Main.BeginningsKatodaAndGishiwajinden History
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1. Is studying history important? Why or why not? 2. Where are you from? What important historical places are there? What famous historical people live(d) in your home town? 3. What are the 14 eras or periods of Japanese history? Can you name them in order? 4. When did people first live in Kumamoto? 5. Can you name anyone from Kumamoto who was/is important in the world?
1. What are the 14 eras or periods of Japanese history? Can you name them in order? 2. When did people first live in Kumamoto? 3. Can you name anyone from Kumamoto who was/is important in the world?
Some people believe Himiko was Amaterasu, the sun-goddess who is deeply connected with Takachiho in Kumamoto; others equate her with the Empress Jingu, who, as the legend goes, was pregnant for three years while invading Korea. At any rate, the many 国 (kuni) of 倭 (wa) and the yamataikoku discussed in the gishinwajinden represent a slice of Japan’s prehistory that is rooted in folklore and archeology, in which we can only half know and half believe.
More reading: https://heritageofjapan.wordpress.com/yayoi-era-yields-up-rice/the-advent-of-agriculture-and-the-rice-revolution/who-was-queen-himiko/the-yamatai-puzzle-where-was-himikos-headquarters/
http://mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/fukuoka/fuk_01_fukuoka/fukuoka_01/Gishi.htm
Much of early Japanese history comes from Chinese records. Especially important is the gishiwajinden (魏志倭人伝), written in 285 by the Chinese Historian, Chinju, which tells of the Yamataikoku (邪馬台国) . In it is this phrase:
Much of early Japanese history comes from Chinese records. Especially important is the gishiwajinden (魏志倭人伝), written in 285 by the Chinese Historian, Chinju ( ), which tells of the Yamataikoku (邪馬台国) . In it is this phrase:
Wherever it was, from around 180 or 190 to 240 or so, Yamatai-koku had a strong spiritual queen called Himiko who was a friend of the Chinese empire. It has been estimated that she became queen in 184 at the age of 15 and received a gold seal and ribbon from China in 240, when she would have been around 70 years old. Even now, in Nagomi-machi, there is a festival called “Kofun festival” where Queen Himiko comes out at the end. The festival planners obviously believe in the Kyushu-setsu、although the Kofun period actually dates to a period after Himiko was alive.
Wherever it was, from around 180 or 190 to 240 or so, Yamatai-koku had a strong spiritual queen called Himiko (卑弥呼） who was a friend of the Chinese empire. It has been estimated that she became queen in 184 at the age of 15 and received a gold seal and ribbon from China in 240, when she would have been around 70 years old. Even now, in Nagomi-machi, there is a “Kofun festival” where Queen Himiko actually appears at the end. The festival planners obviously believe in the Kyushu-setsu, although the Kofun period dates to a period after Himiko was alive.
This tells us about the “kuni” (国) that travelers from the continent passed to get to the “capital” of Yamataikoku, a sort of ancient map. BUT….although it gives very approximate distances between the kuni, it does not give the directions very well. Therefore, two theories have sprung up about where the capital of Yamataikoku was located. One theory is the kinaisetsu (畿内説), locating the capital in or around Nara, which actually was the capital in the later Yamato (YEARS). The other is the Kyushu-setsu九州説, which asserts that the capital was somewhere in Kyushu.
This tells us about the “kuni” (国) that travelers from the continent passed to get to the “capital” of Yamataikoku, a sort of ancient map. BUT….although it gives very approximate distances between the kuni, it does not give the directions very well. Therefore, two theories have sprung up about where the capital of Yamataikoku was located. One theory is the kinaisetsu (畿内説), locating the capital in or around Nara, which actually was the capital in the later Yamato (710-794). The other is the Kyushu-setsu九州説, which asserts that the capital was somewhere in Kyushu.