Notwithstanding the fact that the Shintoism is the state religion of Japan, that it had its sacred books and symbols, its gods and goddesses, its temples and priests, many claim that it is more of a political than a religious system, its main tenet being absolute obedience to the mikado, who is its head. The two most sacred Shinto books are the Kojiki and the Nihonki. Anciently, Japanese books were committed to memory and historical records were not put in written form until the eighth century.
According to a well known authority, in 415 A.D., officials were sent into the country to verify and describe the names of all the families. Later, a transcription of these records, in Chinese characters took place and in 644 A.D., an historical account of the emperors, the country, the officials and the people is said to have existed, which was destroyed when Iruka was murdered, and his fathers palace, in which these records were kept, was burned. Only the history of the country was saved. From this work, as well as from what the old men of the whole empire remembered, a new compilation was made under the Emperor Temmu (673-690 A.D.), and in order that it might not be lost again, it was read to a peasant girl, named Are, who was said never to forget anything she had once heard. From this record, and from what Are still remembered, the first historical record of Japan known to us, the Kojiki, was compiled about thirty years later.
These books contain the mythology of Japan, which is in many ways superior to that of Greece. In another chapter of this work, the reader will find many interesting facts regarding the above-mentioned books, including the Japanese story of “The Creation,” which describes the origin of the gods and goddesses, of man, and of the earth.
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From General Nelson A. Miles
Thrilling Stories of The Russian-Japanese War, 1904
