Yayoi period

The Wei Zhi, which is part of the San Guo Zhi, first mentions Yamataikoku and Queen Himiko in the 3rd century. According to the record, Himiko assumed the...See more » The Wei Zhi, which is part of the San Guo Zhi, first mentions Yamataikoku and Queen Himiko in the 3rd century. According to the record, Himiko assumed the throne of Wa, as a spiritual leader, after the large civil war. Her younger brother carried out practical affairs of state, which included diplomatic relations with the court of the Chinese Kingdom of Wei.[16] When asked of their origins by the Wei embassy, the people of Wa claimed to be descendants of the Grand Count Tàibó of Wu, a historic figure of the Wu Kingdom around the Yangtze Delta of China. The location of Yamataikoku and the identity of Queen Himiko have been subjected to study for many years. There are two possible sites, Yoshinogari in Saga Prefecture and Makimuku in Nara Prefecture. General consensus centers around these two likely locations, either northern Kyūshū or the Kinki region of central Honshū. Recent archaeological research in Makimuku suggests that Yamataikoku located in the area.[17][18] Some scholars assume the Hashihaka kofun in Makimuku was the tomb of Himiko. Its relation to the origin of the Yamato polity in the following Kofun period is also under debate.See less »