noun
first emperor to rule the land
A formal title bestowed upon Emperor Jimmu at his coronation in Japanese mythology. Not used in modern Japanese outside historical or mythological contexts.
『日本書紀』によれば、神武天皇は「始馭天下之天皇」と称された。
According to the Nihon Shoki, Emperor Jimmu was called 'Hatsukunishirasu Sumeramikoto'.
The title is composed of classical Japanese elements: 始 (hatsu, 'first') + 馭 (ku, 'to rule/manage') + 天下 (ame no shita, 'under heaven/the realm') + 天皇 (sumeramikoto, 'emperor'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a traditional epithet from early Japanese chronicles.