Korean Impact on Japanese Culture: Japan's Hidden History

by Jon Carter Covell, Alan Carter Covell

This book probes into subjects still frowned upon in Tokyo; it explores a few "skeletons in the imperial closet." A half century ago this subject brought authors to prison or death. Using tools such as archeology, stylistic analysis, Japan's sacred scriptures themselves, its imperial line is here traced back to Korean origins, its legitimacy established by an iron sword from Paekche kept inaccessible at Iso-no-Kami) with a gold inscription, which dates Japan's founding ruler from 369 A.D., rather than orthodoxy's 660 B.C.
"Japanese culture," up to the eighth century, derived primarily from Korea--whether it was music, landscape gardening, textiles, ceramics, or major masterpieces of architecture, sculpture, and painting. Top "National Treasures" of Japan either came from Korea or were sponsored by Korean-descended aristocrats, such as the famed Shotoku Taishi, who imported artists and Buddhist priests to the islands.

107 color plates. 43 b/w plates.

Genres: History, Japan

116 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1986

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This subject matter made for interesting commentary however the writing style was just awful. I think the intro specifically states that this book is made for lay consumption...which is fine; however, I think the authors of this confuse "lay people" alternatively with drooling, mindless, mutant infants and 5th year doctoral candidates. I did enjoy the many references to Korean creation myth and tie ins with early history and ethnic establishment, though. There were very nice photographs, too.

[Ocean G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting mainly because it's the only book I've found that actually lists all the ways in which Korea influenced Japanese culture throughout time: from religion to art to pottery to bloodlines, etc. etc. But I wish someone else would write a better book on this. It jumps around, and doesn't really distinguish between definite influences and conjectures by the authors. In fact, the Wikipedia page is probably more useful, despite some great photos in the book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_...