Kojiki: Fully Revised Edition: Records of Ancient Matters (Revised and with a New Foreword) - Paperback

by O. No Yasumaro (Author), Basil Hall Chamberlain (Translator)

The classic story of Japan's origins--now in a fully revised and reader-friendly edition.

The Kojiki is Japan's oldest surviving text, chronicling the mythical creation of the Japanese islands, the origins of the imperial family, and the early development of Shinto, Japan's indigenous religion. A cornerstone of Japanese identity and culture, it has profoundly influenced the nation's literature, spirituality, and political thought for over a thousand years.

Told in a vibrant, poetic style, the Kojiki brings to life the primordial deities Izanagi and Izanami, their divine children, and the unfolding of the Japanese cosmos. These stories form the spiritual and mythological foundation of Japan--where gods walk the earth, and emperors trace their lineage to the heavens.

This fully updated edition offers a vastly improved English translation with modernized names and terminology, and for the first time, previously untranslated "racy" Latin passages are rendered clearly in English. The result is a more accessible and complete reading experience, ideal for both first-time readers and longtime students of Japanese culture. Footnotes have been carefully refined for clarity and relevance, and the text has been re-typeset for ease of reading.

With a new foreword by Kojiki scholar Matthieu Felt, this edition highlights why the Kojiki remains essential reading for anyone interested in Japanese mythology, literature, history, or religion.

Author Biography

O no Yasumaro was a prominent Japanese nobleman and scholar of the Nara period. He was commissioned by the court to compile the Kojiki and collaborated closely with Hieda no Are, whose recited oral traditions formed the basis for the text. Yasumaro's work has been crucial in preserving Japan's culture and identity, shaping the nation's spiritual heritage.

Basil Hall Chamberlain (1850-1935) was a British Japanologist who played a key role in introducing Japanese culture and language to the West during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was a prolific writer and translator of Japanese works including The Classical Poetry of the Japanese, Things Japanese and Japanese Fairy Tales.

Matthieu Felt is Assistant Professor of Japanese at the University of Florida, where he teaches courses on Japanese literature and culture. He received his Ph.D. in Japanese literature from Columbia University and is the author of Meanings of Antiquity: Myth Interpretation in Premodern Japan. He is currently working on a two-volume translation of The Chronicles of Japan for Oxford University Press.