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Minamoto no Tametomo was a warrior of the [[Minamoto clan]], exiled to [[Izu Oshima|Izu Ôshima]] in [[1165]], in the aftermath of the [[Hogen Rebellion|Hôgen Rebellion]]. He is the subject of a number of myths and legends, which have him making his way to [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] from Ôshima, and fathering [[Shunten]], the first king of Okinawa.

Minamoto no Tametomo was a warrior of the [[Minamoto clan]], exiled to [[Izu Oshima|Izu Ôshima]] in [[1165]], in the aftermath of the [[Hogen Rebellion|Hôgen Rebellion]]. He is the subject of a number of myths and legends, which have him making his way to [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] from Ôshima, and fathering [[Shunten]], the first king of Okinawa.

Tametomo was the eighth son of [[Minamoto no Tameyoshi]], brother to [[Minamoto no Yoshitomo]], and thus a direct uncle to [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]], first [[shogun]] of the [[Kamakura shogunate]]. Through his father Tameyoshi, he was a member of the prominent [[Seiwa Genji]] line; a grandson of [[Minamoto no Yoshiie]], Tametomo identified himself as seven generations from Prince Rokuson and nine from [[Emperor Seiwa]] himself.<ref>William de Bary, ''Sources of Japanese Tradition'', vol 1, Columbia University Press (2001), 273.</ref> Tametomo lived for a time in Kyushu during his younger days, and is thus associated with the island, and with the term "Chinzei," an alternate name for Kyushu. During his time there, it is said he married a woman named Shiranui, the daughter of [[Taira no Tadakuni]].

Tametomo was the eighth son of [[Minamoto no Tameyoshi]], brother to [[Minamoto no Yoshitomo]], and was thus a direct uncle to [[Minamoto no Yoritomo]], first [[shogun]] of the [[Kamakura shogunate]]. Through his father Tameyoshi, he was a member of the prominent [[Seiwa Genji]] line; a grandson of [[Minamoto no Yoshiie]], Tametomo identified himself as seven generations from Prince Rokuson and nine from [[Emperor Seiwa]] himself.<ref>William de Bary, ''Sources of Japanese Tradition'', vol 1, Columbia University Press (2001), 273.</ref> Tametomo lived for a time in Kyushu during his younger days, and is thus associated with the island, and with the term "Chinzei," an alternate name for Kyushu. During his time there, it is said he married a woman named Shiranui, the daughter of [[Taira no Tadakuni]].

Tametomo fought alongside his father in the Hôgen Rebellion of [[1156]], siding with [[Emperor Sutoku]] against [[Emperor Go-Shirakawa]] (who, incidentally, had Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Tametomo's brother, on his side). After Go-Shirakawa's victory, Yoshitomo was forced to behead his father, Tameyoshi, and several of his brothers and other close relatives who had opposed Emperor Go-Shirakawa. Tametomo, renowned for his skill with a bow, had the ligaments or tendons of his bow arm cut, rendering it useless, before he was exiled to Izu Ôshima.

Tametomo fought alongside his father in the Hôgen Rebellion of [[1156]], siding with [[Emperor Sutoku]] against [[Emperor Go-Shirakawa]] (who, incidentally, had Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Tametomo's brother, on his side). After Go-Shirakawa's victory, Yoshitomo was forced to behead his father, Tameyoshi, and several of his brothers and other close relatives who had opposed Emperor Go-Shirakawa. Tametomo, renowned for his skill with a bow, had the ligaments or tendons of his bow arm cut, rendering it useless, before he was exiled to Izu Ôshima.

The legend of his involvement in [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû]] is related in numerous [[Edo period]] texts; the precise origin of the myth is unclear, but it appears as early as [[1605]], in the monk [[Taichu|Taichû's]] account of [[Ryukyuan religion]], ''[[Ryukyu Shinto ki|Ryûkyû Shintô ki]]''. The story appears, too, in the [[1650]] official history ''[[Chuzan Seikan|Chûzan Seikan]]'', compiled by Ryukyuan royal advisor [[Sho Shoken|Shô Shôken]]. It is then repeated, or elaborated upon, in [[Arai Hakuseki]]'s [[1719]] book ''[[Nantoshi|Nantôshi]]'', [[Morishima Churyo|Morishima Chûryô's]] [[1790]] publication ''[[Ryukyu-banashi|Ryûkyû-banashi]]'', and [[Takizawa Bakin]]'s novel ''[[Chinsetsu yumihari tsuki]]'', which expands the story out to a full novel, among other works. This myth is said to have had a central place in Japanese popular conceptions of Ryûkyû in the Edo period, and even in Ryûkyû, a number of sites including [[Naminoue Shrine]] enshrine Tametomo's spirit or are otherwise associated with him.<ref name=yokoyama/>

The legend of his involvement in [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû]] is related in numerous [[Edo period]] texts; the precise origin of the myth is unclear, but it appears as early as [[1605]], in the monk [[Taichu|Taichû's]] account of [[Ryukyuan religion]], ''[[Ryukyu Shinto ki|Ryûkyû Shintô ki]]''. The story appears, too, in the [[1650]] official history ''[[Chuzan Seikan|Chûzan Seikan]]'', compiled by Ryukyuan royal advisor [[Sho Shoken|Shô Shôken]]. It is then repeated, or elaborated upon, in [[Arai Hakuseki]]'s [[1719]] book ''[[Nantoshi|Nantôshi]]'', [[Morishima Churyo|Morishima Chûryô's]] [[1790]] publication ''[[Ryukyu-banashi|Ryûkyû-banashi]]'', and [[Takizawa Bakin]]'s novel ''[[Chinsetsu yumihari tsuki]]'', which expands the story out to a full novel, among other works. This myth is said to have had a central place in Japanese popular conceptions of Ryûkyû in the Edo period, and even in Ryûkyû, a number of sites including [[Naminoue Shrine]] enshrine Tametomo's spirit or are otherwise associated with him.<ref name=yokoyama/>

This story is generally regarded today as pure fiction, and as an idea invented and perpetuated in order to justify Japanese dominion over the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. The first to assert its falsity was [[Kato Sango|Katô Sango]], in his [[1906]] publication ''Ryûkyû no kenkyû'' (lit. "Ryûkyû Research"). He asserted it was a total fabrication, and cited in particular four points of suspicion.<ref name=yokoyama/> The vast distance between Izu Ôshima and Ryûkyû is but one of many elements which make the story seem rather unlikely; had he been exiled to an island off of Kyushu, in the [[Amami Islands]] chain, such as [[Kikaigashima]], where the monk [[Shunkan]] was exiled a few years later ([[1177]]), it might be easier to believe. Yet, as recently as the 1950s, historian [[George Kerr]] devoted several pages to the Tametomo tale, and wrote that while it "cannot be verified at this time; neither can it be dismissed as pure fiction."<ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p46.</ref>

This story is generally regarded today as pure fiction, and as an idea invented and perpetuated in order to justify Japanese dominion over the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]].<ref>Yokoyama Manabu suggess that since the ''Ryûkyû Shintô ki'' was written before Satsuma's [[1609]] [[invasion of Ryukyu]], the story could not, strictly speaking, have been fabricated in order to curry favor with Satsuma. (Yokoyama, 53.) However, Satsuma asserted claims to Ryûkyû, and demanded tax or tribute, since at least the 1590s, so the Tametomo story still may have been created for that purpose.</ref> The first to assert its falsity was [[Kato Sango|Katô Sango]], in his [[1906]] publication ''Ryûkyû no kenkyû'' (lit. "Ryûkyû Research"). He asserted it was a total fabrication, and cited in particular four points of suspicion.<ref name=yokoyama/> The vast distance between Izu Ôshima and Ryûkyû is but one of many elements which make the story seem rather unlikely; had he been exiled to an island off of Kyushu, in the [[Amami Islands]] chain, such as [[Kikaigashima]], where the monk [[Shunkan]] was exiled a few years later ([[1177]]), it might be easier to believe. Yet, as recently as the 1950s, historian [[George Kerr]] devoted several pages to the Tametomo tale, and wrote that while it "cannot be verified at this time; neither can it be dismissed as pure fiction."<ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p46.</ref>

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