Akuroou - Akuroou

Japanese: 悪路王 - あくろおう

Year of birth: Year of birth and death unknown. A person who is said to have been defeated by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro and Fujiwara no Toshihito in the early Heian period. Some believe his name is a corrupted version of the Emishi chief Aterui (also Aterinari). He is said to have made Takkoku-no-Iwaya (Hiraizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture) his hideout, and after defeating him, Tamuramaro is said to have built a nine-bay, four-sided temple there modeled after Kurama-dera Temple in Kyoto, and enshrined a statue of Tamonten. In September 1189 (Bun'ji 5), Minamoto no Yoritomo stopped by the cave after attacking Hiraizumi and defeating Fujiwara no Yasuhira and his men, and listened to tales of Tamuramaro's bravery (Azuma Kagami). The wooden head of Akujo, said to have been presented by Tamuramaro, is said to be kept at Kashima Shrine in Katsura Village, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Kashima Shrine in Kashima Town, Ibaraki Prefecture, and the former was repaired by Tokugawa Mitsukuni during the Genroku period (1688-1704). These facts indicate that the Kashima deity, which was widespread in Emishi society, was sought to appease the vengeful spirit of Akujo.

(Takinami Sadako)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

生年：生没年不詳
平安前期,坂上田村麻呂や藤原利仁に滅ぼされたと伝えられる人物。蝦夷の族長阿弖流為(阿弖利為とも)の訛ったものとの見方もある。達谷窟(岩手県平泉町)を巣窟としたといい,これを討った田村麻呂は,そこに京の鞍馬寺を模して9間4面の精舎を建立し,多聞天の像を安置したと伝える。文治5(1189)年9月,源頼朝は平泉を攻撃し藤原泰衡らを討滅したあとこの窟に立ち寄り,田村麻呂の武勇譚を聞いている(『吾妻鏡』)。いま茨城県桂村の鹿島神社と同県鹿島町にある鹿島神宮には田村麻呂が納めたという悪路王の首級(木造)が伝えられており,前者は元禄年間(1688～1704),徳川光圀が修理したもの。これらの事実は,蝦夷社会に広がった鹿島神に悪路王の怨霊の慰撫が求められていたことを示すものであろう。

(瀧浪貞子)

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