Facts about The Kojiki

1. 05

   Oral traditions preserved by a imperial court official named Ō no Yasumaro formed the primary source material for the Kojiki's historical and mythological narratives.

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2. 04

   Emperor Genmei ordered the compilation of the Kojiki through her court official Ō no Yasumaro, who completed the manuscript in a single year.

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3. 03

   Written in Man'yōgana script, the Kojiki required approximately 1,000 Chinese characters to represent Japanese sounds and meanings during the early eighth century.

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4. 02

   Three supernatural deities—Izanagi, Izanami, and their offspring—form the mythological foundation of the Kojiki's creation narrative.

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5. 01

   Compiled in 712 CE, the Kojiki stands as Japan's oldest written historical record, predating the Nihon Shoki by eight years.

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