MYTHOLOGICAL SOURCES OF CLASSICAL JAPANESE POETRY: POETIC THOUGHT AND NATIONAL MEMORY IN THE KOJIKI AND THE NIHON SHOKI

Abstract

This article examines the poetic passages, mythological figures, and artistic expressions of the ancient Japanese worldview found in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, which are regarded as important sources for the study of the early development of classical Japanese poetry. Compiled in the eighth century, these works are not merely texts documenting mythological and historical events; they are also literary monuments that preserve ancient song traditions, collective memory, and poetic thought. The study comparatively examines the origins and literary characteristics of both chronicles, analyzing the emotional mode of expression in the Kojiki, the historical and political presentation in the Nihon Shoki, as well as images of nature, divine forces, and the motifs of sovereignty and marriage. It also explores how ancient songs reflect the relationship between oral tradition and written literature and how they influenced the subsequent development of Japanese poetic thought. The article concludes that the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki are of considerable scholarly significance for understanding the mythological sources and aesthetic characteristics of classical Japanese poetry, as well as their role in the formation and preservation of national memory.