💭No. 02💭 The Yamato Regime and the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki

ヨモツシコX

2025年11月1日 16:58

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The Yamato coalition polity Theory and the Myth-Generation Algorithm of the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki

A Structural Analysis of the Confederation System of Ancient Wa and the political semiotics of Royal Legitimacy

(ヤマト連立政権説と記紀神話生成アルゴリズム：古代倭国の連合構造と王権正統化の政治工学)
20251028_Ver8

ヨモツシコX(@YomotsushikoX)

Abstract

This paper proposes the “Yamato coalition polity Theory,” which transcends the long-standing locational debate in ancient Japanese historiography—namely, whether Yamatai was situated in Kyushu or the Kinai region, and integrates this with an analysis of the myth-generating process in the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki. It positions Yamato as a generic term for administrative and sacred centers, viewing the the 3rd-century Wa polity as a coalition polity based on the division of roles between the Kinai (Yamato polity) and Kyushu (Yamataikoku polity). However, this coalition was not merely a dual structure; it was a multi-layered coalition of numerous Yamato centers nationwide (such as Yamado, Yamato, and Yamato-ga-wata). The Wei Chronicles' account of Wa simply highlighted the Yamato in Kyushu (Yamataikoku) and the Yamato in the Kinai region. The the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki reconstructed fragments of this coalition's historical reality (civil strife, political marriages) using an algorithm based on “six templates,” functioning as a “mythological apparatus” that reinforced royal legitimacy. The concept of “Yamato” as a “central locus” was deeply intertwined with mountain worship within early Shinto (a form of shamanism), functioning as a means of conferring divine authority through the performative power of words. A structuralist approach deciphers the Kojiki's repetitive patterns, revealing ancient peoples' political semiotics skills comparable to modern times.

Keywords: Yamato coalition polity, Yamatai Kingdom, Kojiki mythology, template analysis, mountain worship, political semiotics

1. Introduction

This paper points out that the assumption of “Yamato = capital” underlying conventional debates over the location of the Yamatai Kingdom warrants reconsideration. It proposes a perspective that redefines Yamato as a functional name (common noun) denoting an “administrative and sacred center.” From this perspective, the the 3rd-century Wa polity can be understood as a suzerainty-based confederation comprising multiple Yamato centers, including the Kinai region and Kyushu. This suggests the possibility that the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki myths were a “device for legitimizing royal authority,” reorganizing this political process into a templated narrative. Below, we proceed by connecting etymological, archaeological, and Kojiki/Nihon Shoki syntactic analyses, explicitly outlining both the verifiability and limitations of this hypothesis.

2. The Yamato coalition polity Theory: The Multiple coalition Structure and Division of Roles in Wa

2.1 Strengthening the Argument for the Yamato as a Generic Noun Hypothesis

The term “Yamato” used in this paper may be more of a functional word than a specific place name. Etymologically, yama-to can be interpreted as “to (place/gate) to the mountain (sacred domain).” This suggests that through the convergence of mountain worship and governance (matsuri)—the unity of ritual and politics—a functional transformation occurred, where the entrance to the sacred domain became a political base. That is, within animistic beliefs venerating mountains as divine bodies (e.g., Miwayama, Ōmiwa Shrine), the site where rituals were performed directly became the decision-making point for regional integration (Inoue 1960; Yoshimura 2000).

Regarding the distribution of place names, the mere fact that “numerous Yamato-related place names exist nationwide” is not direct evidence, as it cannot rule out the possibility of names originating from later periods. Therefore, this paper limits its reference to cases likely dating back to the early to mid-Kofun period. For example, the Makimuku area near the base of Mount Miwa was a wide-area center featuring highly ritualistic artifacts and facilities such as massive building complexes, special vessel stands, and wooden masks (National Museum of Japanese History 2015), while simultaneously possessing the characteristics of a distribution hub. In northern Kyushu, regions preserving ancient place-name traditions associated with the Yamato clan suggest a layered presence of maritime trade and ritual (Sawara 1984). Such “functional hubs” overlapping ritual, trade, and military functions likely existed across various locations. Therefore, the “Yamato = functional term” hypothesis can be rationally explained through a three-stage chain: etymology (mountain entrance) → institutional theory (integration of ritual and politics) → archaeology (coexistence of ritual, trade, and military functions).

Summary: This paper's position is a working hypothesis that “Yamato = common noun” may have already been functioning in the 3rd century. To avoid confusion with later name consolidations, arguments are built exclusively on cases where the period can be determined.

2.2 Structure and Historical Development of the coalition polity

It is natural to interpret that the “Wei Zhi Wa-jin Den”primarily depicts Kyushu (Yamataikoku) while mentioning power relations within Wa not as mere coincidence, but as stemming from institutional cognitive bias. Within the coalition model, the following division of roles could structurally emerge:

External Facing (Kyushu Yamato): The diplomatic and military gateway connecting to the East Asian maritime sphere. Handling tribute missions, receiving envoys, and accumulating iron resources and military technology.
Internal Facing (Kinki Yamato): Bearing the symbolic authority of ritual and integration, leading consensus-based integration with other regions (Izumo, Kibi, Kawachi, etc.) (Mori 1990; Yoshimura 2000).

Chinese official histories generally describe the tributary gateway = direct negotiating entity as a “state.” Consequently, descriptions of the actual diplomatic actors (Kyushu) take precedence over the “suzerain” of the suzerainty-based alliance itself (Inoue 1960). Simultaneously, the phrasing in the Wei Chronicles (ruling over more than 30 countries, etc.) indicates the unit that Kyushu Yamato “externally” unified, and may not reflect the internal governance structure of the entire coalition, including the Kinai region. From the above, it can be understood that the Wei Zhi's selective focus on Kyushu and (the Kinki region behind it) was inevitable, based on the documentary principles of the tribute system.

The the 3rd-century Wa polity was not a centralized state, but a coalition polity of multiple Yamato bases across the nation. Yamato in the Kinai served as the ritual and unifying leader, while Yamato in Kyushu (Yamataikoku) functioned as the frontier lord for military and diplomatic affairs. Wa was a suzerain coalition, a hierarchical coalition polity with the Kinai as suzerain, placing Kyushu Yamato in a frontier lord position for diplomacy and military affairs. Himiko, through her shamanic rule akin to a “hired branch manager,” successfully secured tribute from the Wei court and suppressed the Kuna Kingdom (a remnant faction in southern Kyushu). However, the Kinai region covertly supported Kuna, guiding Kyushu toward gradual decline. Other Yamato factions (like Izumo and Tohoku) functioned as regional governance branches, providing behind-the-scenes support and uniting the whole under the concept of the divine Yamato.

Timeline:

Formative Period (Early 3rd Century): Formation of a regional coalition of multiple states under the Yamato concept of divinity. Yamataikoku ruled over more than 30 states and served as the diplomatic conduit through tributary missions to the Wei court (239, 247).
Period of Conflict (Mid-3rd Century): Exhaustion in Kyushu due to the Kuna Civil War. Redistribution of gains from Wei support to the Kinai region.
Dissolution Period (Late 3rd Century–4th Century): Coalition collapses after Himiko's death due to male-ruler rebellion and Toyo's enthronement. Hashihaka Kofun, symbolizing Kyushu lineage, transferred to the Kinai region, leading to the Great Disturbance of Wa in the blank 4th century.
Unification Period (4th Century Onward): The Yamato lineage of the Kinai region established a centralized state as the Imperial House. Political marriages (bloodline integration with Kyushu clans) became the prototype for the Jimmu Eastward Expedition.

This structure mimics the natural progression from China's Yin-Zhou coalition (tribal alliance) to Qin unification, demonstrating ancient peoples' strategic acumen comparable to modern times. Its universality is confirmed through comparison with other civilizations.

The history of Wa-koku, like other civilizations, is positioned as having followed the universal pattern of “coalition → great turmoil → unification.”

Archaeologically, the southeastern Nara Basin (Makimuku ruins) in the mid-3rd century shows a sudden appearance of a large complex of structures, yet lacks a clearly central chieftain's tomb. The Hashihaka Kofun is often linked to the “tomb of Himiko” as one prominent theory, but its construction style and distribution of grave goods show a mixture of Kyushu elements (sloped-rim divine beast mirrors, iron artifacts) and Kinki elements (jade objects, pottery forms). Regarding this point, Koichi Mori (Reconstructing Ancient Studies, Chikuma Shobo, 1990) states, “Makimuku was a relay point within a political alliance.”

That is, the early Yamato regime was likely not a centralized authority, but rather an embryonic form of consensus-based kingship formed by regional alliances in Kibi, Izumo, Chikushi, and Kawachi. This paper refers to this as the “Yamato Coalition Regime.”

While triangular-rimmed divine beast mirrors are primarily found in the Kinki region, they are also widely distributed in Kyushu, Tokai, and Kanto, lacking a clear hierarchical distribution structure. This suggests not a bestowal by a single royal authority, but rather an alliance-based exchange and shared ritual practices among multiple powers. As Kaminaga Nami (Horseback Nomadic States, Asahi Shimbun, 1967) pointed out, the process of power transfer and ritual sharing likely progressed gradually through east-west exchanges.

This paper reformulates this as the “Sacred Mirror Network Hypothesis,” suggesting that the “Three Sacred Treasures” (mirror, sword, jewel) in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki myths may have been symbolic translations of actual ritual alliance contracts.

3. the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki myth-generation algorithm: The political semiotics of Templates

The Kojiki is not a record of historical facts, but rather a “monarchical legitimacy apparatus” created by algorithmically combining six templates. Its compilers (during Emperor Tenmu's reign) extracted and embellished fragments of coalition history to generate an emperor-centered fiction. The sacredness of Yamato (the word-spirit of mountain worship) formed the template's foundation, consolidating the roles of multiple allied clans into imperial monopoly. Archaeologically, the Three Sacred Treasures (mirror, sword, jewel set) directly connect to the burial goods culture of ancient tombs. The weapon burials in Kyushu (Yoshinogari Site) form the basis for the Kumaso subjugation tales, while the bronze swords and bronze bell sets from the Izumo Kojindani Site represent the prototype of the sacred treasure bestowal template. the Hashihaka Kofun symbolizes the transfer of power to the Kinai region through the theory that it was Himiko's tomb.

This paper's template hypothesis is not merely metaphorical but is substantiated through inductive procedures.

Syntactic Extraction (Text-Based)
From relevant passages in the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, we identify multiple instances of a recurring syntax: (i) Divine Oracle/Dream Revelation → (ii) Departure (Eastern/Southern Campaign) → (iii) Combat/Subjugation of Resistance Forces → (iv) Marriage/Alliance → (v) Establishment of Rituals, Shrines, and Treasures (e.g., Jimmu's Eastern Campaign, Pacifying Izumo, Empress Jingū's Three Korean Campaigns / Kumaso and Hayato accounts, etc.).
→ At this stage, the template (conquest, divine revelation, succession, treasures, foreign expedition substitution) is defined descriptively.

Connection to Compilation Motives (Historical Context)
Functional correspondence between the political challenges at the compilation time (Tenmu era to Yōrō era) – overcoming civil war, legitimizing the royal line, accepting Buddhism (Inoue 1960; Yoshimura 2000) – and the above template: Justification of military force Stabilizing/Divine right/Succession/Sacralizing Authority/Externalizing Civil Unrest) are causally aligned.

Estimating Historical Input (Archaeology/Chronology)
Referencing the Hashihaka/Makimuku chronology and weapon systems/distribution networks in Kyushu and the Japan Sea region (Sawara 1984; National Museum of Japanese History 2015), we hypothesize and test which regional memories were “recoded” using which template.

Example: Probability of Internal Strife → foreign expedition substitution
By transcribing memories of late 3rd-century turmoil (e.g., Toyo's enthronement) and interregional rivalries into narratives of external victory, memories of civil war are rendered invisible, while royal military might is demonstrated through external triumphs —This represents a common rhetorical strategy adopted by royal authority immediately after civil war, and functionally aligns with the compilation motive (legitimizing the Tenmu era).

| Historical Input (Estimated) | Mythological Output | Template Used | Meaning of Conversion |
| Himiko's Kuna Country Conflict | Empress Jingū's Three Korean Campaigns | Conquest + Divine Oracle + Pregnancy + Foreign Campaign Replacement (1+2+3+6) | Replacing civil war with foreign campaign, converting shrine maiden rule to divine oracle |
| Marriages between Kyushu Clans and the Capital Region | Emperor Jimmu's Eastern Campaign | Conquest + Divine Oracle + Sibling Strife + Foreign Campaign Substitution (1+2+4+6) | Converts marriages into conquest tales, uses the Yatagarasu crow for divine oracle |
| Unification of Eastern Clans | Yamato Takeru Legend | Conquest + Divine Oracle + Granting of Treasures + Divine Punishment (1+2+5+divine punishment type) | Convert regional unification into hero tales, legitimize with sacred treasures |
| Overthrow of the Soga Clan (Isshi incident) | Emperor Tenji's coup victory | Conquest + sibling rivalry + foreign expedition substitution (1+4+6) | Convert clan conflict into “legitimate succession” |

3.1 Steps of the Algorithm

Historical Event Extraction: Using the civil war within the coalition (the Kunu Conflict), political marriage (the installation of Toyo), and diplomatic success (the Wei Mirror) as source material. Avoid inconvenient local memories and prioritize oracular traditions.
Template Selection: Choose from: Conquest Tales (1), Divine Oracles (2), Pregnancy (3), Sibling Rivalry (4), Treasure Bestowal (5), Foreign Campaign Substitution (6).
Template Overlay: Enhance realism through combinations (e.g., Empress Jingū = 1+2+3+6).
Mythological Adaptation: Convert civil war → foreign expedition war, marriage → eastern conquest/nation-building, achievements → conferral of sacred treasures. As a conditional branching protocol:
- if civil war → output foreign expedition substitution (6)
- if marriage → output conquest tale (1)
- if defeat → output divine punishment/trial (variation of oracle (2))
- if diplomatic gift → output divine artifact conferral (5)
Establishing Legitimacy: Ensures imperial monopoly through divine will, sacred artifacts, bloodline, and victory.
Compilation Adjustments: 8th-century nationalist ideology absorbed regional achievements into imperial ancestor narratives.

3.2 Functions and Roles of the Template

Conquest Narrative (1): Foundation of military might. Transforms coalition roles into the Emperor's sole conquest.
Divine Oracle (2) + Treasure Grant (5): Guarantee of sacredness. Recovers Kyushu's Kido(art of shaman) into the capital's divine oracles. Yamato mountain worship forms the basis of oracles.
Pregnancy (3) + sibling rivalry (4): Stabilizing succession. Transforming Toyo's lineage into Ōjin's conception.
External Campaign Substitution (6): The most crucial concealment device. Transforming the Kuna civil war into the military invasion of Korea, eliminating the coalition's seeds of discord.

3.3 Generative Example: The Process of Jimmu's Eastern Expedition

Extraction: Memories of political marriages and internal strife among Kyushu Yamato clans.
Selection: 1+2+4+6.
Superposition: The Eastern Expedition (1) transforms marriage into conquest; Divine Mandate (2) legitimizes it; Sibling Conflict (4) emphasizes succession; Foreign Expedition Substitution (6) elevates internal strife into heroic legend.
Dramatization: Transforms the clan conflicts of Takachiho, Kyushu, into the “Heavenly Descendant's Eastern Expedition.” The 660 BCE setting is a nationalist temporal manipulation; the historical prototype lies in the 3rd century coalition integration period.
Grant: Ensuring bloodline legitimacy through the guidance of the Yatagarasu crow and the marriage of Princess Yamato.
Adjustment: Modeled on Emperor Tenmu's Jinshin Rebellion, the coalition integration is embellished as an imperial victory.

3.4 The Self-Replicating Nature of Myth: Repeated Application of Templates

The the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki myths functioned as a “self-replicating algorithm,” repeatedly applying established templates to later events. The campaigns of Empress Jingū's Three Korean Campaigns, the Eastern Expedition of Emperor Jimmu, and the Yamato Takeru legends are examples of rearranging different historical fragments into the same format, where the reuse of patterns itself became the basis of authority. Structurally speaking, this self-replicating nature is a mechanism where the range of mythic elements (e.g., civil war → divine revelation → victory) performs the universality of royal authority. A prime example is how the legacy of coalition politys (military memories from Kyushu) was applied to the civil wars of Emperor Tenji and Emperor Tenmu during the Ritsuryō period, thereby reinforcing the legitimacy of centralization.

3.5 The “Evolution” of Templates: The Refinement of political semiotics

As time progressed, it appears to have developed from simple templates to complex applications. This suggests not merely an “improvement in technique,” but rather a “refinement of political semiotics” to address the increasing complexity of the political challenges faced by the compilers of the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki.

Early Period (Foundation Myths): The legend of Emperor Jimmu required the complex integration of multiple historical memories (political marriages, civil strife, succession of authority). Consequently, it was generated from the outset as a “comprehensive template” layering the greatest number of templates.
Middle Period (Succession & Military Rule): During the reigns of Emperor Ōjin and Emperor Nintoku, the primary political challenge was establishing “continuity of the royal line.”" Consequently, templates specializing in legitimizing succession—such as pregnancy/childbirth (3) and brotherly conflict (4)—were heavily utilized.
Late Period (Ritsuryō Period): During the reign of Emperor Tenmu, to address the vivid memory of the Jinshin War, a vivid memory of civil war, a combination of brotherly conflict (4) and conquest tales (1) was employed. Furthermore, by incorporating divine oracles (2) to confer divine will. This demonstrates an advanced template application aimed at “resolving real political issues through myth.”

3.6 Syntactic Structure and Template Patterns in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki Mythology

The the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki feature recurring narrative structures. A typical form is as follows:

Occurrence of Divine Revelation/Dream Prophecy/Heavenly Mandate
Commencement of an external campaign (e.g., eastern expedition, southern expedition)
Battle and subjugation of opposing forces
Marriage or alliance with local deities/indigenous chieftains
Post-Victory Rituals, Shrine Construction, and Divine Treasure Conferral

This syntax is common to numerous episodes, including the Eastern Campaign of Emperor Jimmu, the Subjugation of Izumo, Empress Jingū's Three Korean Campaigns, the Subjugation of the Kumaso, and the Submission of the Hayato. At the narrative generation level, each episode can be viewed as a form of regional integration = mythological re-grammatization.

4. The Parallel Structure of the Three Korean Campaigns and the Divine Emperor Jimmu's Eastern Expedition

4.1 The Dual “Eastern Expedition” Motif

The Divine Emperor Jimmu's Eastern Expedition (Jimmu Chronicle) and the Empress Jingū's Three Korean Campaigns (Jingū Chronicle) in the Nihon Shoki, though set in different eras, share remarkably similar narrative structures.
Both share the following characteristics:

Justification of action by divine mandate (oracles from Amaterasu Omikami and the heavenly and earthly deities)
Divine assistance during the campaign (e.g., the Yatagarasu crow, the Sumiyoshi deities)
Establishment of central authority through the subjugation of foreign lands and peoples
Establishment of rituals mediated by sacred objects and shrines after victory

These structural commonalities indicate that the function of the narratives lies in “reducing the subjugation of external forces to divine will.”
In other words, “conquest” should be understood not as actual military history, but as a narrative grammar repeated as “integration by divine mandate.”

4.2 The Editorial Intent of the Empress Jingū Legend

While the historical existence of Empress Jingū is often debated, her narrative can be understood as a device for reinterpreting the subordination and collaboration of Kyushu powers.
The Three Korean Campaigns were not an expedition against the Korean Peninsula, but rather a “reintegration of the Western Alliance” myth. It is thought to have transcribed the conquest narrative by “otherworldlyizing” southwestern powers within Wa (such as Chikushi and the Kumaso).

Indeed, archaeologically, the burial goods system in northern Kyushu during the first half of the 4th century (armor, iron weapons, Wa mirrors) aligns with that of the Kinki region, showing no clear traces of an independent “conquered force” (Sawara Makoto, The Formation of Wa from an Archaeological Perspective, Iwanami Shoten, 1984).
This supports the possibility that the narrative's conquest targets were parts of the homeland treated as external others.

Therefore, The Three Korean Campaigns tradition is a classic example of mythic transposition, framing the Yamato regime's domestic unification as a “victorious foreign campaign.”

Thus, the legend of Empress Jingū recodes the memory of the dissolution of the Kyushu coalition and the unification of the Kinai region into the form of divine will and conquest tales, representing the final stage of mythical emulation supporting the “Yamato coalition polity theory.”

5. The Compilation of the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki and “Memory Manipulation by the coalition polity”

5.1 The Process of Unifying Ancestral Lineages

The compilation process of the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki was not merely a collection of myths and traditions, but a “political project to unify the diverse memories of the coalition polity.”
During the Tenmu and Jitō reigns, distinct genealogical traditions—such as the “Chikushi lineage,” “Izumo lineage,” “Kibi lineage,” and “Eastern Provinces lineage”—still coexisted within the realm. To connect these into the narrative of a unified dynasty, the compilers executed an algorithmic editing process known as the “unification of ancestral genealogies.”

Its fundamental principles were threefold:

Integration of Dual Lineages: Connecting the paternal line (descendants of heavenly ancestors) and maternal line (indigenous deities) through marriage narratives, positioning the Emperor as the “intersection of both lineages.”
- Example: Ninigi-no-Mikoto (heavenly descendant) + Konohanasakuya-hime (earth deity) = Foundational integration.
Absorption of Regional Deities: Incorporate deities from regions like Izumo, Kibi, and Kyushu through “subjugation myths,” creating a nationwide network of deities.
- Example: Ōkuninushi transfers political power to Amaterasu through the “Cession of the Country.”
Chronological Compression and Chain Formation: Condense memories spanning several generations into a single reign, organizing royal lineages as an “endless chain of ancestors.”
- Example: Memories of Himiko, Toyo, and Empress Jingu merged into a single lineage.

Through this editing process, multiple Yamato coalitions were recoded into a “single river of direct heavenly descent,” preserving the memories of different political factions as layers within the myths.

5.2 Techniques for Erasing and Recoding Memory

Another characteristic of the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki compilation is the “erasure and recoding of inconvenient memories.”
Rebellions and defeats by regional clans were mythologized as “demons” or “rebellious gods,” and the lineage of the defeated was transformed into religious admonitions.
For example:

These survived not through erasure of memory but through “recoding”.
In other words, myths also function as “political archives that transform and preserve the memories of the defeated.”

5.3 Alteration of Mythical Syntax and the Intent of the Tenmu Imperial Authority

Emperor Tenmu ascended the throne following the Jinshin Rebellion (672), making the justification of his civil war victory the primary purpose of compiling the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki.
Consequently, the syntax of the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki itself was designed as a reuse of the “Eastern Campaign template.”

In other words, by positioning itself as the “Second Jimmu,” the Tenmu Court after the Jinshin Rebellion reconstructed the actual political upheaval into a mythical founding narrative.

A Programming Reinterpretation of Kojiki Mythology

The narrative generation algorithm of the Kojiki can be modeled as follows using modern information theory:

MythGenerator(historical_event):
    if event.type == “civil_war”:
        event = Transform(“expedition_substitution”)
    if event.includes(“marriage”):
        event = Transform(“Conquest Tale”)
    if event.includes(“diplomatic gift”):
        event = Transform(“Sacred Treasure Bestowal”)
    if event.includes(“defeat”):
        event = Transform(“Divine Punishment Oracle”)
    myth = Merge(event, Oracle + Treasure + Inheritance)
    return EncodeAs(“Tenson Lineage Narrative”, myth)

As this pseudo-code demonstrates, the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki were not mere literary works, but political codes that transformed input (historical facts) into output (mythology).
Their output destination was the real-world memory space of “reconstructing national identity.”

7. Archaeological Correspondence and Chronological Consistency

7.1 Chronology of Kofun and the Time Lag in the Formation of Royal Authority

The construction of Hashihaka Kofun (mid-3rd century) closely approximates the death of Himiko (247–248 CE). Based on the arrangement of mirror burials and the style of excavated pottery, it has been noted that this kofun possesses an integrative character following the Great Disturbance of Wa.
During this period, structures with combined functions for ritual, trade, and habitation formed at the Makimuku ruins, serving as a convergence point for multiple factions (National Museum of Japanese History, ed., Archaeology of the Makimuku ruins, Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2015).

Subsequently, in the first half of the 4th century, keyhole-shaped burial mounds rapidly spread from the Kinai region nationwide, incorporating local chieftains under a common normative framework.
This “Kofun network” parallels the “sacred artifact network” in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki mythology, suggesting that a process of unification from a pluralistic confederation was underway in both material culture and mythological syntax.

7.2 The Compilation of the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki and the Final Integration of Material Culture

By the early 8th century, when the Nihon Shoki was completed, royal authority had been fully centralized through the Ritsuryō system.
The compilation of myths served as the “linguistic counterpart” to this political system, functioning as the symbolic culmination of the material and institutional integration represented by kofun, rituals, and genealogies.

From this perspective, the reutilization syntax of Kiki myths constitutes a narrative code spiritually underpinning material integration, existing at the intersection of political history and cultural semiotics.

8. Conclusion: The Memory Structure and Mythological Reorganization of the Yamato Coalition Regime

This paper analyzes the political function of myth generation during the integration process, viewing “Yamato” not as a conquering dynasty established by a single force, but as a pluralistic coalition regime functioning as a regional confederation.
The mythological narratives found in the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki functioned as devices to construct the legitimacy of royal authority by substituting memories of actual political marriages, alliances, and subjugations with sacred expressions.

Furthermore, a common template is identifiable in the syntax of narratives such as the Eastern Campaign of Emperor Jimmu, the Descent of the Heavenly Grandchild, and Empress Jingū's Three Korean Campaigns. These can be organized as Kojiki/Nihon Shoki myth-generation algorithms, reused each time royal authority expanded, was inherited, or its rule needed justification.
This algorithmic structure suggests that the Yamato royal authority was not merely a unified entity by force, but a symbolic community integrated through mythical memory.

The findings of this research provide a new analytical perspective for reconstructing the history of ancient Japanese kingship as a “dual structure of historical fact and myth.” Future work should clarify the editorial motives and political context of the the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki myths by cross-referencing archaeological materials (burial sets, kofun arrangements, excavated genealogies) and conducting comparative studies with mythological structures across East Asian regions.

References

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the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki (712-720). (古事記・日本書紀（712-720年）)
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Yoshimura, Takehiko. The Establishment of the Yamato Regime. Kodansha Academic Library, 2000. (吉村武彦『大和政権の成立』講談社学術文庫、2000年。)
Ishino, Hironobu. The Era of the Hashihaka Kofun. Gakuseisha, 1998. (石野博信『箸墓古墳の時代』学生社、1998年。)
Related Research: Watanabe, Shinichiro. Solving the Mystery of the Wei Chronicles' Account of the Wa People (Chuko Shinsho, revised edition 2025). (関連研究: 渡辺信一郎『魏志倭人伝の謎を解く』（中公新書、2025年改版）。)
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