Glossary of Terms
Amaterasu Ō-mikami
The Great Divinity Illuminating Heaven – the Sun Goddess. Daughter of the Creators Izanami and Izanagi, the main Kami of the Shinto pantheon, from whom all Emperors and Empresses are supposed to descent
Ame no Hiboko, Prince
A.k.a. the Prince of Spear of the Heavenly Sun, or the Prince of Silla, one of the three principalities of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
Ashihara no Nakatsukuni-
The Central Land of Reed Plains; a.k.a. Earth
Beniseki, Princess
The Princess of Red Jewel. She was the first wife of Ame no Hiboko
Biwa, Lake-
A.k.a. Biwako, it is the largest freshwater lake in Japan. Its resemblance to the stringed instrument called biwa (a short-necked fretted lute) is believed to be the origin of its name. It is the source of drinking water for about fifteen million people in the Kansai region
Cao Wei, Emperor
Emperor of one of the three major states that competed for supremacy over China in the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE)
Chinese ideographs
Also known as ”Kanji“, it is one of the three alphabets of the Japanese language, adopted by the Japanese in the mid-fourth century
Chrysanthemum Throne
The Chrysanthemum Throne is the Japanese imperial throne. The name derives from the fact that the chrysanthemum flower is the symbol of the emperor and the Imperial House
Chūai, Emperor
A.k.a Prince Tarashi-nakatsu-hiko no-Mikoto, he is the legendary 14th Emperor of Japan and husband to Himiko. Reigned from 192–200 CE
Hachiman – the God of War
A.k.a. Emperor Ōjin, he is the Kami of War, the syncretic divinity who incorporates elements of Shintō and Buddhism
Hara-no-naka-no Sumera Mikoto
The moniker given to Emperor Ōjin - meaning the Emperor from the time when he was unborn.
Heavenly Soldiers
The soldiers, members of the Heavenly Task expedition initiated by the ruler descendants of Amaterasu to conquer the east
Himiko, Queen/Empress
A.k.a. Okinaga-tarashi-hime-no-Mikoto, or Empress Jingū, she was the legendary wife of Emperor Chūai
Hiragana
One of the three alphabets of the Japanese language, created in the ninth century CE
Hondawake
Please refer to Emperor Ōjin
Hyūga
The present-day Miyazaki Prefecture
Itsuse
The eldest brother of Emperor Jimmu
Iwarebiko
Please refer to Emperor Jimmu
Izanagi
Male Deity, Creator of Japan
Izanami
Female Deity, Creator of Japan
Jimmu, Emperor
The founder and first Emperor of Japan. A.k.a. Iwarebiko no Mikoto. Reigned from 660–585 BCE
Jingū, Empress
Please refer to Himiko
Kaika, Emperor
The legendary ninth Emperor of Japan. He is the ancestor of Himiko and Chūai, five generations removed. Reigned from 157–98 BCE
kami
God/Goddess
Kanoto-Tori, Year of
According to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, adopted by Japan in ancient times, this is the year of Metal and Rooster - 660 BCE
Kashii Palace
A.k.a. Kashii Temple, it is located in Higashi-ku in Fukuoka City. The Temple worships the Emperor Chūai and Empress Jingū. Built in the year 724 CE, this incredibly old and formal shrine once ranked as an Imperial shrine
katakana
One of the three alphabets of the Japanese language, created in the ninth century CE
katari-be
Families of reciters of the Ancient Japan whose duty was to hand down myths and legends by word of mouth and to narrate them during official ceremonies and banquets. After the introduction of Chinese ideographs in the 4th century CE, these traditional tales were put in writing and the profession of katari-be gradually died out. By the end of the 7th century, each clan of the ruling aristocracy seems to have possessed a written document that recounted the mythology and legendary history of Japan. These family documents were collected in the Kojiki (712; “Records of Ancient Matters”) and the Nihonshoki (720; “Chronicles of Japan”)
Kayanohime no Mikoto-
The Female Deity of the Fields and offspring of Izanami and Izanagi
Kii Peninsula
The Kii peninsula was named after Kii Province and is located between the modern-day Wakayama Prefecture and the south of the Mie Prefecture
Kumaso Tribe
The Kumaso were an Austronesian people of ancient Japan, believed to have lived in the south of Kyūshū until at least the Nara period
Land of Wa
The name by which Japan was known in ancient times by China and Korea
Lara Croft
Fictitious main character of the Hollywood blockbuster - The Tomb Raider
Mikenu
The second big-brother of Emperor Jimmu
Mimana
A sliver of land lying in the Nakdong River basin between the old kingdoms of Baekje and Silla. Before being annexed to Silla in 562 CE, it was a feudal dependency of the Yamato court and had been governed by Japanese officials since 200 CE
Naniwa
Modern-day Ōsaka
Ninigi
The grandson of the Sun Goddess - Amaterasu and the first ruler of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni (Earth)
Nintoku, Emperor
The legendary 16th Emperor of Japan, grandson of Himiko and Chūai. Reigned from 313–399 CE
Ōjin, Emperor
The legendary 15th Emperor of Japan, a.k.a. Hondawake, the son of Himiko and Chūai, who later became known as Hachiman - the God of War. Reigned from 270–310 CE. Please also refer to Hachiman
Okinaga-tarashi-hime-no-Mikoto
Please refer to Himiko
Ōwatatsumi no Mikoto
The Deity of Oceans. Offspring of Izanami and Izanagi
Ōyamatsumi no Mikoto-
The Deity of Mountains. Offspring of Izanami and Izanagi
Sekiyū
Literary rock oil, it is the Japanese name for petroleum
Seto Inland Sea
A.k.a. Seto Naikai, it separates the Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū islands
Shika Island
It is an island located in Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Kyūshū. The island is about 11 kilometres round and connects to the mainland by a causeway
Shimonoseki Strait
The stretch of water that separates the island of Honshū and the Kyūshū. A.k.a. the Straits of Kanmon
Shinatsuhiko no Mikoto
The Deity of the Winds. Offspring of Izanagi and Izanami
Suinin, Emperor
The legendary 11th Emperor of Japan, who reigned from 29 BCE to 70 CE
Tajima Province
Tajima Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today northern Hyōgo Prefecture, located on the north shore of Honshū
Takachihō Palace
The first palace of Emperor Jimmu, it was located in the north-west corner of the Miyazaki Prefecture in Hyūga.
Takama no Hara
The Plain High Heaven, a.k.a. Heaven
Takenouchi-no-Sukune
The Prime Minister of Emperor Chūai government
Tarashi-nakatsu-hiko no-Mikoto, Prince
Please refer to Emperor Chūai
Tennō
Emperor or Empress
Three Kingdom of Korea
Formed by the Principalities of Silla, Baekje and Goguryeo, the Three Kingdoms of Korea lasted from 57 BCE to 668 CE
Three Sacred Regalia
Formed by the sword, Murakumo no Tsurugi; the mirror, Yata-no-Kagami and the jewel, Yasakani-no-Magatama, the Three Sacred Regalia is the symbol of the Emperor of Japan
Tomb Raider
Please refer to Lara Croft
Tsukushi
Ancient name of the Island of Kyūshū, one of the four main islands of Japan
Tsuruga
Modern-day City of Tsuruga, it is located in the Fukui Prefecture, on the north shore of the main island
Wei Zhi-
A.k.a. the Records of Wei, it is a Chinese historical text which covers the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220 CE) and the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE).
Yamato
Yamato was initially the name designated to the mainland Honshū. It became later the plain area that covers the modern-day Nara Prefecture
