u/capodjembe

Hello,

I am Japanese, and I am researching a story about a possible ancient connection between India and Japan.

There is a tradition in Japan said to have been passed down through generations in an old family called the Tomi family (also known as the Mukai family), connected with ancient Izumo. This tradition later became more widely known through books published by Ohmoto Publishing (大元出版) in Japan.

According to this tradition, around 2000 BCE, a group of Dravidian people left a country called Kuna, said to have been located around present-day Madhya Pradesh. They were led by a king called Kunato and, after a very long migration, eventually reached Japan and settled in Izumo.

The tradition also says that they brought knowledge of metalworking and dry-field rice cultivation.

I understand that this is an oral tradition and not established historical fact. I am not presenting it as evidence that such a migration actually happened.

What made me especially interested in this story was something I heard personally in South India.

Some years ago, I met a traditional brass craftsman in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. During our conversation, he told me that people connected with his ancestors had travelled to Japan in very ancient times.

At that time, I did not know about the Japanese tradition described above, so unfortunately I did not ask him for details. I am now contacting him again to ask what he knows about this story.

Before making any connection between these two stories, I would like to know whether any similar tradition exists independently in South India.

Has anyone here ever heard a story about people from South India travelling to Japan, or far to the east, in ancient times?

I am particularly interested in stories passed down through families, grandparents, local communities, temples, or regional traditions.

I would also be very interested in any old texts, inscriptions, place names, folklore, or other traditions that might be relevant.

If anyone knows of an ancient place, people, ruler, or word called Kuna, Kuṇa, Kunata, Kunato, or something similar, I would also be grateful for any information.

I am not trying to prove that this migration happened. I would simply like to find out whether any comparable tradition exists independently on the Indian side.

Thank you for any information or references you may be able to share.

Hello,

I am Japanese, and I am researching a story preserved in Japan about a possible ancient connection between India and Japan.

There is a tradition said to have been passed down through generations in an old family called the Tomi family (also known as the Mukai family), connected with ancient Izumo in Japan. This tradition later became more widely known through books published by Ohmoto Publishing (大元出版) in Japan.

According to this tradition, around 2000 BCE, a group of Dravidian people left a country called Kuna, said to have been located around present-day Madhya Pradesh. They were led by a king called Kunato and, after a very long migration, eventually reached Japan and settled in Izumo.

The tradition also says that they brought knowledge of metalworking and dry-field rice cultivation.

I understand that this is an oral tradition and not established historical fact. I am not presenting it as evidence that Dravidian people migrated to Japan.

What makes me interested in investigating it further is a personal experience.

Some years ago, I met a traditional brass craftsman in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. His family had worked with brass for generations, and he told me that his people were connected with Vishvakarma, the divine craftsman in Indian tradition.

During our conversation, he also told me that people connected with his ancestors had travelled to Japan in very ancient times.

At the time, I did not know about the Japanese tradition described above, so unfortunately I did not ask him many questions. I am now contacting him again to ask exactly what tradition he was referring to.

Before making any connection between these two stories, I would like to know whether there is independent evidence or oral tradition on the Indian side.

Does anyone know of:

• an old Tamil, Dravidian, or Vishvakarma tradition concerning people travelling to Japan or far to the east?
• an ancient place, people, ruler, or word called Kuna, Kuṇa, Kunata, Kunato, or something similar?
• any old texts, inscriptions, family traditions, temple traditions, or folklore that might be relevant?

I am especially interested in traditions that existed independently of modern Japanese theories about Tamil–Japanese connections.

I would be grateful for references in Tamil or other South Indian languages, as well as academic sources.

I am not trying to prove the story. I would simply like to find out whether anything comparable exists independently on the Indian side.