan.

The Aso clan are the descendants of a grandson of Emperor Jimmu named Takeiwatatsu no Mikoto. They ruled the grasslands of Aso.

Historian Ōta Akira explains the Aso clan as having been given the original territory of Jimmu’s family to rule, because Jimmu was moving into the Kinai region

The shrine is said to have been founded around 283 BC under the reign of Emperor Kōrei

They are relatives of the O clan whose main shrine is Oonimasumishiritsuhiko-jinja. Ō no Yasumaro was a famous member. He became head of the clan in 716 around the time he wrote the Kojiki.

There is speculation that the O clan used to be a significant clan in the Department of Divinities before losing power to the Nakatomi clan

I have not managed to find specific info on the genealogical relationship between the O clan and the Aso clan and will focus on the Aso clan from now on

Aso’s grasslands are unique in Japan.

They were likely originally created by a wildfire due to a volcanic eruption, but today they are maintained through the fire festival which burns the fields to prevent tree growth

The Daihimonjiyaki 大火文字焼き on Ojodake and Motozuka showing the kanji characters for 火 and 炎.

It is possible that these grasslands were what managed to give Jimmu a cavalry force to conquer the rest of Japan

In 2016 Aso Shrine was heavily damaged in an earthquake and the practice ceased. There exists a movement to bring back the grasslands for fear the end of this practice will disrupt local ecology.

Genealogy

 Their early genealogy frorm Emperor Jimmu is as follows.

Emperor Jimmu

Himetataraisuzu-hime

Emperor Suizei

Kamuyaimimi

Kunitatsu no Kami

Hime Miko no Kami

Imperial Family Line

Takeiwatatsu-no-Mikoto

Asotsuhime no Mikoto

Shinhiko no Mikoto

Yahime no Kami

Hayamikatama no Mikoto

Wakahiko no kami

Shinhime no Mikoto

Wakahime no Kami

Hikomiko no Kami

Aso Shrine Extended Family

Current Aso Shrine Priests