The Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters

It was an excellent idea to attempt a more accessible translation of the Kojiki, Japan’s oldest published chronicle, especially as this has enjoyed a revival of interest among the Japanese public in recent years. What for many years has been the standard English translation, and in many respects still is, was that by Donald Philippi (University of Tokyo Press 1968), which was indeed somewhat formidable. Gustav Heldt has taken quite different policy decisions over his translation, and these are what will be considered in this brief review. Any questions of fundamental accuracy will have to be left to other reviewers with competence in ancient Japanese