Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Kojiki  By  cover art

The Kojiki

By: Basil Hall Chamberlain
Narrated by: Blaise Adams
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $16.79

Buy for $16.79

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Basil Hall Chamberlain (1850-1935) was a professor of Japanese at Tokyo Imperial University. This is his translation of the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), which was compiled in AD 712 by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Genmei. One of the two primary sources of the Japanese national religion of Shinto, The Kojiki is a collection of myths, early legends, songs, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts. Starting with a creation story, the narrative shifts from mythology to historical legends and concludes with a chronology of the early Imperial line. It includes supernatural episodes and tales of romance, passion, and murder.

Public Domain (P)2018 Museum Audiobooks
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Love Books? You'll Love Audible.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Transform your day

Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Listen everywhere

Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Carry your entire Library

Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Listen and learn

Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Reach your reading goals

You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.

Placeholder Image Alt Text

Find your niche

WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.

Try for $0.00 $14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

What listeners say about The Kojiki

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Excessively wordy

I feel like this was written by a highschooler trying to reach a particular word count, reusing the same adjectives over and over. The narrator's performance is pretty solid for what he had to work with.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Name Translation

Chamberlain opted to translate the names of the deities as opposed to keeping the original names, and I wish he hadn’t done that. He also referred to the underworld as Hades, which, while technically correct, shouldn’t be used when translating a non-Hellenistic religious text... But all in all, I enjoyed the read!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

hard if you dont know the gods names

hard if you dont know the Japanese names of the gods but I did so I understood but they should be better Translations since there's Latin in one part from the translator the voice actor was good

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good performance but jarring names

The reader did a good job despite the fact that the original translation had the deity names clunkily transliterated in the text.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Strange Translation

The book would be much better if the translation wasn’t so wonky. Japanese mythology is fascinating, but until I’m able to find another translation that is better I won’t be reading the kojiki again. Look for a different book on Japanese mythology.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!