Toyotamahimes

Toyotamahime is a prominent figure in Japanese mythology, primarily known from the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, two of the oldest Japanese chronicles. She is depicted as a daughter of the sea god Ryujin (or Watatsumi) and a princess of the underwater palace. Her name, Toyotamahime, translates to "Abundant Jewel Princess" or "Plentiful Jewel Princess," reflecting her connection to the treasures of the sea.

The most famous story involving Toyotamahime concerns her marriage to Hoori, a human prince and grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Hoori, after losing his brother's fishhook, descended to the underwater palace to seek it. There, he met and fell in love with Toyotamahime. She helped him retrieve the hook and, after a stay of three years, they married.

Toyotamahime followed Hoori to the land and became pregnant. When she was close to giving birth, she asked Hoori not to look at her while she was in labor. Hoori, overcome with curiosity, broke his promise and witnessed her transform into a dragon, her true form. Ashamed and angered, Toyotamahime returned to the sea, leaving their child, Ugayafukiaezu, behind.

Despite her departure, Toyotamahime's lineage is crucial to Japanese imperial history, as Ugayafukiaezu became the father of Emperor Jimmu, the legendary first emperor of Japan. Toyotamahime's story highlights themes of the divine and human worlds, the power of the sea, and the origins of the imperial line.