Japan: Yamato Takeru, dressed as a maid with sword concealed behind his back, prepares to kill the leaders of the Kumaso clan. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1886

Prince Yamato Takeru (日本武尊 Yamato-takeru-no-mikoto), originally Prince Ōsu (小碓命 Ōsu-no-mikoto) was a Japanese legendary prince of the Yamato dynasty, son of Emperor Keiko, who is traditionally counted as the 12th Emperor of Japan.

The story of his life and death are told principally in the Japanese chronicles Kojiki (712) and Nihon Shoki (720), but also mentioned in Kogo shūi (807) and some chorographies like the Hitachi-no-kuni fudoki (常陸国風土記) (721). One of his sons later became Emperor Chūai, the 14th Emperor of Japan.

His historical existence is uncertain but based on the chronicles he was born in about 72 and died in 133.

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