The Kojiki—literally Record of Ancient Things—
was compiled by O¯ no Yasumaro. At the behest of
Japan’s Emperor Temmu, Yasumaro put together a
history of Japan’s emperors, ceremonies, mythology,
magical practices, and legends. The subject
matter of the Kojiki, already considered ancient
history by the eighth century, became the official
sourcebook of Japanese culture and customs for
future generations. The process of compiling the
records took many years, and Temmu died before
the Kojiki was completed. Empress Gemmei, his
niece and daughter-in-law, urged Yasumaro to
complete the collection, and he presented the finished
books to her in 712.
The Kojiki also contains 111 songs that are
among the oldest recorded in the Japanese language,
many of them describing scenes of hunting,
fishing, farming, and other humble
activities. Several texts and songs in the Kojiki
recount the adventures of the legend of Jimmu,
an invading god/emperor, the gods who came before
him, and the Mikados who came after him.
All of this also appears in the Nihon shoki, although
that work reflects a heavy Chinese influence.
The first English translation of the Kojiki
was undertaken by B. H. Chamberlain and published
in 1882.
The Kojiki is the oldest extant book in the
Japanese language, and because of its references to
the origins of the imperial and leading families of
Japan, it serves not only as a source for the beginnings
of Japan as a nation but also, as translator
Donald Philippi observes, as “a compilation of
myths, historical and pseudo-historical narratives
and legends, songs, anecdotes, folk etymologies,
and genealogies.”The Kojiki, written before the influence
of the Chinese, and the Nihon shoki, which
was completed in 720, serve as sacred texts in the
Shinto religion.
English Versions of the Kojiki
Kojiki. Translated by Donald L. Philippi. New York:
Columbia University Press, 1982.
Kojiki: Records of Ancient Matters. Translated by Basil
Hall Chamberlain. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E. Tuttle,
1982.
Works about the Kojiki
Brownlee, John S. Political Thought in Japanese Historical
Writing from Kojiki 712 to Tokushi Yoron
1712.Waterloo, Ontario, Canada:Wilfrid Laurier
University Press, 1991.
Norinaga, Motoori. Kojiki-Den. Translated by Ann
Wehmeyer. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press,
1997.