This site is about the Dragonfly's impact on Japanese culture. The dragonfly, now called "tombo" in Japanese, used to be called "akitsu".
According to legend, Jinmu, the first divine emperor of Japan, stood on the top of a mountain surveying all of Yamato (the old name for Japan) and remarked that the land resembled the shape of a ring of tombo (dragonflies) in flight. It is from this phrase that Yamato also became known as Akitsushima, akitsu being another reading of the character for tombo, and shima meaning island. Tombo is perhaps the oldest design in Japan and has been found on the oldest discovered primitive pottery. [3]
Another incident when the 21st emperor, Yuryaku Tenno, was hunting in an open plain in Yoshino (southern Nara Prefecture today). A horsefly landed on his arm and stung him. Just then, a dragonfly swooped down and took off with the horsefly. The emperor was so satisfied with this that he named the area Akitsu-no (Dragonfly Plain). [The Nihon Shoki (Chronicle of Japan, compiled 720 AD] [2]
Tombo are also known as kachimushi or “victory insects.” Besides having such a strong name, tombo are quick to attack and catch other small insects in midair. For these reasons, tombo became a motif favored among the warrior classes. Tombo designs appeared on military implements such as arrow quivers in hopes that arrows would fly straight and fast like the insect. Tombo are often combined in designs with arrows as well as with iris, the straight sword-like leaves of the iris representing a fast sword. [3]
Although they are seen in abundance in early summer, tombo have become associated with the autumn and are often represented flying among the autumn grasses in Japanese art. A folk belief persists that the tombo is the steed of departed ancestors who return to visit their families during the summer festival of Obon. [3]
According to legend, Jinmu, the first divine emperor of Japan, stood on the top of a mountain surveying all of Yamato (the old name for Japan) and remarked that the land resembled the shape of a ring of tombo (dragonflies) in flight. It is from this phrase that Yamato also became known as Akitsushima, akitsu being another reading of the character for tombo, and shima meaning island. Tombo is perhaps the oldest design in Japan and has been found on the oldest discovered primitive pottery. [3]
Another incident when the 21st emperor, Yuryaku Tenno, was hunting in an open plain in Yoshino (southern Nara Prefecture today). A horsefly landed on his arm and stung him. Just then, a dragonfly swooped down and took off with the horsefly. The emperor was so satisfied with this that he named the area Akitsu-no (Dragonfly Plain). [The Nihon Shoki (Chronicle of Japan, compiled 720 AD] [2]
Tombo are also known as kachimushi or “victory insects.” Besides having such a strong name, tombo are quick to attack and catch other small insects in midair. For these reasons, tombo became a motif favored among the warrior classes. Tombo designs appeared on military implements such as arrow quivers in hopes that arrows would fly straight and fast like the insect. Tombo are often combined in designs with arrows as well as with iris, the straight sword-like leaves of the iris representing a fast sword. [3]
Although they are seen in abundance in early summer, tombo have become associated with the autumn and are often represented flying among the autumn grasses in Japanese art. A folk belief persists that the tombo is the steed of departed ancestors who return to visit their families during the summer festival of Obon. [3]
The dragonfly has and still is often associated with the rice paddies and prosperous farms of Japan and with that the nostalgia of growing up in a farming community remains today.