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Kojiki (An Account of Ancient Matters)

multiple authors (Hieda no Are/ O no Yasumaro)

The Kojiki: Mythological Origins of Japan
gfahrner@middlebury.edu
The origins of all great civilizations arise from both mythological and historical bases. Yet, the Japanese Kojiki presents an origin story like no other, providing the reader with thought provoking legends. Commissioned by Emperor Tenmu during his reign from 672 – 686 AD, the three-volume text was written by the scribe Ō no Yasumaro and ... read more

The origins of all great civilizations arise from both mythological and historical bases. Yet, the Japanese Kojiki presents an origin story like no other, providing the reader with thought provoking legends. Commissioned by Emperor Tenmu during his reign from 672 – 686 AD, the three-volume text was written by the scribe Ō no Yasumaro and was completed in 712 AD under the rule of Empress Gemei. The Kojiki chronicles the genesis of the gods, islands of Japan, and its people in an enthralling tale. Readers will surely gain a vast understanding of the origins of Japan within Shinto beliefs and perhaps challenge their understandings of sex and gender in the modern age.

It is important to note that there are many versions and interpretations of the tales within the Kojiki but I hope to give an encompassing explanation of the origins of Japan while also entertaining these other myths and points of view. The Kogiki begins with the origins of Japan, not the universe as was traditional for other mythological or religious texts. In the Kogiki, Japan exists because of musuhi or a “creating force” that formed the first gods and goddesses including, Izanagi and Izanami, two main characters within many of the early myths. The pair are tasked with creating the Japanese archipelago. Using the Devine Heavenly Spear, the two swirl the water and earth to forms the island, Onogoro. They eventually give birth to Awaji, Iyo, and Oki islands as well. They also give birth to many other gods and goddess including Swift Burning Fire Deity which causes Izanami’s death. Izanagi then ventures to the Land of Yomi or “death” to bring Izanami back to earth. He is unsuccessful and after escaping Izanami’s wrath, he travels to the river of Tachibana where he purifies and exorcises himself. As he cleans himself, he brings the Amaterasu, as well as many other deities to life. He entrusts Amaterasu with ruling over heaven. Amaterasu mothers many other deities and according to the imperial family even their own bloodline.

There are many other tales within the Kogiki, including the deeds of Amaterasu’s great-grandson Ninigi who brings order to the earth realm after years of chaos. Not to mention the legends of Yamato the Brave, a great hero who battles the very gods themselves. I found myself eagerly soaking up each word in these tales. The characters blurred the boundaries between the human and anthropomorphized beings, yet they all felt very human. Each with their own personalities, goals, and aspirations. It reminded me of the deities of the Norse and Greek pantheons who are acknowledged for their very human-like characteristics. In my opinion, Amaterasu was my favorite character. She is arguable the most influential and powerful deity with the Shinto pantheon, but she is not without her own weaknesses.

Another aspect of the Kojiki which interested me was the different themes within which would be almost alien in the modern age. The first of which are the often-misogynistic themes of the legends. It appeared to me that many of tales, the female characters were punished for doing certain things that most likely reflected the societal ideas of the time. Similarly, the theme of incest was prominent in an alternative version of the Kojiki’s origin of Japan was unexpected yet interesting. A very comprehensive article by Fuminobu Murakami titled “Incest and Rebirth in Kojiki” of Sophia University covers these thoughts better so I recommend to readers to seek this article if this sounds interesting.  

I believe that the Kojiki is a great chronicle for those interested in history and mythology. There are many different types of stories for everyone. I believe that the stories carry a lot of wisdom and introspective thought and more obviously a great understanding of the origins of Japanese mythology. I would rate this compendium very highly and would recommend it to anyone interested in Japanese culture and mythology.

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The Bizarre and Mystical World of the Kojiki
snaseer@middlebury.edu
Detailing the origins of Japanese gods, the Kojiki tales are an interesting read for those curious about the myths surrounding the creation of Japan. First commissioned by Emperor Tenmu (r. 672-686) then presented to Emperor Genmei (707-715) in 712, the tales are presented in three volumes that begin with the “age of gods” and evolves ... read more

Detailing the origins of Japanese gods, the Kojiki tales are an interesting read for those curious about the myths surrounding the creation of Japan. First commissioned by Emperor Tenmu (r. 672-686) then presented to Emperor Genmei (707-715) in 712, the tales are presented in three volumes that begin with the “age of gods” and evolves into the descent of the ancestor of the imperial family.

         As the excerpts in the Anthology of Traditional Japanese Literature only previews Book 1 of the Kojiki, this review will be heavily based on the myths of gods and the creation of the island of Japan. The content of the first book tells of Izanagi, a male god, and Izanami, a female god, who together give birth to several other gods of natural processes. These include the gods of wind, sea, mountains, and fire. Fire is pertinent to the Kojiki as its birth is what causes the death of Izanami and the birth of Amaterasu, the sun goddess, through Izanagi. The stories following the creation of the islands deal with Amaterasu and Susano-o, another one of Izanagi’s creations. The excerpts conclude with Yamato the Brave who, introduced in Book 2, is mortal yet holds great importance to the lineage of emperors.

         The Kojiki is filled with interesting mythical and historical stories, yet it can sometimes be bizarre with a world logic that is difficult to take at face value. The first case of this would be the interaction between Izanagi and Izanami at the beginning of Book 1. While it’s evident they procreate as humans would, they birth elements then islands. Moreover, the male Izanagi ends up giving birth to some major characters that come along in following stories. However, his method of birthing is also quite peculiar because not only does he reproduce asexually, but he also produces these deities from areas excluding his sexual organs. Although the logic of sex in this world is strange, that shouldn’t deter one from enjoying the progression of stories. Once accustomed to the style of the Kojiki, the quirks of each character become easier to point out and more enjoyable to read. There are human ineptitudes performed by these gods that make them figures that can be related to by readers. They aren’t as distant as they seemed in the first half of Book 1.

 

        The mystical narratives of the Kojiki Tales are colorful in their unique constructions of deities and legendary mortal figures within a larger, semi-realistic context. From the birth of gods to the quests of a talented mortal, these tales offer a large range of thought for readers as they’re introduced to various moral-challenging ideas. I would recommend this piece of literature to those who find interest in Greek and Roman mythology. The elements of gods being flawed and certain humans possessing power akin to the gods is similar to lots of Greek and Roman epic poetry. Furthermore, the idea that mortals and immortals are connected and not easily separated is also a theme that is often found in both the Kojiki and epic poetry. For that reason, I think fans of mythology, world-building, or absurd fiction would enjoy reading the Kojiki-tales.

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Kojiki’s Amaterasu: Divine, Human-like and Female All at Once
sgosnell@middlebury.edu
For those who enjoy mythology and wildly creative, imaginative legends, the Kojiki of ancient Japan is a fantastic read. Also known as Record of Ancient Matters, the Kojiki is a chronicle of mythologies that encapsulates the origins of Japan. The book was completed in 712 for the empress by a scribe of the court named ... read more

For those who enjoy mythology and wildly creative, imaginative legends, the Kojiki of ancient Japan is a fantastic read. Also known as Record of Ancient Matters, the Kojiki is a chronicle of mythologies that encapsulates the origins of Japan. The book was completed in 712 for the empress by a scribe of the court named O no Yasumaro. As a whole, the Kojiki consists of several myths, which all together construct a story of the creation and development of Japan, spanning from the world of the gods in heaven to the descent to earth of the ancestors of the imperial family, through the reign of the first thirty-three sovereigns (Shirane, 29). 

 

Book 1 introduces the reader to the Japanese creation myth, in which central characters appear. Namely, these are the deities Izanami, “She Who Invites God” and Izanagi, “He Who Invites God,” who later give birth to the noble children Amaterasu, “Great Heaven-Shining Goddess” and Susano-o, “Ferocious Virulent Male God” (Shirane, 31). The interactions between these characters, often tumultuous and tense, set the tone for the book, which is highly gendered and reflective of modern-day gender roles in Japan.

 

Despite this gendered theme, throughout Book 1, the concept of femininity is explored in different ways through Amaterasu and her relationship with Susano-o. Amaterasu is first introduced to the narrative as a warrior goddess, who faces Susano-o with “a tremendous war cry” as he ascends to the heavens to her domain following his expulsion by Izanagi (Shirane, 34). On the other hand, Susano-o is characterized as a selfish troublemaker, who only causes problems for his sister. His antics are put starkly against the ideas of femininity when he causes one of Amaterasu’s weaving maidens to strike her genitals against the shuttle and die, terrifying Amaterasu (Shirane, 35). 

 

Nonetheless, the compassion, curiosity and overall humanness of Amaterasu’s character makes her quite likable, and for that reason she is my favorite figure in Kojiki. Indeed, although Amaterasu is introduced to the story as fierce, her character proves to be multidimensional. When Susano-o rampages through her domain of High Heaven, she does not reprove him and instead posits that he was doing these things for justifiable reasons, “hoping for a remedy” (Shirane, 35). Nevertheless, she does eventually become afraid of her brother’s actions and hides herself in the Heavenly Rock-Cave, drowning Heaven in darkness (Shirane, 35). The relatable emotions of anger, compassion and fear that Amaterasu exhibits foster an image of the deity as both divine and human.

 

One of my favorite parts of the story follows Amaterasu’s experience in the cave. Although slightly explicit, the scene when Amaterasu is drawn out of the cave by myriad deities of Heaven was fascinating. In an effort to restore light to Heaven, these deities put on a scene, and one of them exposed her chest and genitals as “the Plain of High Heaven sh[akes] as the eight hundred myriad deities [laugh] at once” (Shirane, 36). Curious and confused, Amaterasu peeks out from the Heavenly Rock-Cave to see what the matter is, and the deities pull her out of the cave and block the entrance. This scene exemplifies Amaterasu’s hummanness through her wide array of emotions.

One of my least favorite scenes is when Susano-o claims to be victorious following his and Amaterasu’s creation of female deities. Asserting that it was because of his good intentions that the “graceful maidens” came into being, Susano-o rages victoriously through the land of Amaterasu, “defecat[ing] and strew[ing] his feces in the hall” and “breaking down the ridges of Amaterasu’s rice paddies,” which instills fear in the Sun Goddess (Shirane, 35). As a whole, this scene displays the unjust power relations that existed between men and women, transcending sibling relationships. 

 

The themes that appear in the Kojiki are quite similar to those found in Greek mythology, and thus I would recommend this collection to those who enjoy similarly ancient writing. However, like any mythology, it is not an easy or light read– the timeline and concepts can be confusing, the themes of genital mutilation and incestuous relationships can be uncomfortable, and the text requires time and careful consideration. For this reason, those who have a deep interest in Japanese literature or want to learn more about the origins of Japanese culture would enjoy this anthology. 

 

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Question about "Calling Out" in Silkworms and Consorts in Nara Japan
daguilar@middlebury.edu
I’m still a bit confused about what the term “calling out” is referring to in this passage. The abstract says: “The text argues that these legends illustrate the influence of continental rites and legends related to weaving and sericulture on the formation of early tropes of kingship and courtly romance.” In the “Crawling and Calling ... read more

I'm still a bit confused about what the term "calling out" is referring to in this passage. The abstract says: “The text argues that these legends illustrate the influence of continental rites and legends related to weaving and sericulture on the formation of early tropes of kingship and courtly romance.” In the "Crawling and Calling Out" section, I get the sense that "calling out" might refer to Kuchiko courting the Empress, where the two of them perform a ritual of them “crawling” back and forth inherited from Chinese traditions.

 

However, in the “Nurinomi and the ‘Insect of Three Transformations’" section, it seems like "calling out" is used in a different way—maybe more like a form of prayer. For example: “Chinese cultic practices on the evening of the fifteenth day of the fifteenth month centered upon the ‘calling out’ of the spirit of a female silk-worm goddess.” It seems like "calling out" might be a trope that can mean different things throughout the article, similar to how mulberry trees have multiple meanings in the text. I just want to make sure I'm not missing something or misinterpreting it. Does that sound about right?

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xz2@middlebury.edu

There are two places where the female kami asked not to be watched and their husbands didn't comply. The first place is when Izanagi went after Izanami to the land of Yomi and pleaded for her return, and the second is when Toyotama, the daughter of the sea god and wife of Luck of the Mountain, was giving birth. (Interestingly, Izanami was also seen with children born out of her body, the eight thunder deities.) Both wives said to their husbands, "Pray do no look at me!" Both husbands watched in secret, were appalled by their wives' appearances, and ran away. Both Izanami and Toyotama then said they were shamed. Childbirth was portrayed as taboos, female bodies giving birth were seen as hideous and dreadful. How do we understand this feeling of "shame": were goddesses shameful of the appearances of their own bodies, did they also see their bodies the way their husbands saw them, or alternatively, were they shamed because the husbands violated their sacred wishes and divine authority?

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jenglish@middlebury.edu
In the Kojiki, there is a consistent emphasis on purity. Following his visit to Yomi, we see Izanagi go to bathe in a river, as he felt contaminated. In doing this, he birthed more kami.
How can we understand the role of purity within the Kojiki, and how does it relate to birth?
How are we to understand the kami that were born out of objects (e.g., those spat out by Susano-o and Amaterasu) within the framework of birth discussed by Murakami?
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aplanting@middlebury.edu
I noticed that incest seemed to be used to keep a royal bloodline "pure", or free from outside influence, through the rebirth of grandparents in their grandchildren. In this way, they believed that royalty was granted eternal life. Was the sole reason behind the support of incest the result of a power struggle or were there other factors that led to the support of incestuous relationships?
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kmacalintal@middlebury.edu
 

In the Kojiki, it was explained that Izanagi and Izanami's first attempt at intercourse was "unsuccessful" due to the woman speaking first. How did the Kojiki influence the relationship between gender, sex, and the power dynamics that come with them? 

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gfahrner@middlebury.edu
Cultural beliefs and myths are often stemmed from religious practice. For example, many principles of christianity have influenced European and North American culture through history and today. I do not mean to assume similarities or differences but, after reading Murakami's article, I was wondering what the dominant religion was at the time these stories were documented, and if it resisted or reinforced the incestuous practices within these belief systems? Following up, how may have the stories changed depending on how Japanese society viewed these topics through time?
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mzhong@middlebury.edu
I was interested in TJL's author's claim that Kojiki represented "purely Japanese literature." I found myself disagreeing with the author; first, there exist some parallels between this creation myth and other creation myths (such as the cataclysmic flood). Furthermore, wasn't Kojiki itself originally written in a script based off of Chinese? I would also argue that ancient Chinese relied heavily on pictographs and thus inhibited the recording of concepts that could not be visualized, thus potentially leaving out important parts of the story. What, specifically, makes Kojiki so authentically Japanese?
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mgromero@middlebury.edu
In the Kojiki, was the story of Izanami, Isanagi, and Amaterasu, what created the four elements of incest, sacred birth, death, and rebirth?
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pchase@middlebury.edu
Murakami highlights the purpose of incestuous relations as a way to rebirth a grandparent’s soul, preserving the “eternal life”. However, there is a clear distinction between the Takama-no-hara sequence, a “sacred birth,” and the Izumo sequence, a “deformed birth.” If both relations are to preserve the ancestral soul, what determines if a birth is sacred or deformed? Is there a point at which incestuous relations will continuously fail to pass along the eternal life?
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nzambranoromero@middlebury.edu
I found a handful of familiar words associated with modern culture, namely Amaterasu and Susa-no. Upon completing the reading, I see the significance of it and why in modern culture they remain, in some way, deities. I did find the familiar structure to be confusing, when it came to discussing the transfer of souls from one generation to the next, and was interested in the fact that when it came to creating 'proper' offspring and transferring souls, it seemed as if incest was almost acceptable. On the other hand, however, there was also mention that nay disfigured offspring, coming as a result of incest, were immediately cast away. Given that incest is a taboo topic, I wonder if it is as a result of these disfigured offspring, or if at some point it was acceptable, as it, in some way, resulted in present-day humans.
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mkemmer@middlebury.edu
In Murakami’s essay, he suggests that the Kojiki’s structure of incest, sacred birth, death, and rebirth exists as a way for its ancient people to “obtain eternal life.” Through this process, parent’s souls are reborn in their children, allowing the purity of a soul to be maintained. What is the literary significance of linking the concept of purity to incest between the gods, and by extension, the Japanese imperial bloodline in the Kojiki?
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jlegido@middlebury.edu

The term "rebirth" immediately makes me think of religion, specifically Buddhism where rebirth is something that is considered painful and is something to be liberated from, in comparison to Murakami's essay, where rebirth in Kojiki is desired and achieved through the acceptance of eternal life and includes incestuous relationships, something that many religions, such as Buddhism, prohibit. This poses my questions of what the prevailing religion was and if its beliefs have changed over the years? In what ways did the religion's beliefs influence the ideas mentioned in this essay? If this essay were to be written in modern times, how different would it be?

 
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ryin@middlebury.edu

I found the central concept of musuhi ("creating force") in the creation myth to be quite interesting. Is there a reason why the creation myth is so heavily influenced by spontaneous creation? What influenced Japan at this time to cause the creation myth to be written this way? How does incest, sacred birth, death, and rebirth interact with this spontaneity and how is it reflected in the Kojiki?

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nnunez@middlebury.edu

There was a recurring image of violence against women's genitals. For example, Amaterasu died due to her genitals being struck and Izanami died shortly after her genitals were burned. Both of them died shortly after giving birth. Why would this be included in the Kojiki? Would there be a difference in how each gender in an incestuous relationship may be perceived? Would this violence against women's genitals perhaps try to convey that women were at fault for these incestuous relationships and thus should suffer?

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lmcnamara@middlebury.edu
While reading "Incest and Rebirth in Kojiki," I felt that children and their parents must have an indescribable connection. The potential for the child to have the same soul as their grandparents could be another meaning of sacred birth. The concept of an ancestral soul and obtaining eternal life makes me wonder if there is an emphasis on the perseverance of life, especially throughout the younger years of the children, as over many generations of the same bloodline, there is bound to be an accident, and if the grandparent is still alive, there would be no passing down the eternal soul. Additionally, would a self-fulfilling prophecy exist that people will become similar to their grandparents just because they share the same soul?
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gito@middlebury.edu
 

While reading Incent and Rebirth in Kojiki, it was interesting how the cycle of death and rebirth is generated and how the emperor reacted to that as daijyousai. I wondered if this kind of the concept of rebirth of the souls was still considered the same way in the Heian period since even in Heian period in the pillow book, there is a depiction of daijyousai and wondered if they just do that to pray for the gods or they still had a purpose of rebirth.

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tjwang@middlebury.edu
 

When reading Incest and Rebirth in Kojiki, I was perplexed by how in "love" some of the siblings would be for one another. That they were willing to commit suicide just so they can "be with" one another. This being said, with the four main themes being "incest, sacred birth, death, and rebirth," with the whole point of having incest so their parents and be rebirth in their children, why do you think they are willing to end not only their reincarnation but also their "parents" by killing themselves since they aren't allowed to be with one another?

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as5@middlebury.edu
While reading "Incest and Rebirth in Kojiki," I found it interesting how at the end of page 460 and the beginning of page 461, after having explained the themes of incest, sacred birth, death, and rebirth, and their applications, that Izanami does not have any grandparents. This makes me wonder, how does the absence of grandparents for Izanami affect the cycle of death and rebirth in this narrative? Especially considering how Izanagi and Izanami are portrayed to have committed incest "to bring about the rebirth of their parents," I can't help but wonder why Izanami's rebirth isn't mentioned, and if it is because it's believed that Izanami has no grandparents, why would this be? What implications or significance may this have in shaping this sacred lineage?
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jfabre@middlebury.edu
While I was already somewhat familiar with the Japanese Shinto creation story prior to reading it, the details of the creation speak a lot more about the values at the time than I realized, especially when compared to, for example, the Christian creation myth. In particular, at least in the Bible, it takes a little while for the misogyny to appear, while in the Kojiki it’s pretty early on, with Izanami’s speaking first and odd death. I also find the misogyny a little odd when I think about how the most important god in Japanese mythology is Amaterasu, also a woman.
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