The Nihongi, or Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan), is one of the earliest and most important sources of Japanese mythology. Along with the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), it provides most of the myths and legends from the early periods of Japanese history up to the death of Empress Jitô in A.D. 697.

Written in Chinese and strongly influenced by both Chinese and Korean mythological traditions, the Nihongi was completed by Prince Toneri in A.D. 720. Based on the work of a number of earlier scholars, it provides much useful information about ancient Japan.

Both the Nihongi and the Kojiki contain stories that trace the genealogyrecord of a person's ancestry of the Japanese imperialrelating to an emperor or empire family back to the creation of the world and...