The Shortest History of Japan: From Mythical Origins to Pop Culture Powerhouse―The Global Drama of an Ancient Island Nation (The Shortest History Series) 

Amaterasu

Sannai Maruyama

keyhole shaped kofun ancient grave

Corvee visti in Sanskrit

Last week I wondered about The Great Buddha in this sacred place book. Daibutsu is bigger than that.

Manyoshu anthology

Hitomaro, Lord Kakinomoto poem

Princess Nukata-no-okimi poet

And now you all like me, know what these keyholes are about.

The painting convention of omitting human presence, common in the decorative arts, came to be called the “motif of absence” (rusu moyō) while looking for Japanese ox cart. 

Dengyo Daishi

Kobo Daishi

Elsewhere

 Some Japanese sayings

Bokusui Wakayama poetry in Tokyo Journal