Yayoi Period (B.C.3C~A.D.3C)

-from MURA (village) to KUNI (nation)-

During Yayoi Period (B.C.300-A.D.300), Yayoi jin (Yayoi people) didn't have any written words yet, but the Chinese already had their own ones,Kan-ji. And they wrote about the correspondence between their neighbor country called WA (Japan) in their historical books, 'Kanjyo-Chiri-Shi', 'Gokanjyo-Toh-I-Den', and 'Gishi-Wa-Jin-Den'.

Kanjyo-Chiri-Shi

In the sea of Rakuro-Gun (Korea), there lives Wa jin(Japanese). There are over 100 nations there. Every season, they sent an envoy to Kan (China).

Gokanjyo-Toh-I-den

There is a country called Wa (Japan) in the sea of the southeast of Korea. People live on the islands with many mountains. There are over 100 nations there cA.D.57, the envoy from Na-Koku, one of the nations of Wa (Japan), came to see us with a tribute. The envoy called himself as Taifu (The minister). Na-Koku is in the south of Wa. Kohbu-Tei of Go-Kan gave the Taifu a seal (emblem) made from gold. A.D.107,Suisyo of Wa gave An-Tei 160 slaves as tribute.

Gishi-Wa-Jin-Den

There is Wa in the sea of southeast of Taiho-gun...Wa consists of over 100 nations. During Kan Period, some of them sent us the envoy. Now about 30 nations of them have diplomatic relations between Gi or Taiho-gun. The way to reach from Taiho-gun to Wa is like this; we should go to Korean peninsula, then sail along the west coast of the peninula, then sail to south and east, we will reach Kuya-Kan-Koku in the north of Wa. It is a journey of over 7000ri (1 ri = about 4km). Then we cross the sea over 1000 ri long , we will reach Tushima island c Then we cross the sea over 1000 ri long, we will reach Iki islandc Then we cross the sea over 1000 ri long, we will reach Matura-Koku. From Matura-koku, we cross the land about 500 ri long, we will reach Ito-Koku . There is Na-Koku from 100 ri long in the southeast. There is Fumi-Koku from 100 ri long in the east.There is Thoma-Koku sailing 20 days from the south.There is Yamatai-Koku sailing 10 days, then go across the land for a month. From Taiho-gun to Yamatai-koku is over 12000 ri long ...
Once Yamatai-Koku had a king. But 70 or 80 years ago, wars happened in Wa and people fought each other. Some nations crowned a girl queen together. Her name was Himiko...
She didn't have a husband and her brother supported her. Since her crowning, quite a few people saw her. She had 1000 women as slaves. One man served her meals and he transferred what she said to others...
A.D.239,Himiko sent an envoy to Gi. Himiko was given the name of Shin-Gi-Wa-Oh from the emperor of Gi. She was given a seal made of gold and 100 bronze mirrors, too...When she died, people made the grave 100po (1po=1.5m) of diameter and 100 slave women were buried with her...The people crowned another girl named Iyo queen. She was 13 years old.

Kanji

Wa(Japan) Wa jin (Japanese)
Na-Koku ; one of the nations of Wa
Kohbu-Tei of Go-Kan
Himiko Shingi-Wa-Oh

Notes

Kohbu ; The name of the emperor.Tei means emperor.
Go-Kan ; The dynasty of China ( A.D.25-A.D.220)
A Seal made from gold ;
The seal was found at The Shika-no-Shima (island) in Fukuoka on February 23,1784( Edo Period ) when a farmer named Jinbei was trying to plow his rice field and he found a golden seal under a large stone. He brought it to a leader of the village. The leader thought it might be something important and he brought it to the office of Fukuoka-Han. There were 5 Kan-ji,Kan-no-Wa-no-Na-no-Kokuoh on it. From these words, a scholar, Kamei Nanmei found it was the seal described in Gokanjyo-Toh-I-Den.

Matura-Koku ; Matuura in Saga
Ito-Koku ; Itoshima in Fukuoka

There are two assertions aboutYamatai-Koku. Some historians insist thatYamatai-Koku was in Kyusyu and others insist that it was in the Kinki district. If it was in Kyusyu,Yamatai-Kokuwas only one of the nations of Wa. On the other hand, if it was in the Kinki district, we may say Yamatai-Koku was the first government of Japan, or Yamatai-Koku was involved in Japan's first government. Because the first government of Japan occurred in Kinki district after Yayoi Period.
Some historians who support the assertion that it was in Kyusyu read like this...

There is the Na-Koku from 100 ri long in the southeast from Ito-Koku .
There is the Fumi-Koku from 100 ri long in the east from Ito-Koku.
There is the Thoma-Koku sailing 20 days from the south from Ito-Koku.
There is the Yamatai-Koku sailing 10 days then go across the land about a month from Ito-Koku.

We found the grave of the king of Fumi-koku ?!
Kofun(grave) was found in Umi town in Fukuoka.
(Yomiuri news/August 1,2000)

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