National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

The Chronicles of Japan is the oldest imperially commissioned history. It was completed in Yōrō 4 (720). Its 30 volumes are written in a form of classical Chinese (kanbun) and chronologically trace events from the mythical age of the gods through the 8th month of the 11th regnal year of Empress Jitō 11 (697).

The Chronicles of Japan were held in high regard at the imperial court, making the text a frequent topic for lecture and discussion. Dozens of these early editions still survive today. They are generally classified into two categories—those that were either passed down in or related to the Urabe family and those that were not. Examples of the first type include the Kanekata copy of the “Age of the Gods” in the Kyoto National Museum dating to Kōan 9 (1286) and the Kanenatsu copy of the “Age of the Gods” in the collection of Tenri University Library dating to Kengen 2 (1303).

Examples of the second type include this 9th-century copy of volume 10 owned by the Nara National Museum, known as the Tanaka copy, as well as the Iwasaki copy in the Kyoto National Museum, copied in the 10th or 11th century and consisting of volumes 22 and 24, and the Maeda copy in the Maeda Ikutokukai Foundation collection, dating to the 11th century and consisting of volumes 11, 14, 17, and 20. All the editions above have been designated National Treasures.

This manuscript of the Chronicles of Japan, Volume 10, “Chronicle of Emperor Ōjin,” in its present state consists of nine sheets of paper, the first and last sheets having been lost. The scroll gives an account of the 15th ruler, Emperor Ōjin, from the 2nd to the 41st year of his r eign in elegant standard script. Here, celebrated events are recorded, such as the visit of the scholar Wani (dates unknown), an envoy from the Korean kingdom of Baekje (ca. 4th–7th century). The calligraphic style indicates an early Heian period (794–1185) date, making the Tanaka copy the oldest extant transcription of the Chronicles of Japan.

Moreover, this version—which has no punctuation marks or phonetic script to indicate Japanese readings for the Chinese characters—is highly valued as being faithful to the original work. A close examination of its contents reveals differences from later copies. For example, this text refers to a figure from Baekje named Mok Manchi simply as “Moku Manchi,” while later copies seem to mistakenly refer to him as “Ōyamato Moku Manchi” (Mok Manchi of Japan). It is not unusual to find transcription differences in copies of the Chronicles of Japan, but this work proves to be exceptional when compared with extant copies.

The Collected Writings of Kūkai (Shōryōshū) are copied on the back of this scroll. Judging from the calligraphic style, this text was likely transcribed in the late Heian period, after this volume of the Chronicles of Japan had fallen into disuse.