TAMATORI-HIME

Lore

Tamatori-hime, also known as Princess Tamatori or simply Tamamo, was a humble ama (traditional skin diver) from the fishing village of Shido-no-ura. Her life changed when she caught the eye of Fujiwara no Fuhito, a powerful noble who kept his high status a secret to ensure their love was genuine. Once their bond was solidified and a son, Fusasaki, was born, Fuhito revealed his true lineage and the heavy burden of his family's lost honor.

The Fujiwara clan had lost their most sacred relic, the Menko-fuhai-no-tama pearl, to a violent sea storm. This magical jewel was believed to grant its bearer invincibility in combat. Legend held that the pearl now resided in Ryugu-jo, the undersea dragon palace of the god Ryujin. Tamamo, driven by a desire to secure her son's future as a legitimate heir to the clan, volunteered to dive into the crushing depths to reclaim the stolen treasure.

Using her expert knowledge of the currents and her incredible lung capacity, she reached the palace and seized the pearl. However, the Dragon King's guardians-monstrous serpents and giant octopuses-gave chase. Realizing she could not escape them while swimming to the surface, she used her diver's knife to cut open her own chest and hide the pearl inside her body. The resulting cloud of blood blinded her pursuers in the murky water, and the air trapped in her wound acted as a buoy, shooting her to the surface.

She was pulled from the water by her husband, dying shortly after she surrendered the pearl from her wound. Her sacrifice was not in vain; the jewel was returned, and her son was formally recognized as the clan's successor. Today, she is honored as a symbol of maternal devotion and heroic resolve. Divers still tell her story before entering dangerous waters, praying for a fraction of her courage and the protection of her noble spirit.