 Writing
and history
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When we think that writing is a new invention in Japan, dating back
to only the 5th century, at the earliest. We wonder how they knew anything
about their history, except what they made for themselves. The Kojiki,
oldest written record, was compiled from legends and reciters, who passed
on the old tales and myths to its writers.
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Every time I see something that seems to cast great age or credit on
Nara as the birthplace of Japan, I always think of the Wei Chi Chronicles
which told of really ancient people and huge old cities in the area of
Kyushu and here in Izumo. Also to be considered is the fact that Koreans
brought Buddhism to Japan and the first record is in 538, or some say
a little later. Of course, Buddhism came to Japan much earlier than that
with the first Korean immigrants. The fourth century may have seen Koreans
spreading Buddhism around the Izumo Area and old temples abound here.
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Old ruins, old stories and myths of the Creation, all concern Izumo!
It was not until Amaterasu decided to let her descendent take power, that
she sent her grandson, Ninigi no Mikito, to Kyushu. With him she sent
the three Imperial Regalia, as his symbols of authority. These regalia
may all have come from the area of Matsue with its ancient iron history,
its curved jewel production at Tamatsukuri and the receipt of a very old
mirror by a ruler here, from a Chinese Emperor. Let us face the fact that
reality plays an ever more important role with Izumo as the home of the
Japanese nation and perhaps as the origin of Yamataikoku, which the Kojiki
and the Nihon Shoki refuse to mention, but which is being proven by more
and more researchers every day.
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