The Story of the Oki Islands

Oki Islands (隠岐諸島 Oki-shotō, or 隠岐群島 Oki-guntō) are a group of 16 islands at the southwestern portion of the Sea of Japan. Some of the larger inhabited islands are Dōgo, Chiburi-shima, Nakano-shima, Chibu-mura, Ama-chō, Okinoshima-chō, and Nishinoshima-chō. The Oki Islands make up the Oki District and are considered part of Shimane Prefecture as well as Oki Kokuritsu Kōen (Daisen-Oki National Park). During the Nara period (710 to 794 AD), exiles were sent to the Islands, one of whom was Emperor Go-Toba who remained there until his death in 1239.

The Oki Islanders have a story describing how the once cursed island finally became a peaceful place. A shrine in a cape in the island of Kamijima (Holy Island) was built that holds the body of the evil god Yofuné-Nushi. Another smaller shrine called the “Tomb of the Sea Serpent” was built to commemorate Yofuné-Nushi’s defeat.

As the Oki Islands story goes, at a time when Hojo Takatoki reigned the land, a samurai named Oribe Shima fell out of Hojo’s favor and was exiled to Oki Islands. Oribe had a daughter named Tokoyo and they loved each other dearly. Tokoyo could not bear to be parted from her father and was determined to follow him to Oki Islands. She sold all her valuable belongings and made the journey to reach Oki Islands. With the last of her money, Tokoyo purchased food to last her until she reached the islands on a small boat all on her own, for no fisherman would take her.

Tokoyo, barely alive, finally reached a rocky bay in Oki Island. After much needed rest, she regained enough strength to ask some people if they knew her father. Tokoyo chanced upon a shrine keeper and a young weeping girl of about 15 years old, all dressed in white. The priest was clapping his hands and chanting “Namu Amida Butsu’s.” The priest explained to Tokoyo that each year on the 13th of June, between the hours of 8 and 9 in the evening, a pure girl no more than 15 years old must be sacrificed to the evil serpent god, Yofuné-Nushi. If this is not done, Yofuné-Nushi will get angry and cause great storms.

Mizuwakasu Shrine

Tokoyo offered herself instead of the young girl and quickly garbed herself in the white clothes of the young girl and dove into the sea. She swam deep into the water until she reached the bottom where she saw a wooden statue of Hojo Takatoki, the man who exiled her father. Soon after, a Yofuné-Nushi, a luminous creature shaped like a snake with scales and legs about 26 feet long, came out of the darkness. Tokoyo wielded her dagger and stabbed the evil god’s eye. One eye was completely blinded and the other covered in blood. After she also stabbed him in the heart, Yofuné-Nushi didn’t stand a chance. Thus ended the yearly virgin offering to the evil god.

Tokoyo carried the wooden statue of Hojo Takatoki and the body of Yofuné-Nushi out of the water and the people rejoiced. Word of Tokoyo’s heroism reached the ears of Hojo Takatoki, who realized the statue had been cursed, thus making him ill. He ordered the release of Tokoyo’s father, and they were finally reunited.