Tokomaro

Tokomaro or Tokumaro (徳麻呂) was a soldier of 7th century AD Japan. He and four slaves of Ōi temple served in Jinshin War of 672 and fought the battle of Nakatsu-michi bravely.

His name appears in history book Nihonshoki on the battle of Nakatsu-michi of Yamato Province on the beginning of July 672 (in Japanese old calendar). Yamato had been one of two major fronts of the war. Ōtomo no Fukei, the commander general of this front of Prince Ōama (Emperor Temmu) side, divided his army three divisions on Kamitsu-michi (upper road), Nakatsu-michi (middle road) and Shimotsu-michi (lower road). Enemy general Inukai no Isokimi dispatched his commander Ioi no Kujira and picked 200 soldiers against the thin center of Fukei. Five slaves of Ōi temple, including Tokomaro, took the lead of defence and shot arrows. Ioi stopped his advance. Then Fukei's right division rushed to the rear of enemy after breaking Inukai's left at Kamitsu-michi. Yamato province was won by Fukei soon after this battle.

Nihonshoki describes details of war but merely mentions background of rank-and-file soldiers. "Slaves of Oi temple" is a proof of broad mobilization and an example of brave fight of slave in ancient Japan.

References

• Masajirō Takigawa, History of Japanese Slave Economy, Shimizu Shobō, 1957. (滝川政次郎『日本奴隷経済史』、清水書房、1957年。)
• Mitsuo Tōyama, Jinshin War: Mith and Fact of the Burth of Tennō, Chūōkōron-sha, 1996. (遠山美都男『壬申の乱　天皇誕生の神話と史実』、中央公論社（中公新書）、1996年、ISBN 4-12-101293-3。)
• Tarō Sakamoto, Saburō Ienaga, Mutsusada Inoue and Susumu Ōno noted and translated Nihonshoki, Iwanami Shoten, 1995. (坂本太郎・家永三郎・井上光貞・大野晋『日本書紀』5（岩波文庫）、岩波書店、1995年、ISBN 4-00-300045-5。)
• Noriyuki Kojima, Kojirō Naoki, Kazutami Nishimiya and Masamori Mori noted and translated, Nihonshoki, Shōgakkan, 1998. (小島憲之・直木孝次郎・西宮一民・蔵中進・毛利正守・校注・訳『日本書紀』3（新編日本古典文学全集）、小学館、1998年、ISBN 4-09-658004) 。