Jet Black and the Ninja Wind. Leza Lowitz

she’d remembered.

      “Right. But you can also read them as hinomoto, the original name of Japan. 日 (Nichi) means sun and 本 (Hon) means origin.”

      “I get it!” Jet said. “The place where the sun rises! Is that why Japan’s called ‘The Land of the Rising Sun?’”

      “Yes. Because that’s what the Emishi called their ancient kingdom in Nara. The first king, queen, and residents of Hinomoto were the Emishi–our tribe!”

      “I don’t understand,” Jet said, frowning. “What does this have to do with the Emishi?”

      “Hinomoto is an Emishi word. Not a word of the Wa. Why? Because this was our kingdom first!”

      “Weren’t the imperial family the rulers of Nara?” Jet asked, confused.

      Hiro sighed. “That’s what they want you to believe, but it’s only their version. Our ancestors were here first. The Emperor’s army took the land from them. They wanted to ‘civilize’ the barbarians,” he snorted.

      Jet was dubious. “How do you know for sure?”

      “Don’t take my word for it. The Kojiki says, ‘Emperor Jinmu advanced toward the East, defeating the ‘barbarians’ and ‘relieving’ Nara from the Emishi.’”

      “So?”

      “So, if Japan’s oldest book says the Emperor had to ‘relieve’ it, clearly the Emishi were already there. Get it?”