Japanese writing began with the introduction of kanji from China, which later also developed into hiragana & katakana. But - on the border of history and myth - are other strange and purportedly ancient characters, called kamiyo moji 神代文字: "characters of the spirit age." 1/4 
It’s been claimed these scripts predate the introduction of kanji by centuries. Each of the dozen or so different scripts that together are called kamiyo moji has a distinct style: Katakamuna looks like a series of electrical diagrams, Abiru seems similar to Korean hangul. 2/4
Scholars have debated the authenticity of kamiyo moji since they were first published in printed form in the 17th century. Almost all experts now believe that they are not authentically ancient, but are rather antiquarian fakes, created at that time they were 'discovered'. 3/4
Kamiyo moji appear on amulets and occasionally on shrine inscriptions across Japan. Notwithstanding the academic consensus that they are fakes, to this day, some still believe they are divine; representative of some ancient and quintessentially Japanese spiritual truth. 4/4
For more on these Japanese "Spirit Scripts", read this excellent piece by @mrchrisgaul:
link.medium.com/ZKgYKAaCs7
HT also @tkasasagi and @sathyasryan for prompting this thread.
link.medium.com/ZKgYKAaCs7
HT also @tkasasagi and @sathyasryan for prompting this thread.
A stone memorial from Hikawa Jinja in Kawaguchi with Ahira Kusa characters, a form of Kamiyo moji "scripts of the Age of the Gods" that is apparently already attested from the late Kamakura era (early 14th century).
