Professor Simon Kaner: The Rehabilitation of Myth in the Archaeology of Ancient Japan and Korea

Excavated Remains of huge pillars at the Izumo Grand Shrine in Shimane Prefecture reawakened interest in the early history of this important monument and the interface between archaeology, history and myth in understanding of ancient Japan.

Photo courtesy of the Izumo Grand Shrine.
Simon Kaner is Director of the Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of East Anglia and Head of the Centre for Archaeology and Heritage at the Sainsbury Institute. He is an archaeologist specialising in the prehistory of Japan.