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[1] [2] [3] Japanese myths are tied to the topography of the archipelago as well as agriculturally-based folk religion, and the Shinto pantheon holds uncountable kami ("god(s)" or "spirits"). [1] Two important sources for Japanese myths, as they are recognized today, are the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki.
In the Kojiki, Ōkuninushi used to rule the world, but he relinquished control during the Kuni-yuzuri to transfer control to the Amatsukami.He made a request that a magnificent palace – rooted in the earth and reaching up to heaven – be built in his honor, and then withdrew himself into the "less-than-one-hundred eighty-road-bendings" (百不足八十坰手 momotarazu yasokumade, i.e. the ...
Like the Kojiki it is written in a language based on classical Chinese and on a phonetic use of Chinese characters. The Shoku Nihongi also describes certain aspects of Japanese society of the time, such as the conditions of the workers at construction sites in the capital Heijō-kyō (modern Nara). [8]
In the 8th century, the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki were written; these are the earliest known writings in the Japanese language and provide an important source of information about ancient Japanese religion. The kojiki describes, among other things, Japanese mythology and divine origin stories for the Japanese imperial line.
In 1931, the Japanese army invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria without approval of the Japanese cabinet in Tokyo, which was a major step towards the beginning of World War II. In December, Inukai Tsuyoshi became Prime Minister, and tried to stop the military from acting without the approval of the cabinet.
Yayoi culture quickly spread to the main island of Honshū, mixing with native Jōmon culture. [16] The name Yayoi is borrowed from a location in Tokyo, where pottery of the Yayoi period was first found. [14] Yayoi pottery was simply decorated and produced, using the same coiling technique previously used in Jōmon pottery. [17]
The Japanese concept of religion differs significantly from that of Western culture. Spirituality and worship are highly eclectic; rites and practices, often associated with well-being and worldly benefits, are of primary concern, while doctrines and beliefs garner minor attention. [8] Religious affiliation is an alien notion.
Shinto is a blend of indigenous Japanese folk practices, beliefs, court manners, and spirit-worship which dates back to at least 600 CE. [7]: 99 These beliefs were unified as "Shinto" during the Meiji era (1868–1912), [6]: 4 [12] though the Chronicles of Japan (日本書紀, Nihon Shoki) first referenced the term in the eighth century.