The term 'Yamato' (大和 in kanji (Chinese character) itself originally referred to the Nara district, and at the same time, it is an old word indicating the whole of Japan (in this case, the kanji '倭' was used in old times). 「大和」は本来、奈良地方を指すが、同時に日本全体を示す古い言葉でもある(この場合、古くは「倭」とも書いた)。 |