Facts about Kojiki, the Oldest Japanese Text

1. 05

   Japan's Kojiki contains the creation myth of Izanagi and Izanami, the divine couple who stirred the primordial ocean with a jeweled spear to form the islands of Japan.

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2. 04

   Among the deities described in the Kojiki, Amaterasu, the sun goddess, holds a central role as the divine ancestor of the Japanese imperial family.

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3. 03

   Written in Classical Chinese with some phonetic Japanese elements, the Kojiki covers a narrative arc from the age of the gods to the reign of Empress Suiko.

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4. 02

   Compiled at the order of Emperor Tenmu and completed under Empress Genmei, the Kojiki was dictated by the memorizer Hieda no Are and transcribed by Ō no Yasumaro.

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5. 01

   The Kojiki, compiled in 712 CE, is the oldest surviving chronicle of Japan, recording myths, legends, and early imperial history.

   Kojiki, the Oldest Japanese TextJun 6sharemythologyancientjapanese