Even though many people seem unaware of it (or maybe they’re just trying to ignore it, who knows?), Japan has had an extensive and very interesting history with homosexuality. In this post, I figured we might cover the first known reference to homosexuality in Japan: Shinu No Hafuri (小竹祝) and Ama No Hafuri (天野祝) from the Nihon Shoki (日本書紀).
What is the Nihon Shoki?
The Nihon Shoki (also known as the Japanese Chronicles) is one of the oldest and most important works of classical Japanese history, second to only the Kojiki (古事記). Its 30 chapters encompass the early history of Japan, from the myth of its creation to the early 8th century. It was completed in the year 720 CE under the imperial order of Empress Genshō.
The Nihon Shoki is written in classical Chinese and is structured in the form of chronological records of events, genealogies of emperors and other important figures, and mythical stories. It provides insights into early Japanese culture, society, politics, religion, and beliefs.
The Nihon Shoki is one of the oldest texts in Japan. (Source: e-Museum, National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan)
The piece we’re covering today is in Chapter 9, Empress Jingu’s chapter. Empress Jingu was a legendary ruler of Japan who, according to legend, after avenging her husband, began her conquest of the “promised land” – Korea. According to legend, divine jewels allowed her to control the tides and using them, she led a successful military campaign to Korea without shedding a single drop of blood. Empress Jingu supposedly reigned from 201 to 269 AD and was the last de facto ruler of the Yayoi period.
What is the story behind Shinu No Hafuri and Ama No Hafuri?
The myth behind the two reads like so:
Empress Jingu entered the Kii Province and met the prince at Hidaka. With their armies, they moved to Kotake Palace in order to attack King Oshikuma.
When they arrived, the sky was as dark as night, despite it still being noon. Days passed but still, daylight did not come. The soldiers muttered among themselves about the “endless night”.
Empress Jingu asked Toyomimi, the immediate ancestor of Ki, "What's going on?”
The old man replied, "According to what I have heard, it is 'the sin of Azunahi’.”
“And what is that?”, the empress inquired.
Toyomimi replied, “They buried two priests in the same grave.”
When asked in the village, one person said the following:
“Shinu No Hafuri and Ama No Hafuri were close friends. When Shinu no Hafuri died of illness, Ama no Hafuri mourned deeply and cried out in despair, ‘We were the closest friends when we lived, and we will be in the same grave when we die!’ He killed himself and lay with the corpse of his friend. So we buried them both together.”
When they opened the grave, they found that was indeed the case. They changed the coffins and buried Shinu No Hafuri and Ama No Hafuri separately.
Then, sunrise came, and day and night were separated again.
Romance or bromance?
Since we’re talking about a legend that happened nearly two millennia ago, we can’t say for certain if this was gay, or a very intense bromance. Maybe it was normal for priests to kill themselves beside their dead friends and for them to be buried together. Who knows? However, this is often referenced as the oldest description of homosexuality in Japan.
Personally, I’d like to think these two were an item. We can infer from the story that an “endless night” wasn’t a common occurrence, and in turn, we can infer that two priests being buried together probably wasn’t either. And even though how we show love and affection has changed over the centuries, killing yourself for someone is a big gesture now, and it probably was then. Although it isn’t a textbook case of double suicide (shinju), I think there are some noteworthy similarities.
Mini-analysis
There are three things I want to talk a little more about.
It’s called “the sin of Azunahi”
This incident being called “the sin of Azunhi” means that what happened was probably considered taboo (after all, why else would it be called a sin?). However, the text is not clear as to what specifically makes this a sin. It could be about the two priests being “more than just friends”, but it can also be about two people sharing a grave regardless of their gender. Just because this is called “the sin of Azunahi” does not mean this should be used to condemn gay people or justify homophobia.
The reaction of the village people (or lack thereof)
Upon reading this excerpt, I thought that the villager’s reaction to (and perhaps acceptance of) Shinu No Hafuri and Ama No Hafuri was interesting. They had no qualms about burying the two priests together and expressed no hint of negativity when explaining the situation to the Empress.
They also didn’t think to didn’t separate them… I mean, at some point, the villagers must have had some hint that the burial and the endless night were connected and yet, they didn't do anything about it until Empress Jingu’s arrival. It's almost as if the villagers thought it would be wrong to separate such close “friends”.
What Shinu No Hafuri and Ama No Hafuri represent
One theory that came to me while writing was that Shinu No Hafuri and Ama No Hafuri represented day and night. The source I looked into while writing this post wrote that day and night separated from each other once the two priests were separated. Originally, I thought it was just the translation that the source used, but when I check the original Chinese, it was written like so:
則日暉爃、日夜有別。
(則= so, then; 日暉= daylight; 爃= glowed; 日夜= day and night; 別= separate, different; 有= there are, are)
If the text meant for the two to symbolise day and night, I feel like that should add another point to the “they were gay” claim. Day and night (sun and moon) are very commonly depicted as lovers who are always separated. It wouldn’t be illogical for this story to follow a similar direction.
Conclusion
Before researching, I didn’t know anything about 'the sin of Azunahi’ but it's a very interesting piece, and I'm glad to have come across it. The fact that references to homosexuality remain in such old texts serves as proof that homosexuality is not a “recent trend” as some people like to paint it and highlight the historical and cultural complexity of human sexuality.
Understanding the existence of same-sex references in ancient texts like these helps us recognize that diversity in sexual orientations and identities is a natural part of the human experience wherever and whenever.
Of course, throughout history, different societies have had varying attitudes towards same-sex relationships, ranging from acceptance to condemnation. But by shedding light on these historical references, we can engage in meaningful discussions about the evolution of societal norms, the intersection of culture and sexuality, and the importance of respecting and protecting the rights of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Sources
“Jingū.” Encyclopædia Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/Jingu. Accessed 11 Aug. 2023.
“The Legendary Empress Jingū: KCP Japanese Language School.” KCP International, 10 Feb. 2021, www.kcpinternational.com/2015/12/the-legendary-empress-jingu/.
Postscript from the Yoshida Edition of Nihon Shoki (Nihongi). https://emuseum.nich.go.jp/detail?langId=en&webView=&content_base_id=101084&content_part_id=0&content_pict_id=0. Accessed 11 Aug. 2023.
“「阿豆那比の罪」に関連する神社.” 神社と古事記, www.buccyake-kojiki.com/archives/1064900206.html. Accessed 11 Aug. 2023.
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