Unlocking Fudoki: Japan’s Ancient Provincial Chronicles
When travelers think of ancient Japanese history, their minds often drift to the imperial courts of Kyoto or the samurai battles of the feudal era. However, to truly understand the roots of Japan’s distinct regional cultures, one must look further back—to the Nara period and a collection of texts known as the Fudoki (風土記). These ancient reports on “wind and earth” offer a rare glimpse into the daily life, geography, and folklore of early Japan, serving as a fascinating roadmap for the modern cultural traveler.
Origins: The Empress’s Decree
The story of the Fudoki begins in 713 AD, during the reign of Empress Genmei. At this time, the Yamato court was consolidating its power and establishing a centralized government based in Nara. To better understand the lands under her rule, Empress Genmei issued a decree requiring provincial governors to submit detailed reports on their regions.
Unlike the Kojiki (712 AD) and the Nihon Shoki (720 AD), which were crafted to legitimize the Imperial family’s divine lineage, the Fudoki were administrative and encyclopedic. The governors were tasked with recording:
- Names of places: The origin stories of town and mountain names.
- Natural resources: Listings of minerals, plants, and animals.
- Soil quality: An assessment of agricultural fertility.
- Folklore: Old tales and oral traditions told by the local elders.
While reports were likely submitted from over 60 provinces, only five distinct texts survived the ravages of time: Izumo, Harima, Hitachi, Bungo, and Hizen. Of these, only the Izumo Fudoki remains nearly complete, providing an invaluable time capsule of ancient Japan.
Legend: The Myths of the Land
For culture enthusiasts, the section on legends is the most captivating aspect of the Fudoki. These stories differ significantly from the official state mythology. While the court histories focused on the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, the Fudoki celebrated local gods (kami) and earthly spirits.
The Land-Pulling Myth (Kunibiki)
One of the most famous legends is found in the Izumo Fudoki. It tells the story of the god Yatsukamizu-omitsunu, who believed that the land of Izumo was too small. He looked across the sea, saw excess land in Silla (Korea) and other regions, threw a rope around them, and pulled them across the ocean to sew them onto Japan.
This “Kunibiki” (Land-Pulling) myth explains the geography of the Shimane Peninsula. It reflects a worldview where the land was malleable and connected to the broader Asian continent, a perspective often lost in later, more isolationist histories.
Modern Culture: Echoes in the Present
The legacy of the Fudoki is not confined to dusty scrolls; it breathes life into modern Japanese regional identity. The texts serve as the foundational documents for many local Shinto shrines, validating their antiquity and the lineage of their deities.
In regions like Shimane (formerly Izumo) and Ibaraki (formerly Hitachi), local tourism boards and historians use the Fudoki to revive ancient festivals and restore traditional place names. For the Japanese people, these records are a source of local pride—proof that their specific region has a distinct history independent of the capital.
Furthermore, the linguistic data preserved in these texts allows scholars to reconstruct Old Japanese dialects, offering clues about how the ancestors of modern Japanese people spoke and viewed their world.
Traveler’s Tips: Walking the Path of Fudoki
If you want to experience the world of the Fudoki firsthand, you must venture off the Golden Route (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka). Here are the best ways to connect with these ancient chronicles:
1. Visit Shimane Prefecture (Izumo)
Since the Izumo Fudoki is the only complete text, Shimane is the epicenter of this history.
- Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo: Located next to the Grand Shrine, this museum displays artifacts and exhibits explicitly detailing the world described in the Fudoki.
- Inasa Beach: Visit the site associated with the Land-Pulling myth. It remains a sacred spot where gods are welcomed during the Kamiari Festival.
2. Explore the Hitachi Region (Ibaraki)
The Hitachi Fudoki describes a land of utopia and abundance. Hiking Mt. Tsukuba in Ibaraki allows you to tread on ground steeped in the legends recorded in these 8th-century texts. Look for stone monuments inscribed with poems from that era.
3. Rent a Cycle in the Countryside
Many of the landmarks mentioned in the Fudoki are natural features—mountains, rivers, and odd rock formations. Renting a bicycle in rural Harima (Hyogo Prefecture) or Hizen (Saga/Nagasaki) allows you to see the landscape through the eyes of the ancient scribes who first described it.
Sources & Further Reading
To deepen your understanding of ancient Japanese history before your trip, consider exploring the following texts:
- The Izumo Fudoki: Various English translations are available that capture the complete text of the Shimane region.
- Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters): For a comparison between imperial mythology and local Fudoki legends.
- Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan): The official history commissioned around the same time as the Fudoki.
- Man’yoshu: The oldest collection of Japanese poetry, which shares the same cultural atmosphere and time period as the Fudoki records.