Toyo (台与)
Toyo (臺與; c. 235 - year of death unknown), also written as 壹與, was a woman who was said to have succeeded Himiko as her relative in the 3rd century of the Yayoi period (c. 250 BC – c. 250 AD; Yayoi derives from the name of district in Tokyo where the pottery representing this period unearthed) in Japan; Himiko was a queen of Yamataikoku (the largest chiefdom in Japan c. 250 governed by a female shaman named Himiko), who was in Gishiwajinden (Worenchuan [account of the Wa people] section of the volume Records of Wei [history of Cao Wei Kingdom; 220 - 265 in China]) in "Sanguo Zhi (a history book)" (Records of the Three Kingdoms; a historical record on the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu in ancient China). In the Gishiwajinden, her name was written as '壹與' but it was written as '臺與' in "Book of the Liang Dynasty" and in "History of Northern Dynasties," both of which were issued in later days.
'台与' is the substitute of '臺與'.
Since the Chinese characters and pronunciation of Toyo are quite controversial matters, they will be discussed later.
The Chinese characters and pronunciation of her name
壹與 (Iyo)
At Worenchuan section (Account of the Wa People section) in the book called Weizhi Dongyi zhuan (Records of Wei Concerning Eastern Barbarians) among "Sanguo Zhi" (History of the Three Kingdoms), (the popular name of this section is Gishiwajinden, compiled by Shou CHEN, 3rd century, Jin period) her name was written as '壹與' in both manuscript printing lines. The pronunciation could be Iyo for the characters 壹與.
臺與 (Toyo)
Her name was written as '臺與' both in the Account of Wa (ancient Japan) section in the volume of Various Barbarians of "Liang shu" (History of the Liang) (compiled by Yao Silian, ad 636, Tang period), and in the Account of Eastern Barbarians chapter of "Bei shi"(History of the Northern Dynasties) (compiled by Li Yanshou, Tang period).
Controversy on the pronunciation
According to common belief '臺與' should be pronounced as 'Toyo,' but there are other theories.
If the character '台' had been used instead of '臺,' then there would seem to be no objection to pronounce it as 'To'. However, '臺' and '台' are different characters.
A ground to read '臺' as 'To' is, for example, based on the description in "Chinese Phonology" written by Akiyasu TODO, in which he said 'It is a famous fact that "Yamato" was written as "邪馬臺" in the Gishiwajinden.', but it is pointed out that his description seemed to be merely depending on the then prevailing idea of reading '邪馬臺' as 'Yamato'. If this objection against him is reasonable, it is also reasonable to point out the fact that just to say '"邪馬臺" can be read as Yamato, "臺與" can be read as Toyo' based on the contents of Chinese-Japanese character dictionaries is nothing but a mere synonymous repetition depending on the popular idea as the ground; but to discuss the pronunciation of '臺' based on Chinese phonetics has nothing to do with this argument.
There is also a theory that 邪馬臺 should be pronounced as Yamado.
The Records of Wei had been compiled long before the other two history books. The contents of the three history books presumably came from "Weilue"(Brief Account of the Wei Dynasty). The "Weilue" was lost but some of its contents were quoted on other books; however since no corresponding part about her name remains, so how her name was exactly written is unknown. Since there was no use of characters '壹與' except in "Records of Wei," there is a presumption － although it is only a presumption － that the original expression in "Weilue" might be '臺與' (Toyo).
Based on this idea, there comes a theory that the words '豊 ---; Toyo ---' found in "Kojiki" (The Records of Ancient Matters) and "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), as well as '豊の国; Toyo Country' － the ancient name of northern Kyushu － might derive from '臺與; Toyo'.
Achievements
The description of Gishiwajinden says as follows:
After the death of Queen Himiko, a male king took the throne.'
People in Yamataikoku would not obey him and due to the following civil war, one thousand people were slain.'
To settle the situation, it was decided that a queen would be required again, and a thirteen-year-old girl called Iyo, a relative of Himiko, took the throne and order was restored.'
Upon a receipt of report informing a dispute between Yamataikoku and Kunukoku in 248 (Zhengshi 8), Chang Cheng, an acting Secretary of the Border Guard, was dispatched from Daifang Commandery, and he persuaded Iyo with a letter of proclamation advising reconciliation.'
These descriptions connoted that not so many years had elapsed after Himiko's death and subsequent Iyo's success of the throne until Chang Cheng's arrival in Wa in 248.
Afterwards, Gishiwajinden goes on saying, 'Iyo sent Yasuku with twenty other men to accompany Chang CHENG home; they went up to the capital of Wei and paid tribute of thirty male and female slaves, five thousand pieces of white gem, two pieces of carved jade, as well as twenty bolts of assorted brocade with novel designs.'
According to Qijuzhu (Court Diaries) of "Jin shu"(History of the Jin Dynasty) which was quoted in the Jingu section of "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), an emissary of the Queen of Wa brought tribute to Jin in 266 (Taishi 2 = Jin 2); it is a popular idea that this queen might be Toyo. This was a year when China had three successive infant Emperors from the relatives due to the absence of heirs from direct line of the Cao family of the Wei Dynasty originating with Cao Cao. Also it was in the middle of the peaceful transfer of power to the Jin Dynasty established by the Shima clan, the Emperor's maternal relative.
After the account of this tribute, there had been no description about either Yamataikoku or Wa in the Chinese history books until in 413 (Yixi 9), 150 years later, when there appeared an account of tribute by San, a King of Wa (one of the Five Kings of Wa).
The connection between Toyo and Yamato sovereignty (the ancient Japan sovereignty) of later days still remains vague, although there have been numerous arguments. There also have been many arguments about the identification of persons (refer to the arguments in The identification of persons).
The identification of Toyo (Iyo)
The discussions aiming to identify Toyo are not ongoing among scholars now due to the following reasons. Refer to Yamataikoku.
The theory of two different Amaterasu (the Sun Goddess)
According to one theory, 'The persons called Amaterasu who existed before and after the incident of Iwato-gakure (the hiding of Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess, in the heavenly rock cave) were different individuals, Himiko and Toyo respectively.'; therefore, this theory argues that it is proper to discuss the matter －Who was Toyo？－ together with the discussion of 'Who should be identified as Amaterasu?'. This thinking is largely accepted among who identify Himiko as Amaterasu, and this identification leads to a hypothesis to explain the historical incident of Iwato-gakure by the total eclipse of the sun, which happened around the death of Himiko.
The theory of Toyo as Yorozuhatatoyoakitu-hime
This hypothesis is valid in case Himiko is identified as Amaterasu. Yorozuhatatoyoakitu-hime was a daughter of Takamimusubi no kami (Deity Takamimusubi no kami). Yorozuhatatoyoakitu-hime married Amenooshihomimi, a son of Amaterasu, and became the mother of Amenohoakari and Ninigi. This theory is to identify Toyo as Yorozuhatatoyoakitu-hime, because she was the person who was a very close relative of Amaterasu and had the character of 'Toyo' in her name; this was the argument Biten YASUMOTO wrote in his "The mystery of Himiko; New Edition"(Kodansha new book). She is one of Aidonoshin (deities enshrined together) at Naiku (Inner shrine) of Ise-jingu Shrine where Amaterasu is the main enshrined deity, which is one of the grounds of his hypothesis.
The theory of Toyo as Amatoyo-hime no mikoto
This hypothesis identifies Toyo as Amatoyo-hime, a child of Takemorozumi no mikoto who was the seventh grandchild of Hikohoakari, the ancestor of Owari clan and Amabe clan. Two generations before Amatoyo-hime, there existed 日女命 (probably reads as Hime no mikoto) who was presumed to be Himiko.
The theory of Toyo as Toyosuki iri-bime no mikoto
This hypothesis is to identify Toyo as Toyosuki iri-bime no mikoto who was a princess of Emperor Sujin. Another theory is to identify Toyo as the first Saigu (the ancient Imperial Princesses serving at the Ise shrine) who enshrined Amaterasu Omikami (the Sun Goddess) by the Emperor's order. This is only valid in case Himiko is identified as Yamatototohimomoso-hime no mikoto.
Theory that states identification is impossible
Today's academy, however, is skeptical about the methodology itself which seeks to understand the Yamataikoku study by identifying Toyo as someone in myths or someone in genealogical chart of "Kiki" (Kojiki and Nihonshoki; "A Record of Ancient Matter" and "Chronicles of Japan"). As they were not good in quality as compiled historical materials of those days, nor exactness can hardly be expected in the descriptions of Kiki, if the described matters were basically before Emperor Keitai.