Rikkokushi (六国史) is a general term for Japan'sSix National Histories chronicling the mythology and history of Japan from the earliest times to 887.^[1] The six histories were written at the imperial court during the 8th and 9th centuries, under order of the Emperors.^[2] The basic sources were the court records kept by the Ministry of Central Imperial Affairs, and the biographies of meritorious officials composed in the Ministry of Ceremonial Affairs.^[3]

The collection consists of the following texts:

• Nihon Shoki (Chronicle of Japan; also calledNihongi) – 30 volumes covering the mythological period through 697. Completed byToneri Shinnō in 720.
• Shoku Nihongi (Chronicle of Japan, Continued; also calledShokki) – 40 volumes covering 697 through 791. Completed byFujiwara no Tsugutada andSugano no Mamichi in 797.
• Nihon Kōki (Later Chronicle of Japan) – 40 volumes covering 792 through 833. Completed byFujiwara no Fuyutsugu andFujiwara no Otsugu in 840.
• Shoku Nihon Kōki (Later Chronicle of Japan, Continued) – 20 volumes covering 833 through 850. Completed byFujiwara no Yoshifusa,Fujiwara no Yoshimi,Tomo no Yoshio, andHaruzumi no Yoshitada in 869.
• Nihon Montoku Tennō Jitsuroku (Veritable Record of Emperor Montoku of Japan; also calledMontoku jitsuroku) – 10 volumes covering 850 through 858. Completed byFujiwara no Mototsune andSugawara no Koreyoshi in 879.
• Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku (Veritable Record of Three Generations [of Emperors] of Japan; also calledSandai jitsuroku) – 50 volumes covering 858 through 887. Completed byFujiwara no Tokihira andŌkura no Yoshiyuki in 901.

The national histories were discontinued after theSandai Jitsuroku, with a seventh history—theShinkokushi—left unfinished. They were followed by thefour Mirror books (starting withŌkagami).

• Ruijū Kokushi, a categorized and chronological history text of theSix National Histories
• Historiography of Japan

• Kōdansha, ed. (1983).Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan. Kōdansha.
• Sakamoto, Tarō; tr. John S. Brownlee (1991).The Six National Histories of Japan. UBC Press, University of Tokyo Press.ISBN 0-7748-0379-7.

• Full text(in Japanese)
• Full text(in Japanese)

• Asuka period
• Nara period
• Heian period
• History books about Japan
• 8th-century Japanese books
• 9th-century Japanese books
• Kanbun
• Shinto texts

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• Articles containing Japanese-language text
• Articles with Japanese-language sources (ja)