Kojiki: Memories of the gods dwelling in words

The Kojiki: Memories of the Gods Residing in Words

Like a ray of light shining through the ink-colored sky on a quiet morning, the world of the Kojiki speaks to our hearts.

It is not just a history book, but a record of life dwelling in words. The breath of the gods and the prayers of people continue to move our sensibilities even today, transcending the time of 1,300 years.

Reading the Kojiki is not about learning about myths from the distant past, but about rediscovering the "Japanese sensibility" that resides within us who live in the present.

Each word, like a leaf swaying in the wind, quietly but surely touches the depths of my heart.

The Kojiki: A textile of myths passed down through the generations

The Kojiki is Japan's oldest historical book, compiled by Oono Yasumaro in 712.

At its source were the myths and legends that had been memorized orally by a man named Hieda no Are. His memory was as fleeting yet certain as the moon reflected on the surface of water. Otomo no Yasumaro transcribed these stories and wrote them in his own style of variant classical Chinese.

This style of writing was an attempt to express Japanese using the sounds of Chinese characters, and it later led to the birth of Man'yōgana and then Hiragana.

In other words, the Kojiki marks the dawn of written Japanese and occupies an extremely important position in the cultural history of language.

The Kojiki is composed of three volumes, the first of which depicts the myths from the creation of the world to the birth of the gods, the creation of the land, and the descent of the heavenly grandson.

The middle volume tells the story of the early emperors, beginning with Emperor Jimmu's eastern expedition, while the lower volume records the lineage of successive emperors from Emperor Ojin to Empress Suiko.

However, the essence of the Kojiki is not a "record of history" but a "narrative memory."

It was an attempt to capture the "voice" that would otherwise be lost when written down.

The rhythm of the narration, the sound of the words, the margins of silence - these are all important as the stories of gods and people are woven together.

Differences from the Nihon Shoki: A story that changes depending on who is telling it

The Kojiki is often compared to the Nihon Shoki, which was completed in 720 and was compiled to convey the official history of Japan to foreign countries, mainly China and the Korean Peninsula.

Written in purely classical Chinese, it is structured in chronological order, giving it a stronger sense of political and diplomatic intent.

On the other hand, the Kojiki is written in the form of a chronicle, and tells the biographies of gods and emperors like a story.

The way he tells stories is warm, sometimes humorous, and sometimes mysterious, like an old tale told by a grandmother around the hearth.

For example, the Kojiki is rich in myths that are not recorded in the Nihon Shoki, such as "The White Rabbit of Inaba" and "The Transfer of the Land of Izumo."

item Kojiki Nihon Shoki

Year of compilation 712 720 years

writing style Variant Chinese characters (expressing Japanese sounds with kanji) Pure Chinese (Chinese style)

composition Chronicle style (story style) Chronological (chronological order)

subject Domestic Diplomacy and Overseas

Content Rich in myths and legends Mainly records of successive emperors

"The story changes depending on who you want to tell it to."

The Kojiki is a book that speaks to the inner hearts of Japanese people, and the Nihon Shoki is a mirror that shows Japan to the outside world.

The differences extend to the choice of words, the way they are structured, and even the expressions of the gods being spoken of.

The beauty of words: A poetic world woven from myth

The appeal of the Kojiki lies above all in the beauty of its words.

Izanagi and Izanami create the country, Amaterasu illuminates the heavens, and Susanoo soars across the sea - each myth is told like a poem, overlapping the activities of nature and humans.

The stories are not simply records, but a world of "Kotodama" (spirit of words) woven with emotion and philosophy.

For example, the meanings embedded in the names of the gods, the symbolism of the actions, and the margins of silence—these all evoke a sense of "resonance in silence," which is also in line with WABISUKE's philosophy.

The myths in the Kojiki reflect the Japanese sensibility of living in harmony with nature.

The worldview of the eight million gods, in which gods reside in everything, from mountains and rivers to wind and fire, awakens the sense of "dialogue with nature" that we in the modern world have almost forgotten.

Reading the Kojiki Now

For those of us living in the modern age, reading the Kojiki is like crossing a bridge connecting the past and the present.

It is a journey to listen carefully to the voices of forgotten gods and to rediscover the "Japanese sensibility" that lies deep within the words.

The Kojiki is a book of history, but it is also poetry, philosophy, and prayer.

Each and every verse speaks quietly to our hearts.

Above all, the Kojiki is a book that believes in the power of "storytelling."

Passing on stories, remembering, and putting them into words - these things connect cultures, connect hearts, and resonate across time.

The things that WABISUKE values ​​- "space for words," "poetic everyday life," and "cultural inheritance" - are all present in the Kojiki.

That is why it is meaningful to read the Kojiki again now.

Perhaps it is not a nostalgia for the past, but a quiet preparation for living poetically in the future.