A01=Jun'ichi Isomae
A01=Mukund Subramanian
Alleged Books
ancient identity formation
Atsuta Shrine
Author_Jun'ichi Isomae
Author_Mukund Subramanian
Category=QR
Category=QRRL
Category=QRS
Chinese Historical Documents
Clan Records
Divine Age
early
Early Heian Period
Eastern Expedition
Education's History Curriculum
Education’s History Curriculum
Emperor Jinmu
Emperor Suinin
Emperor Tenmu
Empress Suiko
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
heian
Heian Period
Heroic Age
historical myth analysis in Japan
hongi
Ise Shrines
Japanese historiography
kuji
Kuji Hongi
motoori
Motoori Norinaga
myth interpretation
Mythological Motifs
national origin narratives
nihon
Nihon Shoki
Non-ruling Classes
norinaga
Owari Province
period
scripture hermeneutics
sendai
Sendai Kuji Hongi
Shinto religious texts
shoki
Shoku Nihongi
Yamato Court
Yamato Kingdom
Product details
- ISBN 9781845531836
- Weight: 280g
- Dimensions: 156 x 234mm
- Publication Date: 01 May 2009
- Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Paperback
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Before the westernisation of Japan, mythological events were treated as national history. Two key documents have contributed to this history, both written over 1300 years ago: 'Kojiki', the Tale of Old Age, and 'Nihonshoki', the Chronicle of Japanese History. Both the Imperial Court and the general public searched for the origin of their identity in these documents, which took on the central and sacred role of scripture. Through the act of commentary and interpretation, the sacred books connected interpreters to their historical origins, authenticating where they came from, the emergence of the Japanese archipelago, and the uniqueness of the Japanese people. 'Japanese Mythology' explores the nation's attraction to this act of historical grounding and the varying identities that emerged during different historical periods. The study reveals that, rather than having any clear and unified substance, Japanese mythology has always been the result of a nostalgic desire to retrieve historical origins.
Jun’ichi Isomae is Associate Professor, International Research Center for Japanese Studies.
