• See also: List of Provinces

Suruga Province

Suruga Province (駿河国) was one of the many provinces of Japan.

Legendary Period

Yamato Takeru was tasked to go subdue the Yemishi who lived on the periphery of the realm, on his way he travels through Suruga according to the Nihongi. However the Kojiki states he went through Sagami Province. Here a chieftain tries to kill him with a grass fire, however, he is unsuccesful and Yamato Takeru kills him.¹²

Azuchi-Momoyama Period

Takeda Katsuyori was daimyō of the Shinano, Kai, Suruga and Kōzuke Province during his lifetime.³

Footnotes

1. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
2. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
3. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

Former Provinces of Japan
Kinai	Izumi * Kawachi * Settsu * Yamashiro * Yamato
Tōsandō	Dewa * Hida * Kōzuke * Mino * Mutsu * Omi * Shimotsuke * Shinano
Hokurikudō	Echigo * Echizen * Etchū * Kaga * Koshi * Wakasa
San’indō	Hōki * Inaba * Izumo * Tajima * Tamba * Tango
Tōkaidō	Ise * Kai * Kazusa * Mikawa * Owari * Sagami * Shimōsa * Suruga * Tōtōmi
Nankaidō	Awa * Iyo * Kii * Sanuki * Tosa
San’yōdō	Aki * Harima * Mimasaka
Saikaidaō	Bungo * Chikuzen * Hizen * Hyūga * Iki * Tsushima
Pre-Taihō Code	Kibi

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Provinces

The Japanese provinces (国 kuni or koku) were geographical areas which were establsihed by the Kokugun System and the Taika Reforms came into being in 645AD.

Initially they comprised of 58 kuni with 3 islands provinces, however by 822AD this had changed to 66 kuni and 2 islands provinces.

These areas existed under the Meiji Restoration and were offically abolished in 1871 and replaced with the current Prefectural System.¹ When the Prefectures were established the old provinces were grouped by geographical location into the ‘Five Provinces of Kinai’ and the ‘Seven Circuits.²

During their existence they were lead by Kokushi (Provisional Governors) and Gunji (District Officials).¹

Here follows a list of Provinces on our site. This is not yet completely and will continued to be added to over time.

Provinces of the Kinai

• • Izumi Province
  • Kawachi Province
  • Settsu Province
  • Yamashiro Province
  • Yamato Province

Tōsandō Circuit

• • Dewa Province
  • Hida Province
  • Kōzuke Province
  • Mino Province
  • Mutsu Province
  • Omi Province
  • Shimotsuke Province
  • Shinano Province

Hokurikudō Circuit

• • Echigo Province
  • Echizen Province
  • Etchū Province
  • Kaga Province
  • Koshi Province
  • Wakasa Province

San’indō Circuit

• • Hōki Province (also called Hahaki Province)
  • Inaba Province
  • Izumo Province
  • Tajima Province
  • Tamba Province
  • Tango Province

Tōkaidō Circuit

• • Ise Province
  • Kai Province
  • Kazusa Province
  • Mikawa Province
  • Owari Province
  • Sagami Province
  • Shimōsa Province
  • Suruga Province
  • Tōtōmi Province

Nankaidō Circuit

• • Awa Province
  • Iyo Province
  • Kii Province
  • Sanuki Province
  • Tosa Province

San’yōdō Circuit

• • Aki Province
  • Harima Province (also called Banshu Province)
  • Mimasaka Province

Saikaidaō Circuit

• • Bungo Province
  • Chikuzen Province
  • Hizen Province
  • Hyūga Province (also called Himuka Province)
  • Iki Province
  • Tsushima Province

Pre-Taihō Code

• • Kibi Province

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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• See also: List of Provinces

Sagami Province

Sagami Province (相模国) was an old Province in Japan, situated in what is now Kanagawa Prefecture, established during the Taika Reforms in 645.⁴

This area is called Sagami in the Kojiki¹, but Suruga in the Nihongi².

Legendary Period

Yamato Takeru travelled through here on his way to subduing the Emishi. Here he encounters a chieftain there who tries to kill him in a grass fire. Takeru mows the grass around him with the sword Kusanagi, lighting a back fire to escape and then kills the chieftain.³

Later Periods

During the Heian Period many large estates (shōen) in this area came under the control of local magnates, and these followers were later important during the formation of the Kamakura Shogunate in 1192 by Minamoto no Yorimoto. The later shogunal government, located at Kamakura flourished as an economic and cultural center.

By the Muromachi Period the capital had been moved to Kyoto leading to Sagami becoming the administrative center for 10 Provinces.

The Sengoku Period saw the Sengoku Daimyō of the Gō-Hōjō Family establish a headquarters in this Province at Odawara.

The province finally fell under the control of the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo Period.⁴

Footnotes

1. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
2. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
3. Littleton. C.S. (1995) “Yamato-takeru: An Arthurian Hero in Japanese Tradition”. Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 54, No.2, pp.259-274.
4. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

Former Provinces of Japan
Kinai	Izumi * Kawachi * Settsu * Yamashiro * Yamato
Tōsandō	Dewa * Hida * Kōzuke * Mino * Mutsu * Omi * Shimotsuke * Shinano
Hokurikudō	Echigo * Echizen * Etchū * Kaga * Koshi * Wakasa
San’indō	Hōki * Inaba * Izumo * Tajima * Tamba * Tango
Tōkaidō	Ise * Kai * Kazusa * Mikawa * Owari * Sagami * Shimōsa * Suruga * Tōtōmi
Nankaidō	Awa * Iyo * Kii * Sanuki * Tosa
San’yōdō	Aki * Harima * Mimasaka
Saikaidaō	Bungo * Chikuzen * Hizen * Hyūga * Iki * Tsushima
Pre-Taihō Code	Kibi

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• • Period: Legendary Period
  • Occupation: Prince
  • Family: Emperor Keikō (father) Harima no Inabi no Ōiratsume (mother) Yamato Hime (aunt) Emperor Chūai (son) Ōsu (brother) Kushitsunuwake (brother) Wakayamatoneko (brother) Kamukushi (brother) several other wives and children see below
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Yamato Takeru

Yamato Takeru (小碓命, Prince Wosu – The Brave of Yamato) is known to have been the second son of Emperor Keikō, said at the age of 16 to have torn apart one of his brothers after he insulted their father. He is mentioned in the kojiki, nihongi and hitachi fudoki¹.

He was also known as Yamato Woguna.⁴

Family

Yamato Takeru was the son of Emperor Keikō and Harima no Inabi no Ōiratsume, and twin to Ōsu.⁴

He is known to have been the husband of Futajirihime despite her being his aunt²³⁴ and together they had four children by the names of Ineyoriwake, Emperor Chūai, Nunoshiirihime and Waketake.⁴

With his wife Kibi no Anato no Takehime they had two children by the names of Takemiko and Towokiwake.⁴

With another wife called Ototachibanahime he had a son by the name of Wakatakehiko.⁴

His great-grandchild was Sumeiroohonakatsuhiko, whose daughter Kagurohime married Emperor Keikō according to the kojiki. This is clearly a mistake in the chronologies as it would mean the Emperor married his great-great-granddaughter.²³

Appearance

Desciptions of him say he was a rod in height, and was so strong that he could lift a tripod.⁴

Kumaso Rebellion

• • See also: Kumaso Rebellions

Early in the reign of Emperor Keikō, the Emperor asks why Ōsu does not attend him morning and night and sends Yamato Takeru to teach him his duties. After five days he asks where Ōsu is, Yamato Takeru saying their was trouble so in the morning while he brother went to the bathroom he grabbed him, crushed him and pulled of his limbs.

Wrapping them in matting and then throwing them away.²³

This was the reason why Yamato Takeru was later sent to deal with the Kumaso later in the Emperors 28th year.²³⁵

Nihongi Version

In the 27th year he is sent to deal with the Kumaso. Asking who he should take with him, an archer called Otohikogimi is recommended to him; and so he sends Miyadohiko to bring him.

With him he additionally brings Ishiura no Yokotachi, Tako no Inaki and Chichika no Inaki.

In the land of the Kumaso they find the leader by the name of Torishikaya with Yamato Takeru disguising himself as a woman to join the leaders banquet taking a seat next to him.

After Torishikaya becomes drunk, Yamato Takeru takes a out a hidden sword and stabs him in the breast, though he doesnt immediately die. Torishikaya asks who he is giving him his new name of Yamato Dake before he is finally killed.

Following this the remaining Kumaso are killed by the men he brought with him.

On the return to Yamato he is said to have killed the kami of the Ferry of Ana in Kibi, then the kami of the ferry of Kashiha in Naniha.⁴

Other records state there were two leaders stating, he disguised himself as a woman, the clothes given to him by his aunt Yamato Hime. Reaching the clan he kills the two brothers who lead them, killing the first during a feast and the second after he runs away stabbing him in the buttocks. As he dies he gives the Prince the name Yamato Takeru¹.

Kojiki Version

The kojiki’s version of events says his aunt gave him her clothes and a sword, and when disguised as a woman the two chiefs invited him to sit between them.

After the feast begins he takes out his sword stabbing the older brother through the chest and the younger flees.

Pursuing him he stabs him in the buttocks and then asks Yamato Take to not remove the sword. Asking the Prince his name he anncouces himself as Yamato-wo-guna, and that he was sent here to subdue those not loyal to the Emperor.

The chieftain then says he is very brave and gives him the name Yamato Take before he is ripped apart ‘like a ripe melon’ and slain.

The Izumo Brave

Returning to the Capital he subdues every kami of the mountains and rivers and venturing through Izumo he decides he wished to slay the ‘Izumo Brave’.

He achieves this by making a friend of him, and crafts a copy of the Braves sword.

Together they bathe in the River Hi and after getting out Yamato Takeru takes the real sword. He then asks to spar together and kills him.

Afterwards making a song which goes as follows:

Alas that the sword girded on the Izumo brave, and wound round with many a creeper, should have had no true blade!

Battling the Emishi

• • See also: Emishi

In the 40th year⁴ of Emperor Keiko’s reign he is sent to subdue the Emishi, accompanied by Takehiko, Takehi no Muraji and Nanatsukahagi.¹⁴

Prior to this Ministers inquired as to who should be the one to go deal with the threat with Yamato Takeru saying his brother Ōsu should go.⁴ This of course contradicts the kojiki as Yamato Takeru had already ripped apart his brother in that narrative.²³

Once more he visits his aunt who gives him this time the sword Kusanagi⁴ and flints for lighting fire.¹

On his way he visits Princess Miyazu Hime, promising to marry her when he returns.¹

He travels through Suruga with the people there tricking him to go hunt deer in the moor there. He does, but find the moor set on fire by those who sent him there to hunt. He makes a counter fire and survives and so then goes to kill all the brigands who tricked him.

An alternative version of the nihongi says because of this event Murokumo became called Kusanagi.

Venturing on the Sagami he wished to cross the sea to reach Kadzusa. Whilst sailing a storms begins an so Ototachibanahime, who was with him in the boat, sacrifices herself and the storm stops. Due to this Yamato Takeru can continue on and goes to Michi no Oku after Kadzusa.

Continuing on, he reaches Shimosa where he finds two Emishi leaders in Take called Shimatsukami and Kunitsukami. Upon seeing his ship, knowing they would be defeated, they throw down their weapons and so Yamato Takeru makes them his personal attendants.

Journeying some more he eventually stays in the Sakawori Palace in Kahi where he writes a song at night. Here he also gives the Yuki Be to Takehi no Muraji, annoucing there were still more rebels to deal with in Shinano and Koshi.

After this, on his journey he climbs to the peak of Usuhiyama where he mourns the death of his wife at sea and later sends Kibi no Takehiko in a different direction to himself to assess the character of the peoples in this area.

Entering into Shinano, and crossing the Ōyama he has food here on the mountain. Killing a white deer by stabbing it in the eye with garlic.

After this the prince loses his way, but eventually meets up with Kibi no Takehiko again in Mino after a white dog appears to guide him.⁴

Death

Eventually, he returns and marries Miyazu Hime and attempts one more exploit, leaving kusanagi behind. He leaves to subdue the kami living on Mount Ibuki barehanded. Climbing the mountain, he mistakes a snake as the kami messenger and ignores it, but it was actually the kami. It summons a hailstorm which dazes Takeru, finding a spring he drinks here to restore his senses. However, he fell ill during the storm and eventually makes his way back to Otsu in Ise where he found a sword by a pine tree he had once left here.Upon seeing the sword he composed another song.

At the moor of Nobo, he becomes sicker, making an offering of the Emishi he had captured as slaves, and sending Kibi no Takehiko to the Emperor to tell him of his exploits and that he regrets not being able to see the Emperor again.

He passes away on the moor aged 30, with the Emperor having him buried under a misasagi here.

His soul escapes in the form of a giant white bird, his clothes remaining in the tomb. The bird flies to Kotobiki in Yamato then Furuchi in Kahachi. Here another misasagi is built before the bird flies to Takamagahara.⁴

Footnotes

1. Littleton. C.S. (1995) “Yamato-takeru: An Arthurian Hero in Japanese Tradition”. Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 54, No.2, pp.259-274.
2. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
3. Chamberlain, B. H. (1932) “Translation of the Kojiki.” Kobe: J.L. Thompson & Co.
4. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
5. Ponsonby, F. (1959) “The Imperial House of Japan.” Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society.

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Kojiki

The Kojiki (古事記 – Records of Ancient Matters or An Account of Ancient Matters) is one of the earliest Japanese Chronicles we have from Japan.

Creation and Authorship

In AD682 the Emperor Tenmu commissioned his Princes and High Officials to prepare:

a history of the Emperor’s and of matters of high antiquity,

which (as mentioned in the preface of the Kojiki) lead eventually to the Kojiki being compiled¹. Though it was not completed until AD712¹². The whole document was written by Ō no Yasumaro, from the recitations of Hiyeda no Are¹³. The book tracing Yasumaro’s lineage back to Jimmu’s middle son².

It was submitted to the court on the 28th day, 1st month in the fifth year of Yamato Copper.

The earliest surviving example dates to the Muromachi Period (1337-1573) entitled the Shinpukuji-bon, drawing on two different textual accounts. The copyist of the script was buddhist monk called Ken’yuu, with the editor called Shin’yu, from a Buddhist Temple in Nagoya.

Ken’yu began copying the 2nd and 3rd book in 1371 from a manuscript written by court aristocrat Ōnakatomi Sadayo in 1266, belonging to Ise-born textual lineage. One year later he uses a 1282 manuscript belonging to Urabe textual lineage to complete the middle book².

Two documents known as the Teiki and the Kyūji are thought to have also acted as a the basis for this work as well as the Kojiki and additionally the Jōgū Shōtoku Hōōtei setsu gives a lot of information which suppliments that of the Kojiki.⁵

Composition

The document has no chronology unlike the Nihongi though it is fuller than the other document, carrying on to later periods and discussing some parts of mythology that the Nihongi glosses over¹.

It is also noted that the Kojiki gives no death date for any Emperors until Sujin and so due to this it is thought by scholars to show a series of political instability and changing alliances between clans claiming descendency from Ninigi³.

The preface of the book is dedicated to Empress Genmei, praising her wealth, written two years after the establishment of a new royal palace at Heijō-kyō.

The first book centres around the Mythos of Japan from the creation of the universe to the birth of Izanagi and Izanami. It then recounts how they create Japan eventually leading to the birth of Amaterasu, and her two brothers. The Tale concludes with Ninigi’s son and the final establishment of the Yamato line of Emperors.

The last two books centre around the rulers of Japan, each ruler given their own section, ending with Empress Suiko².

When it comes to the legends surrounding Izumo Province they are not coherant. Therefore they are likely to be a random sampling of stories brought together at the time and unfortunately not skillfully put together. They only bear a slight resemblance to the stories in the Izumo Fudoki which was actually written in Izumo.⁶

Differences between the Nihongi

There are instances where names and places mentioned in the two texts differ, such as:

• An area called the Suruga in the Nihongi is called Sagami in the Kojiki.
• The sword called ‘Mura-kumo’ in the Nihongi is called the Kusanagi in the Kojiki⁴.

Legacy

Sadly after the completion of the Nihongi, it was thrown out of the limelight as the Nihongi was known to have superseded it and read out loud to the Court and Imperial House¹.

Footnotes

1. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
2. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
3. Martin, P. (1997) ”The Chrysanthemum Throne”. Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited.
4. Littleton. C.S. (1995) “Yamato-takeru: An Arthurian Hero in Japanese Tradition”. Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 54, No.2, pp.259-274.
5. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
6. Borgen, R. (1975) “The Origins of the Sugawara. A History of the Haji Family”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.30 No.4 pp.405-422

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Hear about the Sacred Regalia on Episode 49 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives.

• See also: Divine Treasures

  

Sacred Regalia

The Sacred Regalia (三種の神器) are the three Sacred Items of the Imperial Throne, consisting of the Sword Kusanagi (草薙劍), the Jewel Yasakani no Magatama (八尺瓊勾玉) and the Mirror Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡).

The Sacred Regalia is known to have been given by Amaterasu to her grandson Ninigi upon his descent to Earth.¹

Yata no Kagami – Mirror

Creation

The mirror Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡) was initially made by the kami Ishikoridome as one of the items used to try and coax Amaterasu out of the Rock Cave when she fled into it, this is related in the kojiki and nihongi. There is one alternate writing of the nihongi where the kami Amenonukado instead created this mirror, and that it was then placed inside of the cave where it his the door gaining a flaw which remains to this day.²

Reign of Emperor Sujin

According to a tale from the Jinnō Shōtōki, in the 6th year of his reign he summoned the kami Ishikoridome to create a new Sacred Mirror. It was made in Uda, Yamato.

The replica is placed in his hall for divine protection. The original being entrusted to Toyosukiiribime who built a sacred enclosure in Kasanui in Yamato to worship them in.

Later Toyosukiiribime was instructed by Amaterasu to journey the provinces with the Sword and Mirror.³

Reign of Emperor Suinin

After a site is chosen for the Ise Grand Shrine it is said the Emperor placed the Sword into the Naiku Shrine with the Mirror.⁴ The Jinnō Shōtōki differs slightly saying it was Yamatohime who placed them inside the shrine.³

Kusanagi – Sword

Discovery

The sword Kusanagi (Grass Mower¹) (Nihongi, Mura-kumo ‘Assembled Clouds’¹) was discoverd by Susano-o inside the Dragon Yamata no Orochi.

Susano-o comes across the grieving parents of Kushinadahime as every year the Dragon Yamata no Orochi comes to take one of their children; Kushinadahime was to be the next. Susano-o says he will help them if they would give her to him in marriage and they agreed. (The story differs a little depending on the version of the Nihongi read). He instructs them to brew sake and when the Dragon appears it drinks the sake and falls down drunk. Susano-o then takes the opportunity to cut the dragon into pieces, killing it. When he is cutting up the tail, his blade became stuck and so opening up the tail to see why, he finds Kusanagi inside. The sword is then gifted up to Heaven by Susano-o (or by Ama no Fukine  in another version)²

Different versions of the tale, give different names to the sword Susano-o used to slay the Dragon, these being Ama no Hayekiri, Orochi no Karasabi and Orochi no Aramasa.²

Reign of Emperor Sujin

Like the tale above for the Mirror, according to a tale from the Jinnō Shōtōki, in the 6th year of his reign he summoned a desendant of Amenomahitotsu to make a new Sacred Sword. This was also made in Uda, Yamato.

The replica was placed in his hall for divine protection. The original being entrusted to Toyosukiiribime who built a sacred enclosure in Kasanui in Yamato to worship them in.

Later Toyosukiiribime was instructed by Amaterasu to journey the provinces with the Sword and Mirror.³

Reign of Emperor Suinin

As mentioned for the Sword above. After a site is chosen for the Ise Grand Shrine it is said the Emperor placed the Mirror into the Naiku Shrine with the Sword.⁴ The Jinnō Shōtōki differs slightly saying it was Yamatohime who placed them inside the shrine.³

Exploits of Yamato Takeru

Later, it was bestowed onto Yamato Takeru by his aunt Yamato Hime when he is sent to subjugate the Emishi. When he reaches Sagami Province he used the sword to escape a grass fire lit by a chieftain, using it to mow down the grass around him. He returns to his wife, leaving the sword behind when he goes to complete one more exploit.²

An alternative reading of the nihongi states the event with the grass fire is the reason why Murokumo was renamed to Kusanagi.²

Footnotes

1. Littleton. C.S. (1995) “Yamato-takeru: An Arthurian Hero in Japanese Tradition”. Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 54, No.2, pp.259-274.
2. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
3. Varley, H.P (1980) “A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa.” New York: Columbia University Press.
4. Ponsonby, F. (1959) “The Imperial House of Japan.” Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society.

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Nihongi

The Nihongi (日本紀 – Japanese Chronicles) also called the Nihon Shoki (日本書紀 – The Chronicles of Japan) is one of the oldest documents we have concerning early and mythological Japanese history.

Creation and Sources

The document was completed in AD720¹, however, its inception may have begun in AD714 when Empress Genshō ordered the preparation of a national history. After the document was finally completed by Ō no Yasumaro (overseen by Prince Toneri) it was lain before the Empress according to the Kōnin Shiki.

The Kana Nihongi is said to have existed before the creation of the Nihongi, and so may have been used in the composition of the Nihongi. The Kōnin Shiki, compiled between AD810-824, describes the Nihongi as “selected afresh” meaning the work was not a new composition but a compilation of old texts and stories. Access to genealogical records were likely used to compile the events from the reign of Empress Jitō, with the survival and collection of more legendary parts of the text most likely due to the Katari Be, the hereditary corporation of reciters.¹

Two documents known as the Teiki and the Kyūji are thought to have also acted as a the basis for this work as well as the Kojiki.³ Additionally, the Jōgū Shōtoku Hōōtei setsu suppliments information from this text.³

The Nihongi only slightly bares a resemblence to stories from the Izumo Fudoki (which was actually written in Izumo Province) and private records of families were important sources consulted in the creation of this documenht. The stories inside of it relating to the Haji Clan and haniwa were likely to have been drawn from family records of the Haji Clan. The Haji Clan itself is first seen in this document during the reign of Emperor Nintoku. The Nihongi additionally mentions Haji living in Kawachi.⁶

Composition

It is thought that much of earliest parts, excluding books 1 and 2 were written by reputed author Ō no Yasumaro. Written in Chinese the text uses many Chinese manners and customs, battles axes, for instance, are mentioned which aren’t used in Japan, stone mallets are called swords. The term Temples of the Earth and of Grain is used, a Chinese term for Empire.

The first two books deal with the kami and eventual end with Ninigi the grandfather of the first Emperor Jimmu.

Books three to sixteen dealing with the Emperors up to the reign of Emperor Buretsu. The eight records of the Emperors after Jimmu records are most likely simply fictitious. After these Emperors, up until the fifth century, the Nihongi is most likely genuine, however, after that, it can be seen as a very much true account.

The text also gives years months and days of events which in all likelihood in the first books are mere fabrications, around 500AD the dates are likely true.

The dying speech of Emperor Yūryaku was taken from a Chinese Emperor from the Sui dynasty who died 125 years later after Yūryaku did.¹

Differences between the Kojiki

There are instances where names and places mentioned in the two texts differ, such as:

• • An area called the Suruga in the Nihongi is called Sagami in the Kojiki.
  • The sword called ‘Mura-kumo’ in the Nihongi is called the Kusanagi in the Kojiki.²

Legacy

It is known to have been publicly read to the court. Throwing the Kojiki into the shade and superseded recitations of the Katari Be.

The Shaku Nihongi dating to the 13th Century, preserves some of the Commentaries written concerning the Nihongi soon after its completion.¹

During the Heian Period, the Nihon Kiryaku, takes the mythological section of its book from the Nihongi.³

Yōkai

The earliest mentioning of the Yōkai known as the Tengu is thought to be from this document.⁴ Additionally the Mujina is also mentioned within the document from the reign of Empress Suiko when one sung a song for her in Mutsu Province.⁵

External Links

• • Download the Nihongi here: Nihongi Online.

Footnotes

1. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
2. Littleton. C.S. (1995) “Yamato-takeru: An Arthurian Hero in Japanese Tradition”. Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 54, No.2, pp.259-274.
3. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
4. Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2008) “Yokai Attack: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide” Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd.
5. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.
6. Borgen, R. (1975) “The Origins of the Sugawara. A History of the Haji Family”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.30 No.4 pp.405-422

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