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The Kojiki: An Account of Ancient Matters
Japan's oldest surviving narrative, the eighth-century Kojiki, chronicles the mythical origins of its islands and their ruling dynasty through a diverse array of genealogies, tales, and songs that have helped to shape the modern nation's views of its ancient past. Gustav Heldt's engaging new translation of this revered classic aims to make the Kojiki accessible to contemporary readers while staying true to the distinctively dramatic and evocative appeal of the original's language. It conveys the rhythms that structure the Kojiki's animated style of storytelling and translates the names of its many people and places to clarify their significance within the narrative. An introduction, glossaries, maps, and bibliographies offer a wealth of additional information about Japan's earliest extant record of its history, literature, and religion.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 712
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3522 people want to read
About the author
Ō no Yasumaro
11 books14 followersYasumaro was a Japanese nobleman and chronicler of folklore and myth who is most remembered for his work on the Kojiki, and his likely work on the Nihon, both of which were early Japanese chronicles of folklore, mythology and the Japanese creation myth.
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February 23, 2017
Translation is a tough work, and the challenge is compounded when the original is written in archaic language because the meaning of words change over time.
I've been wondering why the Japanese gods Izanagi and Izanami have been accused of incest. It's because of the word 妹. In modern Japanese, it is read "imoto" and means younger sister. When Kojiki was written in the early 700s, however, the character was read "imo" and it meant (beloved) woman. It could mean sister, but usually it meant lover/wife. The very word for married couple was 妹背(imo-se), literally imo (again, a woman) and (her) back (that is, the man).
Let's see, here is the opening passages (after its preface) and my personal translation:
天地の初發の時、高天原に成りませる神の名は、天御中主の神。次に高御産巣日の神。次に神産巣日の神。この三柱の神は、みな獨神に成りまして、身を隱したまひき。
In the beginning of heaven and earth, there in Takama-no-hara were gods named Ame-no-minakanushi (center of the universe), Takamimusubi (high birth), Kamumusubi (divine birth). These three gods were all single goes, and they came and passed.
次に國稚く、浮かべる脂の如くして水母なす漂へる時に、葦牙のごと萠え騰がる物に因りて成りませる神の名は、宇摩志阿斯訶備比古遲の神。次に天常立の神。この二柱の神もみな獨神に成りまして、身を隱したまひき。
Next, when the land was young and was floating like grease or jellyfish, there grew something, like budding reeds, and by that, there were two gods, Umashi-ashikabi-hikoji (ashikabi means shoots of reed) and Ame-no-tokotachi (eternity). These two gods were also single gods; they came and passed.
上の件、五柱の神は別天つ神。
The aforementioned five gods are special gods.
次に成りませる神の名は、國の常立の神。次に豐雲野の神。この二柱の神も、獨神に成りまして、身を隱したまひき。次に成りませる神の名は、宇比地邇の神。次に妹須比智邇の神。次に角杙の神。次に妹活杙の神二柱。次に意富斗能地の神。次に妹大斗乃辨の神。次に於母陀琉の神。次に妹阿夜訶志古泥の神。次に伊耶那岐の神。次に妹伊耶那美の神。
Next came Kuni-no-tokotachi (eternal land), Toyokumono (abundance). These two gods were also single gods; they came and passed. Next were Uhijini (?), Imo-Suhijini, Tsunoguhi, Imo-Ikuguhi. Next, Ohotonoji, Imo-Ohotonobe, Omodaru, Imo-Ayakashikone. Next, Izanagi (that who invites), Imo-Izanami (that who is invited).
上の件、國の常立の神より下、伊耶那美の神より前を、并はせて神世七代とまをす。
Thus, from Kuni-no-tokotachi to Izanami are called the seven generations of gods.
So "Imo-" is used to indicate the god is female. Just to make sure, the seven generations are:
1. Kuni-no-tokotachi
2. Toyokumono
3. Uhijini & Imo-Suhijini
4. Tsunoguhi & Imo-Ikuguhi
5. Ohotonoji & Imo-Ohotonobe
6. Omodaru & Imo-Ayakashikone
7. Izanagi & Imo-Izanami
The legend then describes how the young couple, Izanagi and Izanami, solidified the land and came down, eventually giving birth to all kinds of things and more gods. (Yes, Izanami gave birth . . . and eventually died in labor. Right after the above passage, Izanagi and Izanami openly discuss sex; their relationship was consensual, as opposed to many episodes in Greek myths that start with tricks and rapes.)
I read this classic in Japanese, with the original text written in a modern way of writing and with footnotes, etc. I haven't seen the edition translated into English, so I cannot comment its translation quality.
You might be surprised how these legends differ from the retelling. No samurai logics yet -- that came much later in history. (So the book cover is anachronistic and misleading.)
The Japanese text above is from the public domain.
I've been wondering why the Japanese gods Izanagi and Izanami have been accused of incest. It's because of the word 妹. In modern Japanese, it is read "imoto" and means younger sister. When Kojiki was written in the early 700s, however, the character was read "imo" and it meant (beloved) woman. It could mean sister, but usually it meant lover/wife. The very word for married couple was 妹背(imo-se), literally imo (again, a woman) and (her) back (that is, the man).
Let's see, here is the opening passages (after its preface) and my personal translation:
天地の初發の時、高天原に成りませる神の名は、天御中主の神。次に高御産巣日の神。次に神産巣日の神。この三柱の神は、みな獨神に成りまして、身を隱したまひき。
In the beginning of heaven and earth, there in Takama-no-hara were gods named Ame-no-minakanushi (center of the universe), Takamimusubi (high birth), Kamumusubi (divine birth). These three gods were all single goes, and they came and passed.
次に國稚く、浮かべる脂の如くして水母なす漂へる時に、葦牙のごと萠え騰がる物に因りて成りませる神の名は、宇摩志阿斯訶備比古遲の神。次に天常立の神。この二柱の神もみな獨神に成りまして、身を隱したまひき。
Next, when the land was young and was floating like grease or jellyfish, there grew something, like budding reeds, and by that, there were two gods, Umashi-ashikabi-hikoji (ashikabi means shoots of reed) and Ame-no-tokotachi (eternity). These two gods were also single gods; they came and passed.
上の件、五柱の神は別天つ神。
The aforementioned five gods are special gods.
次に成りませる神の名は、國の常立の神。次に豐雲野の神。この二柱の神も、獨神に成りまして、身を隱したまひき。次に成りませる神の名は、宇比地邇の神。次に妹須比智邇の神。次に角杙の神。次に妹活杙の神二柱。次に意富斗能地の神。次に妹大斗乃辨の神。次に於母陀琉の神。次に妹阿夜訶志古泥の神。次に伊耶那岐の神。次に妹伊耶那美の神。
Next came Kuni-no-tokotachi (eternal land), Toyokumono (abundance). These two gods were also single gods; they came and passed. Next were Uhijini (?), Imo-Suhijini, Tsunoguhi, Imo-Ikuguhi. Next, Ohotonoji, Imo-Ohotonobe, Omodaru, Imo-Ayakashikone. Next, Izanagi (that who invites), Imo-Izanami (that who is invited).
上の件、國の常立の神より下、伊耶那美の神より前を、并はせて神世七代とまをす。
Thus, from Kuni-no-tokotachi to Izanami are called the seven generations of gods.
So "Imo-" is used to indicate the god is female. Just to make sure, the seven generations are:
1. Kuni-no-tokotachi
2. Toyokumono
3. Uhijini & Imo-Suhijini
4. Tsunoguhi & Imo-Ikuguhi
5. Ohotonoji & Imo-Ohotonobe
6. Omodaru & Imo-Ayakashikone
7. Izanagi & Imo-Izanami
The legend then describes how the young couple, Izanagi and Izanami, solidified the land and came down, eventually giving birth to all kinds of things and more gods. (Yes, Izanami gave birth . . . and eventually died in labor. Right after the above passage, Izanagi and Izanami openly discuss sex; their relationship was consensual, as opposed to many episodes in Greek myths that start with tricks and rapes.)
I read this classic in Japanese, with the original text written in a modern way of writing and with footnotes, etc. I haven't seen the edition translated into English, so I cannot comment its translation quality.
You might be surprised how these legends differ from the retelling. No samurai logics yet -- that came much later in history. (So the book cover is anachronistic and misleading.)
The Japanese text above is from the public domain.
Read
March 13, 2019"Through giving birth to this child her (Izanami'a) august private parts were burnt, and she sickened and lay down. The names of the Deities born from her vomit were the Deity Metal-Mountain-Prince and next the Deity Metal-Mountain-Princess. The names of the Deities that were born from her feces were the Deity Clay-Viscid-Prince and next the Deity Clay-Viscid-Princess. The names of the Deities that were next born from her urine were the Deity Mitsuhanome and next the Young-Wondrous-Producing-Deity."
XX: So Clay-Viscid-Prince and Princess Gods, tell me about your birth.
Clay-Viscid-Gods: Well, one day our mother had furious diarrhea.
#foregivemyblasphemy
My job here is done o.O
XX: So Clay-Viscid-Prince and Princess Gods, tell me about your birth.
Clay-Viscid-Gods: Well, one day our mother had furious diarrhea.
#foregivemyblasphemy
My job here is done o.O
August 9, 2008
Kojiki, or “Records”, is one of the oldest existing documents, besides the Nihongi (Chronicles), which covers the very early history of Japan. It is rich with mythic allusions, hundreds and hundreds of Japanese Deities (Kami), and is highly influenced by the nature-based, nationalistic religion of Shintoism. Up until recently, this work was considered to be the oldest work, surpassing Nihongi, but recent scholarship has shown that indeed, the Nihongi receives this distinction. Nevertheless, the Kojiki is very valuable as a source of historical information, which also accurately accounts for the Emperors and Empresses who ruled early Japan. For that fact alone, the ’Kojiki can be considered a National treasure. But there are also other things that would interest a geeky reader like me. There are the stories, mythical, historical, and lyrical, as well as covering romantic trysts, that peak one’s interest. There are the deceptions between brother and brother . There are the sieges against an enemy . There is even the heart wrenching story of a love betrayal, where the princess, who sides with her brother, is executed by her lover and husband(), after failed attempts to kidnap her and bring her over the fortifications, thereby saving her from destruction.
There are magical powers at work in the ’Kojiki’. The mirror that causes Izanagi, to come out of hiding and bring light back into the world, after she had been shamed by. Izanagi is also featured as the Kami, who, along with her companion, created Japan out of drops of ink dripping from the blade of a long spear. There is the very huge sword which uses on occasion. There are is also the unusual story of the use of oranges as a magical source in one section of the text.
Then there is the court poetry near the end of the text. It should be of interest to the western reader how these poems are presented. Much like a question and answer, or more appropriately, like a call and echo, these poems have the one lover lamenting over their desire, almost to the breaking point, to have their lover be present with them. In response, the companion will create their own verse, agreeing with the situation, yet augmenting the problem by pointing out the difficulties faced on his or her end of things. Rather than seeing one side of things, as we see in many a sonnet, Japanese court poetry fits together both sides of the equation, while maintaining their metrical structure, unless there is a coruption in the text, as one poem in the ’Kojiki’ illustrates. But it was a pleasant introduction for me into another culture’s artistic heritage and style.
I must warn the reader that like the genealogies found in the Old Testament, the genealogies of the Kami and Emperors and Empresses, who under Japanese thinking are living gods, thus the honorific “August” used over and over again, are numerous, and may be tedious reading for those who are not into that sort of tracing, though for me it was an interesting look into Japan’s distant past, and the puzzling confusion I have of the Japanese to continue the belief that only the male line of the Emperorship is valid, when clearly there were women in the very early times as acting Empresses, with one being credited (how do they get around this fact?) with leading the successful campaign to conquer Korea. I think for anyone interested in the spiritual and historical heritage of Japan, would find these lengthy lists of interest. Though it slows down the reading considerably, it is also valuable to keep track of the individuals who pop up from time to time, either as main characters in a particular story, or as important “cameos” in others.
There is also subtle references to Chinese influence in these stories. There are annotated references to actual places in China and of things of Chinese import sprinkled throughout the work. But what I think is most fascinating (and something I either missed in Chamberlain’s footnotes, if there ever was mention), is how much the names of the Kami sound so Chinese.
Now on to my peeve, Basil Hall Chamberlain's translation and commentary on the 'Kojiki'! I like the 'Kojiki', but Chamberlain's commentary irritates me. At the beginning of the work, Chamberlain doesn't hide it very well for his disdain for Japanese scholarship, at one time calling it "elaborate" and "fantastic" (in the sense of unbelievable). W.G. Ashton, another scholar who has some supplemental footnotes as well within the ‘Kojiki‘, and for the most part keeps his scholarship in check, even when he disagrees. Chamberlain's comments, while perhaps appropriate for a paper on Japanese scholarship and its shortcomings, is not appropriate in footnote to a translated work. After awhile, while even agreeing with the Japanese commentaries, I find myself wondering if Chamberlain isn't begrudgingly throwing such scholarship a bone. He does admittedly does a fine job when he's not making side remarks, but I find the lack of professionalism inferred irritating in the least.
Also, what's with his using Latin in brief, and sometimes, fairly lengthy passages? While he will translate a part and give a few pages of explanation as to why the passage is difficult to translate or accept another's translation, he ends up at other times resorting to Latin. Why doesn't he just be consistent, translate the weaker portions, and explains like he does elsewhere why the translation is wanting? There are in some cases up to two pages where a whole passage of the 'Kojiki' is in Lain, then the commentary will sometimes start with, "As is obvious from the lines...". Obvious to whom? A Latin scholar? I know that Basil Hall Chamberlain lived in the 19th century, but he must have known, even then, that some of his readers, professors or scholars, who were (and are) not conversant in Latin to make heads or tails of the text! Unless this work was considered only for scholastic publication, which it may very well have been.
Finally, some of the numbers referring to the footnotes or the footnotes themselves are either hard to read, or are placed in the wrong place, where you would expect to find a train of thought on a tagged line to be. This is not Chamberlain’s fault, but of the editors and printers who worked on the publication of the work.
For these reasons above, I could only give this particular translation three stars. Please note that not all of the commentaries are to be ignored. In fact, there are numerous comments that are of great value. And also, it is not a reflection of the ‘Kojiki’ itself, which is undoubtedly a treasure. But, it is a whole package, a historical work with scholastic footnotes, which is almost as long as the work itself, and I have to treat the work as a whole body, not just the stories contained in the ‘Kojiki’.
Is there anyone out there reading this review who could give me any recommendations on recent scholarship or commentaries/translations that might be of interest? Please let me know in a comment should you have one.
Finally, I wish to make apology for the lack of citation for this review. I’ve been behind in the books I’ve read, that I simply do not have the time to cite all the references within this very dense book. However, I’ve tried to describe the book as honestly as I can.
There are magical powers at work in the ’Kojiki’. The mirror that causes Izanagi, to come out of hiding and bring light back into the world, after she had been shamed by. Izanagi is also featured as the Kami, who, along with her companion, created Japan out of drops of ink dripping from the blade of a long spear. There is the very huge sword which uses on occasion. There are is also the unusual story of the use of oranges as a magical source in one section of the text.
Then there is the court poetry near the end of the text. It should be of interest to the western reader how these poems are presented. Much like a question and answer, or more appropriately, like a call and echo, these poems have the one lover lamenting over their desire, almost to the breaking point, to have their lover be present with them. In response, the companion will create their own verse, agreeing with the situation, yet augmenting the problem by pointing out the difficulties faced on his or her end of things. Rather than seeing one side of things, as we see in many a sonnet, Japanese court poetry fits together both sides of the equation, while maintaining their metrical structure, unless there is a coruption in the text, as one poem in the ’Kojiki’ illustrates. But it was a pleasant introduction for me into another culture’s artistic heritage and style.
I must warn the reader that like the genealogies found in the Old Testament, the genealogies of the Kami and Emperors and Empresses, who under Japanese thinking are living gods, thus the honorific “August” used over and over again, are numerous, and may be tedious reading for those who are not into that sort of tracing, though for me it was an interesting look into Japan’s distant past, and the puzzling confusion I have of the Japanese to continue the belief that only the male line of the Emperorship is valid, when clearly there were women in the very early times as acting Empresses, with one being credited (how do they get around this fact?) with leading the successful campaign to conquer Korea. I think for anyone interested in the spiritual and historical heritage of Japan, would find these lengthy lists of interest. Though it slows down the reading considerably, it is also valuable to keep track of the individuals who pop up from time to time, either as main characters in a particular story, or as important “cameos” in others.
There is also subtle references to Chinese influence in these stories. There are annotated references to actual places in China and of things of Chinese import sprinkled throughout the work. But what I think is most fascinating (and something I either missed in Chamberlain’s footnotes, if there ever was mention), is how much the names of the Kami sound so Chinese.
Now on to my peeve, Basil Hall Chamberlain's translation and commentary on the 'Kojiki'! I like the 'Kojiki', but Chamberlain's commentary irritates me. At the beginning of the work, Chamberlain doesn't hide it very well for his disdain for Japanese scholarship, at one time calling it "elaborate" and "fantastic" (in the sense of unbelievable). W.G. Ashton, another scholar who has some supplemental footnotes as well within the ‘Kojiki‘, and for the most part keeps his scholarship in check, even when he disagrees. Chamberlain's comments, while perhaps appropriate for a paper on Japanese scholarship and its shortcomings, is not appropriate in footnote to a translated work. After awhile, while even agreeing with the Japanese commentaries, I find myself wondering if Chamberlain isn't begrudgingly throwing such scholarship a bone. He does admittedly does a fine job when he's not making side remarks, but I find the lack of professionalism inferred irritating in the least.
Also, what's with his using Latin in brief, and sometimes, fairly lengthy passages? While he will translate a part and give a few pages of explanation as to why the passage is difficult to translate or accept another's translation, he ends up at other times resorting to Latin. Why doesn't he just be consistent, translate the weaker portions, and explains like he does elsewhere why the translation is wanting? There are in some cases up to two pages where a whole passage of the 'Kojiki' is in Lain, then the commentary will sometimes start with, "As is obvious from the lines...". Obvious to whom? A Latin scholar? I know that Basil Hall Chamberlain lived in the 19th century, but he must have known, even then, that some of his readers, professors or scholars, who were (and are) not conversant in Latin to make heads or tails of the text! Unless this work was considered only for scholastic publication, which it may very well have been.
Finally, some of the numbers referring to the footnotes or the footnotes themselves are either hard to read, or are placed in the wrong place, where you would expect to find a train of thought on a tagged line to be. This is not Chamberlain’s fault, but of the editors and printers who worked on the publication of the work.
For these reasons above, I could only give this particular translation three stars. Please note that not all of the commentaries are to be ignored. In fact, there are numerous comments that are of great value. And also, it is not a reflection of the ‘Kojiki’ itself, which is undoubtedly a treasure. But, it is a whole package, a historical work with scholastic footnotes, which is almost as long as the work itself, and I have to treat the work as a whole body, not just the stories contained in the ‘Kojiki’.
Is there anyone out there reading this review who could give me any recommendations on recent scholarship or commentaries/translations that might be of interest? Please let me know in a comment should you have one.
Finally, I wish to make apology for the lack of citation for this review. I’ve been behind in the books I’ve read, that I simply do not have the time to cite all the references within this very dense book. However, I’ve tried to describe the book as honestly as I can.
January 29, 2017
El Silmarillion japonés
May 26, 2017
Il Kojiki è la pietra miliare della letteratura giapponese, la prima cronaca in assoluto trascritta per volere imperiale nell'epoca Nara, ossia nell'antica capitale. Il Kojiki è il primo dei documenti letterari, che assieme al Nihon Shoki e al Man'yoshu hanno il dovere di legittimare il potere imperiale ma non solo. La mia recensione analizzerà in particolare due punti, che hanno una caratteristica in comune: spiegare come mai questa cronaca sia così importante; la prima osservazione riguarderà la versione orginale del Kojiki, mentre la seconda è incentrata interamente sulle tematiche trattate. Prima del Kojiki (712) non ci sono testi scritti, questo perché vi era la mancanza di un sistema di scrittura, che verrà poi assimilato dalla Cina. Dai caratteri cinesi nascerà poi il kana (IX sec.), ovvero l'alfabeto sillabico giapponese che si può dividere in hiragana e katakana. Nella prefezione del Kojiki viene proprio descritta la difficoltà nell'adattare la scrittura cinese alle necessità del giapponese. La difficoltà nell'adattare i sinogrammi e presente soprattutto nelle opere elencate in precedenza, dato che a volte il carattere cinese veniva adoperato per il significato, ma in altri casi per il suo valore fonetico. Il lavoro compiuto nella traduzione di questa petra miliare dal giapponese all'italiano è davvero eccellente.
L'opera si divide in tre capitoli differenti che trattano 1) La creazione del Giappone; 2) gli imperatori leggendari; 3) Da Nintoku all'imperatrice Suiko.
Dunque, perché leggere il Kojiki? Se siete appassionati della cultura, storia, letteratura giapponese, o anche se volete semplicemente leggere qualcosa di vagamente diverso , questo libro può fare per voi. Una buona parte è legata alla mitologia giapponese, che è stata fondamentale fino al secondo dopoguerra, poiché determinava la discendenza divina dell'imperatore. Trovo che in questo libro siano raccolte le fondamenta del Giappone moderno, che continua a conciliare due caratteristiche molto diverse fra di loro: tradizione e modernità.
Altre mie recensioni sulla letteratura giapponese.
Storia di un tagliabambù. [Taketori monogatari]
La principessa di Sumiyoshi [Sumiyoshi Monogatari]
Storia di Genji [Genji Monogatari]
L'opera si divide in tre capitoli differenti che trattano 1) La creazione del Giappone; 2) gli imperatori leggendari; 3) Da Nintoku all'imperatrice Suiko.
Dunque, perché leggere il Kojiki? Se siete appassionati della cultura, storia, letteratura giapponese, o anche se volete semplicemente leggere qualcosa di vagamente diverso , questo libro può fare per voi. Una buona parte è legata alla mitologia giapponese, che è stata fondamentale fino al secondo dopoguerra, poiché determinava la discendenza divina dell'imperatore. Trovo che in questo libro siano raccolte le fondamenta del Giappone moderno, che continua a conciliare due caratteristiche molto diverse fra di loro: tradizione e modernità.
Altre mie recensioni sulla letteratura giapponese.
Storia di un tagliabambù. [Taketori monogatari]
La principessa di Sumiyoshi [Sumiyoshi Monogatari]
Storia di Genji [Genji Monogatari]
June 17, 2015
This translation of The Kojiki is a really impressive achievement, and no doubt an important contribution to the study of early Japanese language & literature and Japanese mythology. But it's simply not a text one sits down & reads for pleasure -- not the translator's fault, of course. It is what is, "An Account of Ancient Matters."
Not that the book doesn't contain its narrative pleasures. The strange doings of Izanagi & Izanami and later of Amaterasu & Susa-no-o are relatively well known to people who have a smattering of Japanese mythology or cultural history. But here you can also enjoy the sometimes comic levels of dysfunction among the spirits of heaven or the charms of a spirit like "Thought Over" (Omoi-kane in Japanese), whose name, the glossary tells us, "refers to the ability to hold many thoughts at the same time" (237), an ability it struck me is sadly lacking in most contemporary discourse. And many tragedies pepper the book as well, the most affecting of which is the story of "Red Boar Child" (Akaiko), who obeys her sovereign's command to wait till he comes back to marry her and turns up at his hall 80 years later to prove her steadfastness to the ruler who's completely forgotten about her.
But there are many, many pages along the lines of "This Guy became the ruler of all under heaven and married these women and had these children and then died and was buried at the barrow in Such-and-Such a Place." I would be lying if I didn't admit to skimming through some of this. But again, this could all be of great value to a researcher or student of these texts.
My original gripe with the translation still stands: I don't like the decision to translate every personal & place name into English. For one thing, it makes it difficult for a student to correlate names to the more well-known Japanese names. Amaterasu should be Amaterasu, not "Heaven Shining." And it seems a disservice to turn famous place names like Ise into "Sacred Streams" or Yoshino into "Good Moors." It also made the book unintentionally comic in places. It was impossible not to laugh over monikers like "Master Bamboo-Brushing Rushing Flagon Father" or "Swift-Sucking Straits."
I also wish the glossaries had been more carefully compiled. For a while I was keeping track of every personal & place name I encountered (in part because I wanted to know what they actually were in the original), but about halfway through the text I gave up after finding more & more names simply missing from the glossary. Greater care needed to be taken with this in the editing & production of the book.
A valuable contribution to Japanese studies. But probably of limited interest to the "average" reader, even the average English-language reader interested in Japan.
Not that the book doesn't contain its narrative pleasures. The strange doings of Izanagi & Izanami and later of Amaterasu & Susa-no-o are relatively well known to people who have a smattering of Japanese mythology or cultural history. But here you can also enjoy the sometimes comic levels of dysfunction among the spirits of heaven or the charms of a spirit like "Thought Over" (Omoi-kane in Japanese), whose name, the glossary tells us, "refers to the ability to hold many thoughts at the same time" (237), an ability it struck me is sadly lacking in most contemporary discourse. And many tragedies pepper the book as well, the most affecting of which is the story of "Red Boar Child" (Akaiko), who obeys her sovereign's command to wait till he comes back to marry her and turns up at his hall 80 years later to prove her steadfastness to the ruler who's completely forgotten about her.
But there are many, many pages along the lines of "This Guy became the ruler of all under heaven and married these women and had these children and then died and was buried at the barrow in Such-and-Such a Place." I would be lying if I didn't admit to skimming through some of this. But again, this could all be of great value to a researcher or student of these texts.
My original gripe with the translation still stands: I don't like the decision to translate every personal & place name into English. For one thing, it makes it difficult for a student to correlate names to the more well-known Japanese names. Amaterasu should be Amaterasu, not "Heaven Shining." And it seems a disservice to turn famous place names like Ise into "Sacred Streams" or Yoshino into "Good Moors." It also made the book unintentionally comic in places. It was impossible not to laugh over monikers like "Master Bamboo-Brushing Rushing Flagon Father" or "Swift-Sucking Straits."
I also wish the glossaries had been more carefully compiled. For a while I was keeping track of every personal & place name I encountered (in part because I wanted to know what they actually were in the original), but about halfway through the text I gave up after finding more & more names simply missing from the glossary. Greater care needed to be taken with this in the editing & production of the book.
A valuable contribution to Japanese studies. But probably of limited interest to the "average" reader, even the average English-language reader interested in Japan.
October 21, 2013
A must read for any fan of japanese history and mythology. The Kojiki is one of the oldest texts available, compiled by Ō no Yasumaro on the orders of the sovereign, it chronicles the creation of the japanese islands, the births of gods and goddesses (and their adventures) and the divine/mythical origin of the emperors. It also has a lengthy section concerning the subjugation and conquest of wild peoples by the emperors and their warriors. Near the end there is a list of emperors, with summaries of their reigns, what they achieved and what happened in their eras. It all links them to the current ruler on the throne at the time this book was compiled. It's interesting to notice the chinese influences in some parts of the work, but it also has many original japanese deities and beliefs that are truly native.
The translation I read (Chamberlain) leaves a lot to be desired, he translates the more 'saucy' passages into latin, he also translates the names of the deities literally, word by word. It makes reading the work a bit annoying at times. I would have enjoyed it more if the names were kept in japanese, instead of 'Auspicious-Cloud-God-of-the-Right-Who-Makes-Thunder' and such.
The translation I read (Chamberlain) leaves a lot to be desired, he translates the more 'saucy' passages into latin, he also translates the names of the deities literally, word by word. It makes reading the work a bit annoying at times. I would have enjoyed it more if the names were kept in japanese, instead of 'Auspicious-Cloud-God-of-the-Right-Who-Makes-Thunder' and such.
August 21, 2012
Concedo agli altri "recensori" che le lunghe genealogie riportate nel Kojiki ne rendano a tratti poco piacevole la lettura; il fatto poi che i nomi non siano tradotti fa s� che, per chi non conosce il giapponese (come me ), siano solo dei lunghi trenini di sillabe, ma questo fastidio � ampiamente compensato dalla potenza dei miti cosmogonici, narrati con poche, asciutte parole ed immagini forti e strane ai nostri occhi occidentali. L'impressione che ho avuto dalle prime pagine � quella inquietante e reverenziale di essere capitata, forse solo per vana curiosit� intellettuale, in uno spazio troppo antico e sacro, in cui l'unica cosa da fare � camminare discretamente ed in silenzio, ringraziando per essere stati ammessi ad una visione tanto autentica e originaria di un popolo sulla sua nascita, collocazione nel cosmo e valori fondativi.
February 18, 2022
Supongo que el Kojiki es una de esas lecturas por las que tienes que pasar sí o sí en mi carrera, así que me alegro de haber leído el texto entero (lo próximo sería leerse el Genji pero de eso ya no hablamos). Muy útil como bibliografía para mi TFG, aunque realmente el valor literario de la obra está concentrado en la primera parte y se va perdiendo a medida que avanzan las otras dos. Como siempre, labor impecable de Carlos Rubio como prologuista y específico en las notas al pie (quizá demasiado específico a veces); me hubiera gustado notar un poco más la voz de Rumi, que se queda en las sombras como co-traductora, pero qué se le va a hacer. Muy guays los mitos especialmente bestias y escatológicos.
Una oscuridad perpetua se adueñó de los dos mundos y todos sus rincones se llenaron de voces de diversos espíritus malignos que, como moscas de verano, se pusieron a revolotear trayendo a un tiempo todo género de calamidades.
Una oscuridad perpetua se adueñó de los dos mundos y todos sus rincones se llenaron de voces de diversos espíritus malignos que, como moscas de verano, se pusieron a revolotear trayendo a un tiempo todo género de calamidades.
December 6, 2021
Los nombres son muy originales.
Alerta: incesto.
Alerta: incesto.
January 31, 2022
Overall, the text was what I expected. I didn't like that this translation translated names.
December 9, 2024
Not an easy read. It must have been tough for the translator to recreate this piece of work, as it was originally written with Chinese characters to phonetically reproduce old Japanese. However, regardless of the roughness of the translation, and all the long (VERY LONG) lists of names, it is one of the staple readings for anyone interested in Japanese culture.
November 23, 2023
Il Silmarillion giapponese.
Ma molto più difficile da leggere e molto più didascalico.
Ma molto più difficile da leggere e molto più didascalico.
March 24, 2021
Un tuffo nel Giappone antico.
Tra kami, sciamane e imperatori.
Qui più dettagli:
https://youtu.be/GlDHJdB2tNA
Tra kami, sciamane e imperatori.
Qui più dettagli:
https://youtu.be/GlDHJdB2tNA
July 20, 2020
Ever since I learned how to read, I have always sought after reading the oldest texts I could find. I have always wanted to, in a way, travel back in time. Modern history books can help understand the general outline, but with epic literature and ancient literature I feel like I can understand the spirit of this or that country. So when a friend of mine presented me with the Kojiki: An Account of Ancient Matters, which is the oldest existing Japanese text, I was happy indeed. Composed during the early parts of the 8th century, the Kojiki presents us not only with the Japanese cosmogony and the account behind the formation of the islands, but also we are introduced to the genealogy and the tales of its sovereign Emperors starting with the very first legendary Jinmu, which allows us to learn more about the imperial lineage till the time of the account’s composition.
We learn more about the different spirits/deities from Japan, thus allowing us to sneak into the metaphysical aspects. We learn more about the origins behind the names of different areas all around the islands. We learn more about the roles the spirits and emperors played, the rituals passed down throughout the centuries, and we discover several important aspects of the social and spiritual life. We learn of heroic conquests and of different songs and poems. I can only wonder, for the time being, how it must be like to read and recite the text in its original language.
It was not an easy read, though, as I am unfamiliar with the most of the spirits/deities, places, and sovereigns I encountered. I know I will reread the text, but if it is your first introduction to ancient Japanese, you will feel like receiving a huge dose of information at first. But this particularity, at least for me, transforms itself into a catalyst for learning more. So if you want to learn more about Japan, reading the Kojiki is a really important step.
We learn more about the different spirits/deities from Japan, thus allowing us to sneak into the metaphysical aspects. We learn more about the origins behind the names of different areas all around the islands. We learn more about the roles the spirits and emperors played, the rituals passed down throughout the centuries, and we discover several important aspects of the social and spiritual life. We learn of heroic conquests and of different songs and poems. I can only wonder, for the time being, how it must be like to read and recite the text in its original language.
It was not an easy read, though, as I am unfamiliar with the most of the spirits/deities, places, and sovereigns I encountered. I know I will reread the text, but if it is your first introduction to ancient Japanese, you will feel like receiving a huge dose of information at first. But this particularity, at least for me, transforms itself into a catalyst for learning more. So if you want to learn more about Japan, reading the Kojiki is a really important step.
August 28, 2017
Unreadable! Hard work with very little enjoyment. Rare moments of interesting story between huge stretches of dull, dull, dull. Better know Latin, because that's what the "inappropriate" bits are in. Moreover, it just doesn't work on a Kindle reader: the text falls apart, pages don't fit on the display, navigating the annotations is near impossible. I'm sure a paper edition would be somewhat easier but this one ultimately fails as a good read. Second star is only to recognize that researching this text in Japanese and translating it into English was an immense task.
December 6, 2020
Dropped until I can find a better translation. The Basil Hall Chamberlain one is completely unreadable and I'd have better luck with the original Japanese. I was surprised Tuttle, a company that specializes in Japanese books, published this translation, but I suppose it's old enough to cut costs. At least there is some amusement in a stuffy Victorian professor censoring mythic gods having sex by translating Japanese into Latin, to keep fragile young minds like mine safe from the vulgarity of it.
Read
May 25, 2020I'm not going to rate this as it seems strange to rate a primary (debatable) source of myths. It would be like rating a culture. As a folklorist and storyteller, I found this a useful read and there were definitely some stories of note in here. There were also some long lists of parentage which tried to show the connection between the Amaterasu and the current emperor. That stuff was not so interesting.
November 20, 2023
Un racconto cosmologico e gnoseologico giapponese, la nascita dell' arcipelago, gli dei, il sacro, l' ordine che si impone sul caos. Breve come la teogonia greca, ma ugualmente potente, intenso e ricco. Scritto anche per legittimare ed esaltare la dinastia regnante vediamo come riesca a porre le basi delle cultura nipponica. Non una lettura immediata ma comunque godibili, un punto di riferimento per tanta produzione successiva e quindi per il lettore che la voglia approcciare.
November 14, 2021
El Kojiki es el primer libro que se escribió en Japón. En el siglo VII el emperador Temmu encargó a Ō no Yasumaro que recopilara la mitología japonesa narrada por Hieda no Are, una kataribe o contadora de historias.
El objetivo del libro era documentar el origen divino del emperador como descendiente de Amaterasu, la diosa del sol y máxima deidad del panteón japonés. Pero también tenía el propósito de ser un documento oficial de registro cronológico de todos los gobernantes japoneses y de consignar las creencias del sintoísmo para que fuera un libro guía de carácter religioso.
Se divide en tres partes: la era de los dioses, la de los héroes y la de los hombres. En la primera están los mitos sobre la creación de Japón y se establecen las deidades principales y sus relaciones.
En la era de los héroes se cuentan historias de los emperadores que todavía eran dioses y sus hazañas increíbles.
Finalmente la era de los hombres presenta el registro cronológico de los emperadores que abandonaron la inmortalidad y vivieron como humanos.
Es un libro imperdible para todos los que amamos la historia de Japón y para entender mejor el sintoísmo. Esta edición en particular me encantó porque tiene una introducción buenísima que explica todo el contexto sociopolítico del libro y lo que representaba, y las notas al pie también ayudan mucho durante la lectura a entender mejor.
Esta no es una antología de mitos y leyendas, es un libro recopilado con fines políticos y eso se hace evidente cuando se empiezan a conectar los clanes más importantes con sus ancestros divinos.
Debo advertir que hay que armarse de paciencia para leerlo porque incluye genealogías (por el carácter de documento oficial) y muchísimos nombres muy parecidos y larguísimos por lo que se requiere prestar mucha atención y tomarse su tiempo para sacarle provecho y apreciarlo por su gran valor.
El objetivo del libro era documentar el origen divino del emperador como descendiente de Amaterasu, la diosa del sol y máxima deidad del panteón japonés. Pero también tenía el propósito de ser un documento oficial de registro cronológico de todos los gobernantes japoneses y de consignar las creencias del sintoísmo para que fuera un libro guía de carácter religioso.
Se divide en tres partes: la era de los dioses, la de los héroes y la de los hombres. En la primera están los mitos sobre la creación de Japón y se establecen las deidades principales y sus relaciones.
En la era de los héroes se cuentan historias de los emperadores que todavía eran dioses y sus hazañas increíbles.
Finalmente la era de los hombres presenta el registro cronológico de los emperadores que abandonaron la inmortalidad y vivieron como humanos.
Es un libro imperdible para todos los que amamos la historia de Japón y para entender mejor el sintoísmo. Esta edición en particular me encantó porque tiene una introducción buenísima que explica todo el contexto sociopolítico del libro y lo que representaba, y las notas al pie también ayudan mucho durante la lectura a entender mejor.
Esta no es una antología de mitos y leyendas, es un libro recopilado con fines políticos y eso se hace evidente cuando se empiezan a conectar los clanes más importantes con sus ancestros divinos.
Debo advertir que hay que armarse de paciencia para leerlo porque incluye genealogías (por el carácter de documento oficial) y muchísimos nombres muy parecidos y larguísimos por lo que se requiere prestar mucha atención y tomarse su tiempo para sacarle provecho y apreciarlo por su gran valor.
January 30, 2025
Maravilla entre las maravillas literarias, el Kojiki (literalmente: "registro de cosas antiguas") es el más antiguo de los libros conservados sobre el Japón, escrito en el año 712 siguiendo la tradición oral registrada hasta esa fecha. Es una obra increíble que nos habla sobre la antigüedad japonesa desde tres perspectivas diferentes y entrelazadas: la mitológica, la legendaria y la histórica. Está dividido en tres secciones diferenciadas, que en algunas ediciones se denominan La Era de los Dioses, La Era de los Héroes y La Era de los Hombres. Quizás la más interesante sea la primera, una suerte de cosmogonía japonesa donde se describe el inicio del Universo, la creación de los primeros Kami, sus descendencias, y las historias mitológica de las más importantes de estas deidades, como la de Izanami e Izanagi (sospechosamente similar al mito de Orfeo y Eurídice), la de Amaterasu, la diosa del sol y antepasado mítico de la familia imperial, y su hermano Susanoo, el impetuoso dios de las tormentas, de quienes surgen las tres reliquias imperiales: el collar de joyas, el espejo y la espada Kusanagi. Las otras dos partes también son muy interesantes y narran episodios bélicos, conquistas, matanzas, traiciones, etc.; pero la proliferación de genealogías y nombres hace un poco más engorrosa su lectura.
April 18, 2022
I haven’t the slightest idea how am I supposed to rate this book. Maybe it's the fault of the translation, but I was repeatedly confused and sometimes couldn’t believe my eyes. I'll solve it with 3* for now.
April 29, 2023
Me he perdido un poco con tanto árbol genealógico pero muy entretenido
Want to read
September 14, 2025Sembra shitposting puro, adoro
April 14, 2018
A to jsem si myslela, že mám komplikované příjmení :)
November 10, 2023
Pretty much 90% of what happens could've been avoided if these people went to therapy.
August 17, 2017
I was looking forward to reading this edition for so long, and had built up a lot of expectation for this book. When I read the introduction, I thought I was in for a real treat regarding the sort of "Origin Story of Japan and Shintoism". I guess I did get what I asked for...but not in the way I would have wanted it. There is a danger in translating works from other languages, especially languages that are fundamentally different from English. The danger is in going too far in ones translation, as done here. I thought that the names of the places, gods, and people in the book would be preserved in the translation of the text outside of the introduction, and I was unfortunately wrong. I found it very difficult to follow who was what and when the translator was talking about a deity or a piece of land. The names were translated into English, which was not a very good thing when you go from Izanagi-to-He Who Beckons for every mention of the character. It becomes, once again, very difficult to follow what's going on when you don't give the character a simple name, even though you started out the title of the section with the Japanese names, and there are a lot of names and gods that get thrown around in the Kojiki, and I wanted to start writing down the Japanese names above the translations, but there so many gods and it would take me a hell of a long time to translate every single name. If you are looking for a reference book concerning the history of Japan and Shintoism, then purchase a copy, but I recommend that if you have any desire of enjoying the account of ancient matters in English, that you find a translation that doesn't translate the names, that way the flow isn't stagnated after nearly every sentence.
August 12, 2015
When they say this book is an "account" they really mean it. Most of it is just listing the lineage of the emperors along with their wives, where they are buried etc. Also, it is really annoying that they translated all the names so e.g. I didn't know that Heaven Shining was Amaterasu until her section was almost over. There are some god short stories of the amidst the accounting, but there are also several mediocre ones and they don't really piece together in any way or really expand the Shinto mythos; more on the scale of folk tales.
May 26, 2007
This tome is often said to be the Japanese "Bible"- of course, it is really nothing of the sort, and if read it expecting that you'll be a bit surprised. In form, it is more similar to Aesop's Fables. The books consists of some basic myths of Japanese Shintoism, and the stories are often entertaining and full of bodily fluids, all of which produce hundreds of gods. A nessecary text for anyone studying religion or Japan.
April 18, 2020
Summary of Japanese creation myth and religion, genealogy of early rulers
This translation of the ancient Japanese myths and genealogy of rulers covers is well segmented and has extensive notes explaining the names and regions. Difficult to read because names are quite long and translated literally.
This translation of the ancient Japanese myths and genealogy of rulers covers is well segmented and has extensive notes explaining the names and regions. Difficult to read because names are quite long and translated literally.
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