JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY

　　The coming Feb.11th is Japan's Foundation Day, which is defined in Japan's mythology. Japan's mythology had been taught in the regular class of elementary school until the end of the Great East Asian War, but the U.S. prohibited to teach it during their occupation. They had difficulty with Japanese toughness in the war and plotted to take the backbone out of Japanese.
　　One of my grandfathers was a Buddhist priest. Another was a locally noted educator, who gave his grandchildren nicknames after the name of a god from Japanese mythology. I wasn't able to understand my nickname at that time, but the incomprehensible word was deeply carved in my mind. I unexpectedly remembered my nickname when I was 10 years old or so, and studied the meaning of my nickname. From then on, I learned about mythology, but it was scrappy.
　　I recently got an introductory book about Japan's mythology and I started learning it. I just wonder why my grandfather nicknamed us with a god's name. As mythology education was formally prohibited, he might want us to learn the mythology some day in the future by ourselves. He might get away with it for us, grandchildren.
　　The recent archeological research revealed that a considerable part of the mythology is based on fact. Researchers are struggling to draw a line between the fantasy and historical facts.
　　Do you know that the present Ten-noh is the 126th and if you date back his ancestors, it reaches to a god. It's a great mystery till when it's imaginary and after when it's actual.

(Vocabulary)
toughness (肉体的・精神的な) たくましさ,粘り強さ
scrappy (英) まとまりのない, 乱雑な