Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/73479

JaLCDOI : 10.14943/jgsl.14.15

Engelbert Kaempferʼs The History of Japan describes an unusual Japanese script, Imatto Canna. Although the term can be attested in Japanese literature as such, the Japanese use of the term (Yamatogana in modern orthography) is itself varied and does not superficially agree with Kaempfer's. This paper attempts to classify the Japanese usages of this term and untangle the differences between Kaempfer's works on Japanese scripts. A comparison between his published works and his manuscripts reveals that his original understanding of Yamato-gana was not far from the Japanese use of the term, but that some misinterpretations arose during The History of Japan's editing process.