Hinarasu

• Approximately 4th century/uncertain
• Distinction: Ancestor of Nihihari's Kuni no miyatsuko (magistrates)
• Other names: Hinarasu no Mikoto
• Japanese: 毘那良珠命　

Hinarasu was a pre-7th century magistrate (Kuni no miyatsuko) of Nihihari (Niibari), within what was to be called Hitachi province, which was created in the 7th century under Emperor Kotoku's reign.

Stretching back into mythology, Yamato Takeru is supposed to have gone to Nihihari on some sort of inspection tour. He commanded Hinarasu to create a well. This story relays the origin of the Hitachi placename.

Strangely enough, however, the same fudoki (the Hitachi no Kuni Fudoki) gives another version of the well-digging story. Instead of an order from Yamato Takeru, it comes from Prince Mimaki (the later Emperor Sujin)!

Prince Mimaki is supposed to have commanded Hinarasu to qwell the Araburu Nishimono, a rebellious people in the Azuma region, which then encompassed Nihihari region and the later Hitachi province. Mark Funke's translation of the Hitachi no Kuni Fudoko differs from Michiko Aoki's, which was used above, in that he notes that Yamato Takeru sent Hinarasu to qwell the Emishi.

Hinarasu was given the governship of Nihihari during Emperor Seimu's reign. Emperor Seimu was the brother of Yamato Takeru, which means that he was most likely rewarded for his expedition against the rebellious people in the East. Information regarding Hinarasu must be taken with a grain of salt, as different sources place him in completely different Japanese epochs. He is seen as working in the 2nd century, but yet again being commanded by the late 3rd/early 4th century Yamato King Emperor Sunin.

It's believed that his ancestor was Ame no Hohi, the Izumo no Omi family's clan deity.

Sources

"Records of Wind and Earth" by Michiko Aoki