Ancient Clan Traditions Predating the Emperor
Understanding Sendai Kuji Hongi
The beacon of national conquest ignited in ancient Yamato (present-day southern Nara Prefecture) began with an imperial court upholding an imperial lineage; at its roots lay a significant migration and blending of ancient tribes, whose history has largely been lost, yet those who later gained authority as clans advanced while encompassing these historical elements.
Particularly, due to Japan’s prolonged absence of written language, no documents related to ancient Japan existed, and even after the introduction of written culture via Buddhism from China, the documents produced were frequently lost or disappeared into obscurity amid rapidly changing rulers and political upheaval.
Consequently, the oldest surviving Japanese document today is the Kojiki, compiled in 712 CE; thus, compared to regions such as China, the systematic utilization of written culture by the Japanese imperial court was relatively limited and brief. Over roughly two centuries from this period, only fragmented and complex traces of clans that held a certain level of authority remain.
Amid this backdrop, the rise of Buddhism triggered the sweeping away of old powers in Yamato, significantly reshaping the dynamics between court clans. This upheaval allowed the Soga clan, composed primarily of naturalized immigrant groups residing in the Yamato region, to ascend prominently, marking a significant turning point. However, it’s important to note that rather than equating this with Japanese history as a whole, it should be viewed as a very localized history. Although frequently identified in Japan as representative of national history, it pertains specifically to power struggles within the southern Nara Basin region of Yamato, along with limited factions in western Japan that had interactions, allegiances, or alliances with them.
During this turbulent period, the Mononobe clan, who had historically supported successive emperors both militarily and religiously, suffered defeat by the Soga clan and virtually vanished from the historical forefront. The Mononobe clan’s origins date back significantly earlier, as they were among the dominant forces from pre-literate times, rooted in the leadership of a confederation of tribes that gained considerable influence within certain parts of Yamato. Although the exact location of their base remains unclear, a shrine associated with the Mononobe clan, Isonokami Shrine, was possibly later erected in present-day Tenri City, and is known as one of Japan’s oldest shrines.