Yamato Takeru no Mikoto (childhood name was “Yamato Oguna no Mikoto”) is the second prince of the twelfth Emperor Keikoh.
He subjugated the rebels in various areas in Japan. A lot of his exploits are described in Kojiki (The Records of Ancient Matters).
He is a legendary hero in ancient Japanese history.
(Kojiki is the oldest history book of Japan and also is Shinto scripture which contains the Japanese myths)
The Kagura program “Yamato Takeru” is the story about Kumaso Conquest (in some cases about the conquest of eastern regions …according to Kagura troupes)
(Kumaso is a tribe lived in the ancient Kyushu district who registed the central government of Yamato (Yamato is an old name of Japan).
16 years old Yamato Oguna no Mikoto made an expedition to Kyushu district by an Imperial command. He disguised himself as a beautiful female dancer and close with the head of the gang, Kawakami Takeru.
During a feast Oguna found an opportunity and attacked Kawakami Takeru.
At the point of death Kawakami Takeru said “I had been thinking I am the best and strongest, but I recognized you are the very best. I present you my name ‘Takeru’ so you may call yourself ‘Yamato Takeru’ from now on”.
Oguna accepted the offer and he changed his name to Yamato Takeru.
