Genbu no Miko: Takiko Okuda
Takiko Okuda became the very first
miko in "Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho" when she opened the book her father, Einosuke
Okuda, found and brought the "Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho" from China to Japan,
in 1923. She became the Genbu No Miko seventy years our time and two hundred
years in the book's time before Miaka's story begins.
Takiko had to gather her seishi to
summon the great brown tortoise god, Genbu and save Hokkan country from
an invading Kotou. She was legendary in the country and stories are still
told of her courage and kindness towards the country. She made Genbu appear
by gathering the seven Seishi, and was granted three wishes. She only used
two of the three wishes, one of them was used to protect Hokkan, and another
was used to send herself home.
During the ceremony to call Genbu,
Takiko wore a beautiful necklace of precious stones and then Genbu appeared,
the necklace was infused with power and became the first Shinzaho. When
Takiko returned to the real world, the necklace was left in the care of
Hikitsu and Tomite, two of her Seishi. They hid it in a cavern on Mount
Black, near the capital city of Tolan, and devoted their afterlives to
protect it.
After calling Genbu, the god merged
with Takiko’s body. This is supposedly because Takiko did not have a strong
enough will to withstand calling a god. Takiko was in great pain as Genbu
was absorbing her, trying to follow her into the real world. The impact
when Takiko returned created a massive crater, known as "Genbu Do", or
Cave of Genbu. Her father, Einosuke, killed her to save her from Genbu
and then killed himself. Since the "Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho" could not be destroyed
(it was burned by didn't work), he gave it to his friend, Takao Oosugi,
who also had a daughter, Suzuno Oosugi. Suzuno was a close friend of Takiko
and later became the second miko, Byakko no Miko.