So this episode we go into a few different things. First off there is the story of Hime Tatara Isuzu Hime (or possibly Hime Tatara Isukeyori Hime), Iware Biko’s queen and the mother of the next sovereign. Then there are the members of the court, such as Umashimaji no Sukune.

Of course the court at Kashihara is fantastical, but it still tells us something. The rituals, the ranks, and more—all of it is helpful for understanding the Chronicles—at least some of the later stories.

On the subject of ranks: The kabane system is something we’ll definitely need to get into at some point, but essentially it was a ranking system for families, more than the individual. There are more ranks than are mentioned here, and it really does deserve its own topic at some point, but I’d encourage listeners to look into it, it really is fascinating.

As for what we actually know about the early Kingship? Well, we get to that with the kofun. Kishimoto Naofumi’s paper is linked below if you’d like to read it for yourself.

Drawing of what an artist thought Jimmu’s ascension ceremony may have looked like with a postcard claiming to be Yamato Shrine inset.

References

Ō, Yasumaro, & Heldt, G. (2014). The Kojiki: An account of ancient matters. ISBN978-0-231-16389-7

Kishimoto, Naofumi (2013). Dual Kingship in the Kofun Period as Seen from the Keyhole Tombs. UrbanScope: e-Journal of the Urban-Culture Research Center, OCU. http://urbanscope.lit.osaka-cu.ac.jp/journal/pdf/vol004/01-kishimoto.pdf
Bentley, John. (2006). The Authenticity of Sendai Kuji Hongi: a New Examination of Texts, with a Translation and Commentary. ISBN-90-04-152253
Chamberlain, B. H. (1981). The Kojiki: Records of ancient matters. Rutland, Vt: C.E. Tuttle Co. ISBN4-8053-0794-3
Aston, W. G. (1972). Nihongi, chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697. London: Allen & Unwin. ISBN0-80480984-4
Philippi, D. L. (1968). Kojiki. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN4-13-087004-1