Utuchitunumuigani (Japanese: 音智殿茂金) or Otochitonomoigane (birth and death dates unknown) is the first Kikoe-ōgimi priestess of Ryūkyū Kingdom's second Shō dynasty.

Her divine name is 月清, transcribed as "Gessei" or "Tsukikiyora" depending on the sources.[1][2]

She is the daughter of the first king of the second Shō dynasty, Shō En, and of his queen Ogiyaka, as well as the sister of the third king of the dynasty, Shō Shin.[3]: 615 

After the death of her father, while in charge of the ceremonies for the coronation of her uncle, Shō Sen'i, Shō En's brother, she announces that the gods are opposed to the succession and would rather have Shō Shin, Shō En's son, on the throne. Shō Sen'i abdicates in favour of his nephew.[4]: 33 [5]: 828–829 

Originally the onarigami (おなり神) (lit. "sister-goddess") of the king performing protective rites in the domestic sphere, she becomes, after the great religious reform decided by her brother, the head of the hierarchic network of noro priestesses, who are in charge of the rites in the whole Ryūkyū Kingdom.[4]: 33 [6]: 182 

In 1500, she tells Shō Shin that his military campaign against Yaeyama will only be victorious if he brings with him the noro of Kume Island. Her brother sails with the priestess and his military campaign is a success.[4]: 36 

Very few documents mention her personal life at the exception of the role she played in her brother’s coronation and the military campaign against Yaeyama. It seems she did not have any children.

She is buried in Tamaudun, the second Shō dynasty kings' mausoleum, and is mentioned on the dedicatory stele that was erected in 1501 and lists the persons authorized to be buried in the mausoleum, under the name Kikowe Ōkimi Anshi Otochitonomoikane (きこゑ大きみあんしおとちとのもいかね).[7]: 131  Her spirit used to be sheltered in the Tenkai-ji temple, since it was the bodaiji for the spirits of all single princes and princesses of the second Shō dynasty. The temple was destroyed during WWII.[3]: 615 

References

  1. ^ "聞得大君御殿跡 | 那覇市観光資源データベース". 那覇市観光情報 (in Japanese). 2018-06-26. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
  2. ^ 日本人名大辞典+Plus, デジタル版. "音智殿茂金(おとちとのもいがね)とは？ 意味や使い方". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-03-13.
  3. ^ a b Editorial Committee of the Great Dictionary of the Genealogies of the Clans of Okinawa Prefecture [沖縄県姓氏家系大辞典編纂委員会] , ed. (1992). Great Dictionary of the Genealogies of the Clans of Okinawa Prefecture [沖縄県姓氏家系大辞典] [Okinawa ken seishi kakei daijiten]. Kadokawa’s Great Dictionary of Japanese Names and Historical Figures [角川日本姓氏歴史人物大辞典] [Kadokawa nihon seishi rekishi jinbutsu daijiten]. Kadokawa.
  4. ^ a b c Bollinger, E. E. (1969). "The Unity of Government and Religion in the Ryūkyū Islands to 1,500 A.D.". Contemporary Religions in Japan. 10 (1–2). Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture: 1–56.
  5. ^ Great Encyclopedic Dictionary of Okinawa Publishing Office [沖縄大百科事典刊行事務局] (1983). Great Encyclopedic Dictionary of Okinawa Vol.1 A-Ku [沖縄大百科事典 上 ア～ク] [Okinawa dai hyakka jiten jō a kara ku]. Okinawa Times.
  6. ^ Great Encyclopedic Dictionary of Okinawa Publishing Office [沖縄大百科事典刊行事務局] (1983). Great Encyclopedic Dictionary of Okinawa Vol. 3 Na-N [沖縄大百科事典 下 ナ〜ン] [Okinawa dai hyakka jiten ka na kara n]. Okinawa Times.
  7. ^ Takara K. [高良倉吉], ed. (2002). The Place Names of Okinawa Prefecture [沖縄県の地名] [Okinawa-ken no chimei]. Japan Historical Place Names Encyclopedia [日本歴史地名大系] [Nihon rekishi chimei daikei]. Heibonsha.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utuchitunumuigani
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