The preface of the "Kojiki" begins with a story about the creation of heaven and earth, and traces how it was passed down through Emperor Tenmu's command, the memory of Hieda no Are, and finally recorded by O no Yasumaro under the order of Empress Genmei. At the end, it touches upon the difficulty of representing ancient words with kanji, explaining a method that combines sound and meaning, and adding annotations to passages that are difficult to understand. It is both an introduction to mythology and a description of how traditions were transformed into written records.

The subordinate Anwanri says.

In the beginning, the origin of heaven and earth was already solidified, but neither signs nor forms had yet appeared. They were nameless, with no function. Who could have known their appearance? However, when heaven and earth first separated, three deities became the forerunners of all things being created, and as yin and yang emerged, two deities became the ancestors of everything.

Thus, the two deities traveled back and forth between the unseen world and this world. When they washed their eyes, the gods of the sun and moon appeared. When they floated and sank in seawater, various gods manifested themselves. Therefore, even though the beginning of heaven and earth is dark, distant, and uncertain, we can learn about the time when the land was conceived and islands were born through teachings passed down from ancient times. Even if the beginning of the world is far away and separated from us, we can determine the era in which the gods were born and human society was established through the teachings of the sages of old.

Indeed, it is understood that successive emperors have followed a lineage through myths such as holding up a mirror and crushing and spitting out jewels, and through myths of biting swords and slaying giant snakes, leading to the flourishing and expansion of numerous deities.

The gods gathered at the Heavenly River and deliberated, pacifying the land. They negotiated in Komatsubaki and purified the territory. Thus, Emperor Hanazaki descended to Takachinore for the first time, and Emperor Kamitsumimi toured Akitsu Island. When a transformed bear revealed its claws, the sword that came from heaven was obtained beneath Takakara. People with tails blocked the path, but a large crow guided them towards Yoshino. They drove away bandits with dance and subdued enemies by listening to songs.

The Emperor, who revered the gods after receiving a divine revelation, was praised as a wise ruler. The Emperor, who looked at the smoke rising from people's hearths and sympathized with the commoners, has been passed down through generations as a sacred emperor. The system of defining national borders and organizing the country was established in Kinutsushimi, and the practice of correcting family names and choosing surnames was recorded in Ootsuka. Each Emperor had their own approach to governance, whether it be through written laws or simple administration, but none of them neglected to consider the past, correct declining morals and customs, and preserve fading texts and teachings for future generations.

Then, we arrive at the reign of Emperor Tenmu, who ruled over Yamato from Kiyohara in Asuka. The Emperor possessed the fundamental principles of the Imperial Way deep within him, like a dragon hidden beneath the earth, and manifested them according to the circumstances, like repeated thunderclaps. He foresaw his succession to the imperial throne through songs heard in dreams, and he learned that he would inherit the foundation of the imperial lineage by casting objects into water at night. However, the time had not yet come for him to ascend. Therefore, the Emperor left the court, shedding it like a cicada sheds its shell, and entered Yoshino Mountain in the south. When the opportunity arose for people's hearts to follow him, he moved eastward towards the eastern provinces, like a tiger advancing.

The Emperor's chariot suddenly advanced, crossing mountains and rivers. The six armies shook the ground like thunder, while the three armies raced forward like lightning. Raising their spears to display their might, brave warriors rose up one after another like smoke, and crimson banners shone with the power of the army, causing traitors to collapse and scatter like tiles. Within twelve days, the ominous atmosphere naturally dissipated. Then, cattle were released, horses rested, and a peaceful and amicable reign returned throughout the country. With flags furled and spears put away, dancing and singing filled the capital.

The year was the Year of the Rooster, known as "Dairo," and the month was February, also called "Kanzume." Emperor Tenmu ascended to the throne at the Kiyohara Imperial Palace. His virtue surpassed that of the Yellow Emperor, and his merits rivaled those of the kings of the Zhou dynasty. He received a sign from heaven and governed the four corners of the world, receiving authority bestowed by the heavens and encompassing all under Heaven. He followed the correct flow of Yin and Yang and established the order of the Five Elements. He demonstrated profound principles, encouraged people's customs, spread excellent teachings, and brought prosperity to the nation.

Furthermore, the Emperor's wisdom is as vast as the sea, deeply exploring ancient matters, and his heart shines brightly, clearly revealing insights into past generations.

There, the Emperor gave the following order:

"According to what I have heard, the Imperial Records and texts that various families possess already differ from the correct facts, and many falsehoods have been added. If we do not rectify these errors now, within a few years, their true meaning will disappear. These are the warp and weft of the nation, and the grand foundation for the ruler's teachings. Therefore, I want to select and compile the Imperial Records, investigate and verify the old texts, remove falsehoods, establish truth, and pass them on to future generations."

Teiki and Honshi: This refers to records of the lineage and achievements of emperors, as well as stories and words passed down from ancient times. The introduction states that there are discrepancies and falsehoods in the content transmitted by each clan, and emphasizes the need for investigation and organization.

At that time, there was a person named Hieda Ore, who served as a secretary. He was twenty-eight years old. He was extremely intelligent; he could read characters and recite them aloud, and when words reached his ears, he would memorize them in his heart. Therefore, Emperor Tenmu ordered Ore to learn the genealogy of all emperors and the ancient traditions passed down from previous generations. However, due to changes in circumstances and times, this project had not yet been carried out.

Hieda Are: She is introduced as a person who, by order of Emperor Tenmu, recited and memorized imperial rituals and old poems. The preface describes how her memory was recorded in writing by Ō no Yasumaro.

I believe that the Emperor, having attained the fundamental way, governs the world and brings light to it. He is connected to heaven, earth, and humanity, nurturing all things. While attending to state affairs in the palace, his virtue extends to the farthest reaches of land accessible by horses, and while seated in the deep palace, his teachings illuminate even the most distant seas reachable by ships. The sun emits countless rays, and the clouds spread out as auspicious clouds that are not mere smoke. The trees with their branches intertwined and the ears of rice growing side-by-side are auspicious omens that historians cannot record enough of. From beyond the beacon towers, tributes arrive through many interpreters, and there is no month in which they do not reach the government offices. His reputation surpasses that of Emperor Yu, and his virtue can be said to rival that of King Tang of the Shang Dynasty.

There, the Emperor lamented that there were errors and inconsistencies in the old texts, and he sought to correct the mistakes in the records of his predecessors. And on September 18th of the fourth year of Kanpō, he ordered his subordinate, An Manryo, to select and record the old texts that had been recited and transmitted by order of Emperor Bempita, and have them presented to him.

Year 4 of the Wado era, September 18th: This is the day when Empress Genmei ordered Anmanjo to compile and record it. January 28th of the following year (Wado era 5), which is recorded at the end of the preface, is distinguished as the day when the three volumes that were compiled were presented.

I have carefully followed the intent of the imperial decree and selected the content in detail. However, in ancient times, both words and meanings were simple, making it difficult to organize sentences and construct phrases using kanji characters. If expressed through the readings of kanji characters, the expression may not fully convey the intended meaning. On the other hand, if we use only the pronunciations of all kanji characters, the text describing the content would become even longer.

Kanji kun'yomi: This is a method of expressing the meaning of kanji by using Japanese words. The text explains that, in some cases, kun'yomi alone may not be sufficient to fully convey the intended meaning of ancient words.

Kanji pronunciation: This is a method of representing Japanese using the pronunciations of kanji. Because writing only with pronunciations would make descriptions lengthy, we will use a combination of pronunciations and readings (kun-yomi).

Currently, in some cases, kanji are used with their on'yomi (Chinese reading) and kun'yomi (Japanese reading) within a single line of text. In other cases, an entire subject is recorded using only kun'yomi. For parts that have unclear meanings or logical flow, annotations are provided to clarify them. Conversely, for parts where the meaning and context are easily understood, no additional annotations are added.

Also, there are cases where the surname "Kusaka" is read as "kusaka," and a character added to the given name is read as "tarashi." Such notations will not be changed based on the original text.

Kusaka: This is an example of a reading used with the surname "Kubota." The preface states that it should follow the original notation and not change it.

Tarashi: It is listed as an example of a character that can be added to a name. Here, we convey the reading indicated in the preface and avoid definitively determining its etymology.

The approximate scope of the recorded content is from the beginning of time to the reign of Emperor Kochi-den. The upper volume covers from Amaterasu Omikami down to before Emperor Kōshiki, also known as Hachiman. The middle volume covers from Emperor Kamigetsuyo-tennō down to before the reign of Emperor Pito. The lower volume includes the reigns of Emperor Daizoku and up to before the Great Palace of Emperor Kochi-den. We have recorded all three volumes and respectfully present them.

Upper Volume: The preface explains that this volume contains content from Amaterasu-ōmikami and subsequent deities up to the period of Hachiman-no-kami (also known as Hirukabihime-no-Mikoto). The Middle Volume and Lower Volume also indicate their starting and ending points in a similar manner.

Kochida Ōmiya: This refers to the palace of Empress Suiko. The preface will indicate that the period covered is before her reign, and this range will be specified in the lower volume.

Shin'anwanru, I am truly filled with awe and reverence, and I bow my head repeatedly as I say this.

On January 28th of the fifth year of Wado era, Taicho no Amin, rank of Junior Fifth Rank Upper Class, Merit Award of the Fifth Order, humbly reports.