How Japan became Japan ? Japanese call Japan as "Nihon or Nippon". "Nippon" is the official pronunciation. On bank notes and postal stamps, "Nippon" is printed. But most of japanese like to use "Nihon" (70 % of japanese use Nihon based on a survey). But I suppose foreigners have more chance of hearing "Nippon" than hearing "Nihon". "Nihon" is prefered because of its soft tone. But in case of cheering at sports games, "Nippon" has more impact and easy to make rhythm. So, when you watch TV program of sports games, naturally no "Nihon" will be heard. The kanji for Japan is   . means the "sun" and means "origin". So the meaning of Japan is "origin of the sun". Another meaning of is "day". Days revolve with the movement of the sun. The usual meaning of is a "book". A book is the origin of knowledges. Why japanese came to the idea of "origin of the sun" ? Going back to 617. The prince "Shohtoku taishi" (then on duty of the regency) sent a letter to the emperor of China (called "Zui" at that time) saying "Here I the emperor of the country where the sun rises send a letter to the emperor of the country where the sun sets. How are you." It states the geographical fact. This letter is said the origin of the country name for .Another pronunciation for is "hinomoto" though very rarely used. "Nippon" is the pronunciation based on what japanese think chinese-wise pronunciation for . Each Kanji has at least two pronunciations in Japan, one is the chinese-wise pronunciation (we call it "on-yomi" meaning sound-wise pronunciation for the kanji. Kanji means chinese letter.), and the other is japanese-wise pronunciation (we call it "kun-yomi" meaning "meaning-wise pronunciation for corresponding traditional japanese word for kanji.). "Hinomoto" is the translation of in japanese. Kanji is written as   . It means Chinese letter. is the country name of ancient China and is "letter".Thus the pronunciation for is "nichi" or "jitsu" by "on-yomi" and "hi" by "kun-yomi". Similarly is pronounced "hon" or "pon" by "on-yomi" and "moto" by "kun-yomi". How What was the name of Japan before 617 ? Other names for Japan
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though the place of "Yamato" is a target of discussion. There are so many places that has the name of "Yamato" with some variations of kanji expression typically 
. The latter can be read as "Yamato". 
the queen of "Yamatai" country 
sent a delegate to the country of "Gi". The "kanji"s used for "Himiko" and "Yamatai" are sound-wise expression. Therefore those kanji's are thought meaningless. But there is one thing peculiar to those kanji's. The meaning of 
meaning ferocious slave. Nowadays they express America as 
"beauty country" and Germany as 
though the meaning of 
"Wa". It was the Chinese way of calling japanese. "Yamatai" is the name which Chinese thought what japanese call themselves. After then japanese people called themselves 
: It means large eight islands. The oldest ancient couple of gods created or born eight large island to form Japan.
