Watatsumi Province - Watatsumi Province

Japanese: 綿津見国 - わたつみのくに

A mythical place name found in Japanese mythology. An undersea country where the sea god Owatatsumi is said to live. "Wata" comes from "to cross" and was considered an ideal land located far off the coast of Unasaka. This is because Watatsumi, as the god of water, was said to protect agriculture, fishing and hunting and bring wealth. In the legends of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, the "grandson of heaven" Yamasachihiko arrived in this country and married Toyotamahime, the daughter of the sea god (Umisachi, Yamasachi). Later, as seen in the legend of Urashima Taro, it became gradually romanticized as it was combined with the idea of Tokoyo no Kuni and the idea of immortals.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

日本神話にみえる神話上の地名。海神大綿津見（おおわたつみ）神がすむとされる海底の国。〈ワタ〉は〈渡る〉にもとづき，海坂（うなさか）のはるか沖にある理想郷とされた。それはワタツミが水の神として農事や漁猟を守護して富をもたらすとされたからで，記紀の伝承では〈天孫〉山幸彦（やまさちひこ）がこの国に到着し海神の娘豊玉姫（とよたまひめ）と結婚する(海幸･山幸)。後に浦島伝説にみられるように常世国（とこよのくに）の観念や神仙思想と抱合してしだいに浪漫化されるようになる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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