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According to the earliest Japanese history records, on this day in the year 660 BC the first Japanese emperor was crowned.Many Japanese historians believe that:
the enthroning of Emperor Jinmu, as described in the Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan), was not a historical fact but folklore. Before World War II government offices and schools throughout Japan held all sorts of celebrations on Kigensetsu, but after the war, the holiday was abolished for various reasons. Many people kept voicing that they wanted the return of the holiday. So much so they kept voicing themselves, until in 1966. In 1966 Kigen Setsu was again made a national holiday, but renamed Kenkoku Kinenbi, or National Foundation Day.
The Nihon Shoki begins with the Japanese creation myth, explaining the origin of the world and the first seven generations of divine beings (starting with Kunitokotachi), and goes on with a number of myths as does the Kojiki, but continues its account through to events of the 8th century. It is believed to record accurately the latter reigns of Emperor Tenji, Emperor Temmu and Empress Jitō. The Nihon Shoki focuses on the merits of the virtuous rulers as well as the errors of the bad rulers. It describes episodes from mythological eras and diplomatic contacts with other countries. The Nihon Shoki was written in classical Chinese, as was common for official documents at that time. The Kojiki, on the other hand, is written in a combination of Chinese and phonetic transcription of Japanese (primarily for names and songs). The Nihon Shoki also contains numerous transliteration notes telling the reader how words were pronounced in Japanese. Collectively, the stories in this book and the Kojiki are referred to as the Kiki stories.
The Imperial house of Japan traditionally based its claim to the throne on its descent from Jimmu. While his accession is traditionally dated to 660 BC, no historically firm dates can be assigned to this early emperor's life or reign, nor to the reigns of his early successors. Most modern historians dismiss this entire period as being beyond what history can know. The reign of Emperor Kimmei (509?–571 AD), the 29th emperor, is the first for which contemporary historiography is able to assign verifiable dates.
In Japanese mythology, the Age of the Gods is the period before Jimmu's accession.
According to Shinto belief, Jimmu is regarded as a direct descendant of the sun goddess, Amaterasu. Amaterasu had a son called Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto and through him a grandson named Ninigi-no-Mikoto. She sent her grandson to the Japanese islands where he eventually married Konohana-Sakuya-hime. Among their three sons was Hikohohodemi no Mikoto, also called Yamasachi-hiko, who married Toyotama-hime. She was the daughter of Ryūjin, the Japanese sea god. They had a single son called Hikonagisa Takeugaya Fukiaezu no Mikoto. The boy was abandoned by his parents at birth and consequently raised by Tamayori-hime, his mother's younger sister. They eventually married and had a total of four sons. The last of these sons, Kamuyamato Iwarebiko, became Emperor Jimmu.
LINKS: ( ALL THE INFORMATION ABOVE CAME FROM THESE SITES)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihon_Shoki
http://www.japanlinked.com/about_japan/fha/kenkokukinenbiKenkoku.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Jimmu
the enthroning of Emperor Jinmu, as described in the Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan), was not a historical fact but folklore. Before World War II government offices and schools throughout Japan held all sorts of celebrations on Kigensetsu, but after the war, the holiday was abolished for various reasons. Many people kept voicing that they wanted the return of the holiday. So much so they kept voicing themselves, until in 1966. In 1966 Kigen Setsu was again made a national holiday, but renamed Kenkoku Kinenbi, or National Foundation Day.
The Nihon Shoki begins with the Japanese creation myth, explaining the origin of the world and the first seven generations of divine beings (starting with Kunitokotachi), and goes on with a number of myths as does the Kojiki, but continues its account through to events of the 8th century. It is believed to record accurately the latter reigns of Emperor Tenji, Emperor Temmu and Empress Jitō. The Nihon Shoki focuses on the merits of the virtuous rulers as well as the errors of the bad rulers. It describes episodes from mythological eras and diplomatic contacts with other countries. The Nihon Shoki was written in classical Chinese, as was common for official documents at that time. The Kojiki, on the other hand, is written in a combination of Chinese and phonetic transcription of Japanese (primarily for names and songs). The Nihon Shoki also contains numerous transliteration notes telling the reader how words were pronounced in Japanese. Collectively, the stories in this book and the Kojiki are referred to as the Kiki stories.
The Imperial house of Japan traditionally based its claim to the throne on its descent from Jimmu. While his accession is traditionally dated to 660 BC, no historically firm dates can be assigned to this early emperor's life or reign, nor to the reigns of his early successors. Most modern historians dismiss this entire period as being beyond what history can know. The reign of Emperor Kimmei (509?–571 AD), the 29th emperor, is the first for which contemporary historiography is able to assign verifiable dates.
In Japanese mythology, the Age of the Gods is the period before Jimmu's accession.
According to Shinto belief, Jimmu is regarded as a direct descendant of the sun goddess, Amaterasu. Amaterasu had a son called Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto and through him a grandson named Ninigi-no-Mikoto. She sent her grandson to the Japanese islands where he eventually married Konohana-Sakuya-hime. Among their three sons was Hikohohodemi no Mikoto, also called Yamasachi-hiko, who married Toyotama-hime. She was the daughter of Ryūjin, the Japanese sea god. They had a single son called Hikonagisa Takeugaya Fukiaezu no Mikoto. The boy was abandoned by his parents at birth and consequently raised by Tamayori-hime, his mother's younger sister. They eventually married and had a total of four sons. The last of these sons, Kamuyamato Iwarebiko, became Emperor Jimmu.
LINKS: ( ALL THE INFORMATION ABOVE CAME FROM THESE SITES)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihon_Shoki
http://www.japanlinked.com/about_japan/fha/kenkokukinenbiKenkoku.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Jimmu