Is Japan's legendary first emperor a historical figure or a carefully crafted political myth?

Nature · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Emperor Jimmu is celebrated as Japan's first ruler, said to have ascended the throne in 660 BCE. Yet, modern scholars find no evidence for his existence, viewing him as a legendary figure whose story was likely synthesized to unify imperial lineages and establish divine legitimacy for the Japanese throne.

The chronicles Kojiki (712) and Nihon Shoki (721) describe Jimmu as a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. According to these texts, he led a military migration from Kyūshū to Yamato, eventually establishing his rule. While these accounts provide a grand origin story, historians argue that the 660 BCE date is historically improbable. Political unification in Japan likely occurred centuries later, around the end of the third or beginning of the fourth century AD, coinciding with the rise of Kofun tumuli.

Scholars suggest the Jimmu narrative serves as a composite of various traditions. Some historians propose he may be a fusion of later emperors like Sujin and Keitai, while others, such as Ino Okifu, have hypothesized he could be the Chinese explorer Xu Fu. The specific date of 660 BCE was likely chosen by the authors of the Nihon Shoki to align with a kanoto-tori year, a practice intended to lend chronological weight to the imperial dynasty's founding.

Despite the lack of archaeological evidence, the figure of Jimmu has played a significant role in Japanese history. During the Meiji Restoration, veneration of Jimmu became a central pillar of the imperial cult. The holiday Kigensetsu, established in 1873, commemorated his supposed ascension. Even today, National Foundation Day on February 11 marks this legendary event, illustrating how myths can evolve from ancient chronicles into enduring symbols of national identity, even when their historical foundations are contested by modern research.

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