Exploring Tokoyo: Japan’s Mythical Land of Immortality
In the tapestry of global mythology, almost every culture possesses a vision of a utopia—a distant paradise where time stands still, and death holds no dominion. For the ancient Celts, it was Avalon; for the Greeks, Elysium. In Japan, this realm is known as Tokoyo-no-kuni (常世の国), or simply Tokoyo.
Unlike the celestial high plains of Takamagahara (the abode of the gods) or the dark underworld of Yomi, Tokoyo occupies a unique space in the Japanese spiritual imagination. It is a distant land across the sea, a source of abundance, longevity, and sometimes, the uncanny. Join us as we journey into the mists of history to understand this enigmatic “Eternal Land.”
The Origins of the Eternal Land
The concept of Tokoyo dates back to the earliest recorded history of Japan. Etymologically, Tokoyo combines “toko” (eternal or constant) and “yo” (world, age, or night). While some interpretations suggest a land of “eternal night,” it is predominantly viewed as a “constant world”—a place where changes like aging, sickness, and death do not exist.
In early Shinto cosmology, the universe was not strictly vertical (heaven above, hell below). It was also horizontal. Tokoyo was believed to be located far beyond the ocean horizon. It was viewed as the source of life and vitality that flowed into the mortal world. Ancient Japanese villagers believed that wealth, blessings, and sometimes spirits arrived from across the sea, originating in this timeless realm.
Legends of the Everlasting
Tokoyo appears in several key myths that define Japanese folklore. These stories often center on the quest for immortality or the retrieval of divine treasures.
The Quest for the Timeless Fruit
One of the most poignant tales involving Tokoyo comes from the reign of Emperor Suinin. According to legend, the Emperor sent his loyal retainer, Tajima-mori, on a perilous journey to Tokoyo-no-kuni. His mission was to retrieve the “fragrant fruit of the timeless land” (tokijiku no kagu no konomi), believed to grant immortality.
After years of hardship, Tajima-mori succeeded, finding the fruit (often interpreted today as the tachibana, a wild mandarin orange). However, upon his return to Japan, he discovered that the Emperor had already passed away. Heartbroken, Tajima-mori wept and died by the Emperor’s tomb. This legend cements Tokoyo as a place where the limitations of mortal time do not apply, contrasting sharply with the tragic reality of human life.
The Little God in the Boat
Another reference involves Sukunabikona, a dwarf deity associated with medicine and healing. After assisting the great god Okuninushi in creating the land of Japan, Sukunabikona is said to have climbed into a tiny boat made of a bean pod and sailed off across the sea to Tokoyo, retiring to the eternal realm after his work was done.
Tokoyo in Modern Culture
While modern Japan is a high-tech society, the spiritual underpinnings of Tokoyo remain embedded in the culture, though the term itself is less commonly used in daily conversation than concepts like Kami or Yokai.
The Concept of Marebito
The folklore scholar Orikuchi Shinobu popularized the concept of Marebito—spirits or guests who arrive from Tokoyo to bring blessings to villages during specific festivals. This belief influences many traditional matsuri (festivals) where masked deities visit communities to strip away impurities and ensure a good harvest. The idea is that the “other world” is not a place of fear, but a source of rejuvenation.
Pop Culture Influence
In anime and literature, the concept of a parallel “eternal world” frequently recurs. While not always explicitly named “Tokoyo,” the trope of a hidden spirit realm accessible through tunnels or crossing water (as seen in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away or Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume) draws heavily on the ancient spatial geography of Tokoyo-no-kuni.
Traveler’s Tips: Seeking the Spirit of Tokoyo
You cannot book a flight to Tokoyo, but you can visit the places where the boundary between this world and the eternal land is felt most strongly.
- Ise Jingu (Mie Prefecture): The most sacred shrine in Japan. The architecture and the ancient forests evoke a sense of timelessness. The sun goddess Amaterasu is worshipped here, and the coastal location links it to the worship of the horizon.
- Kumano Kodo (Wakayama Prefecture): This pilgrimage route is steeped in resurrection mythology. The rugged coastline looking out over the Pacific Ocean was often the place where believers would gaze outward, praying to the pure lands across the sea (the Fudaraku faith, which is a Buddhist syncretization of the Tokoyo concept).
- Tajima-mori Shrines: Visitors can find shrines dedicated to Tajima-mori, the god of sweets and citrus, often located within larger shrine complexes. Paying respects here is a nod to the traveler who actually made it to the Eternal Land.
Sources & Further Reading
For those interested in diving deeper into the primary texts that describe Tokoyo-no-kuni, the following historical records are essential:
- The Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters, 712 AD): Contains the mythology of Sukunabikona and early descriptions of the cosmos.
- The Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan, 720 AD): Provides the detailed account of Tajima-mori’s quest for the orange of immortality.
- The Man’yoshu: Japan’s oldest anthology of poetry, which contains verses longing for the eternal land or referring to it as a realm of unchanging youth.
Tokoyo reminds us that the human desire for a land free from sorrow and death is universal. Whether viewed as a physical island or a spiritual state of mind, the Eternal Land remains a fascinating horizon in the landscape of Japanese culture.