Emperor Suinin

Emperor Suinin was the 11th legendary emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is considered to be a mythical figure, and his name was created posthumously by later generations. No certain dates can be assigned to his life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have ruled from 29 BC to AD 70. He was the third son of Emperor Sujin and Mimaki-hime, who was also the daughter of Emperor Kōgen. He ascended the throne a year before his father's death, and ruled from the palace of Tamaki-no-miya at Makimuku in what later became Yamato Province. He is best known for the events that surround the founding of the Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shinto shrine in Japan. The Nihon Shoki states that around 2,000 years ago, he ordered his daughter Yamatohime-no-mikoto to find a permanent location to worship the goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, the sun goddess and the mythical ancestor of the imperial family. She eventually settled on the site of Ise, where the shrine still stands today. Another legend associated with Suinin is the origin of sumo wrestling, a traditional Japanese sport. According to the Nihon Shoki, he witnessed a wrestling match between Nomi no Sukune, a strong man from Izumo, and Taima no Kehaya, a champion from Kibi. Nomi no Sukune killed Taima no Kehaya by breaking his bones with his kicks, and Suinin was impressed by his skill and strength. He rewarded Nomi no Sukune with lands and a beautiful woman, and declared him the ancestor of all wrestlers. Suinin had two chief wives, Saho-hime and Hibasu-hime, and six other consorts. He fathered seventeen children, one of whom became his successor, Emperor Keikō. He died in AD 70, at the age of 139, according to the legend. He was buried in a tomb at Nishi-machi, Amagatsuji, Nara City. He is traditionally venerated as a Shinto deity, and his posthumous name means "benevolent ruler".