The legendary first Emperor of Japan, recorded in the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki as a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. According to tradition, he led an eastern expedition (Jinmu Tōsei) from Hyūga, passing through Kumano and Yoshino before entering Yamato Province (modern Nara) and ascending the throne at Kashihara. His reign is said to have lasted 76 years, and all subsequent emperors are considered his direct descendants. Japan's National Foundation Day (February 11) commemorates his accession. While historians debate his historicity, he remains a profound symbol of Japanese national identity. Kashihara Jingū in Nara stands near the site traditionally associated with his enthronement. His eastward campaign is said to have embodied the founding ideal of hakko ichiu—uniting the world as one family—regarded as the moral origin of the Japanese spirit.

Depicted as a ruler who combined martial courage with benevolence. Throughout his arduous eastern campaign, he honored the divine will, cherished his people, and united regional chieftains through exceptional leadership—embodying the founding ideal of both literary and martial virtue.

The symbolic founding ancestor of Japan. He is considered the origin of the unbroken imperial lineage and the basis for National Foundation Day. Kashihara Jingū preserves his legacy to this day.