The Ainu: Japan’s Indigenous Inhabitants

The term “indigenous” refers to the original inhabitants of a region, predating the arrival of colonizers or settlers. In Japan, the earliest indigenous people were the Ainu, also historically known as the Ezo or Emishi. The Ainu primarily inhabited Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands, with a distinct physical appearance that set them apart from neighboring Mongoloid groups. Anthropologists suggest they may be descendants of early Caucasoid populations that migrated across northern Asia.

The Ainu were once spread across Japan’s four main islands but were gradually pushed northward due to pressure from later settlers, particularly the Yamato people. Today, pure-blooded Ainu are rare due to intermarriage and cultural assimilation, and their language and religious practices are critically endangered.

### Physical and Cultural Traits

Ainu people exhibited notable Caucasian features: shorter stature, darker skin, and abundant body hair, with men sporting thick beards and women having faint mustache-like traces. However, modern Ainu descendants often resemble ethnic Japanese due to centuries of mixing.

The Ethnic Composition of Modern Japan

Contemporary Japanese society is a blend of several ancestral groups:

1. Ainu: The original inhabitants, related to the Inuit, primarily from Hokkaido.
2. Tungusic Peoples: Migrants from the Korean Peninsula, closely related to Koreans and Manchus, now forming Japan’s majority.
3. Han Chinese: The second-largest group, arriving from mainland China.
4. Austronesian Peoples: From Okinawa and southern islands, related to Malays.

A lesser-known group is the Bonin Islanders (Western indigenous people of Chichijima). Their ancestors, European and American explorers, settled the uninhabited Bonin Islands in 1830. With fair skin and blonde hair, they stand out as a unique minority. Since the U.S. returned the islands to Japan in 1968, their population has dwindled to under 200, overshadowed by mainland Japanese migrants.

The Birth of Japanese Writing

The origins of Japanese writing remain debated. Some scholars argue that pre-Chinese-contact Japan had no writing system, while others claim an ancient script existed during the “Age of the Gods”—though this theory is widely disputed. The mainstream view holds that Japanese writing emerged after Chinese influence.

### The Structure of Japanese Script

Japanese writing combines kanji (Chinese characters) and kana (syllabic scripts). Kana is divided into:
– Hiragana: Derived from cursive Chinese characters, used for native words and grammar.
– Katakana: Adapted from kanji radicals, used for foreign loanwords and onomatopoeia.

Additionally, Japan developed kokuji (“national characters”), original kanji-like symbols, and simplified versions of Chinese characters—some coincidentally matching modern Chinese simplifications.

### The Arrival of Chinese Characters

Chinese script entered Japan around the 1st century BCE via Korea, initially as sacred symbols. By the 8th century, Japan adapted kanji components to create kana, making writing more accessible. Initially, only elite men and monks used kanji (“men’s writing”), while women wrote in hiragana (“women’s writing”).

Despite a shift toward kana during the Heian period’s cultural renaissance, kanji remained Japan’s formal script until the Meiji era (1868–1912). Post-WWII, Japan standardized kanji usage, today recognizing 2,136 characters in the Jōyō Kanji list.

### The First Kana Literature

The Man’yōshū, an 8th-century poetry anthology, was Japan’s first major work using man’yōgana—a system where kanji represented sounds, not meanings. This evolved into hiragana, popularized by Heian-era women barred from classical education.

### Kanji Pronunciation: On’yomi vs. Kun’yomi

Japanese kanji have two reading systems:
– On’yomi: Chinese-derived readings, subdivided into Go-on (5th–6th century), Kan-on (Tang Dynasty), and Tō-on (post-Kamakura).
– Kun’yomi: Native Japanese readings, assigned to pre-existing words lacking written forms.

Legacy and Modern Relevance

The Ainu’s struggle for recognition parallels global indigenous rights movements. In 2019, Japan legally recognized the Ainu as an indigenous people, though language revitalization remains challenging.

Meanwhile, Japan’s writing system reflects its history of cultural adaptation—a fusion of foreign influence and native innovation. From the Man’yōshū to modern manga, this linguistic duality continues to shape Japan’s identity.

In exploring these threads, we uncover not just Japan’s past but the enduring dialogue between tradition and transformation.