Himiko was a shaman queen who ruled Yamataikoku in Ancient Japan. And although it is true that her story seems practically legendary, her figure has marked not only Japan as a nation and culture but also East Asia.

Himiko is a mysterious shaman queen mentioned in the Book of Wei (China, III AC), who, according to Japanese scholars, could have been the first religious, spiritual, and political leader of the entire Japanese archipelago. According to Chinese chroniclers of the time, since Japan considers Himiko a mere fantastic myth, the Kingdom of Wa (Japan for the Chinese intellectuals at that time) united all the enemy kingdoms of the archipelago into a single nation and culture, thus turning the archipelago into the kingdom of Yamatai.

Chinese chronicles describe Himiko as an elderly woman, without a husband, who dedicated her body and soul to magic and witchcraft. Her younger brother accompanied her and helped run the country, and only one man acted as a spokesperson for her wishes. This is because, after becoming queen, she was no longer visible to the people. She lived surrounded by a thousand faithful female servants who protected and cared for her, the only men who approached her being her brother and his servant, who, unlike other ancestral cultures, was not a eunuch, but was a trusted man of the empress.

According to the Old Kingdom of China, Himiko sent an embassy to that territory in 239 BC, which in practice meant that, for the first time, the Chinese recognized her as the authority and ruler of all of Japan as a unified territory, considering Himiko a real leader. Therefore, if there is archaeological evidence that supports the creation of a centralized power at that time and there is documentary evidence that mentions the sovereign of that kingdom of kingdoms, why is the existence of Himiko still doubted? Firstly, because the only source that talks about her expressly is the Book of Wei, which contains practically everything we know about this character. And, secondly, because there is no Japanese historical document where Himiko's name appears. This makes us think that someone has deliberately erased it from the history of Japan, which happened constantly in ancient times in all parts of the world.

Every time a new leader wanted to erase another, impose himself, or create his own legitimate origin for a great position, an attempt was always made to erase the traces of the previous one. It also happens that there are reminiscences of the persona non grata in the history of humanity. This is where most of the world's myths and legends come from. Recently, the Tomb Raider film saga has based its latest installment on the legend of Himiko, saying that she was the cause of a great epidemic, and that is why the kingdom of Japan hid her and erased her from the historical archives.

However, it seems that there could also be problems with the translation or adaptation of ancient texts. Some Japanese historians believe they have identified Queen Himiko in the figure of Empress Jingu, one of the protagonists of Kojiki and Nihonshoki. This princess lived during the same years as the shaman empress, and she is known for being a brilliant military leader who ruled after her husband died in battle. She is known for colonizing part of the Korean peninsula in her time, and she was a well-known priestess too.

Chinese chroniclers did not usually praise foreign rulers for kindness, so the fact that they have mentioned her on multiple occasions as well as her historical achievements makes me wonder if Japan has for some reason eliminated the figure from its national history of Himiko to praise the male figures who followed her as leaders of the archipelago.

In short, the existence of both empresses, Himiko and Jingu, confirms that in the past, Japan was led by women priestesses or women of shamanic practice. Her role in audiovisual representations is characterized by a challenge to gender norms, making her an important figure in the history and feminism of Japan, since this is a sexist and retrograde culture even now in 2024. Himiko's royal legacy is a reminder of how women's historical figures are often forgotten. She is not featured prominently in Japanese history, and recognition of her as a ruler did not come until the Edo period in the 17th century. Plus, the Japanese adoption of Buddhism and Confucianism may not have done much to raise the status of women. Fortunately, she was not permanently deleted. Himiko represents the first notable ancestor of a strong tradition of religious and political leaders in Japan and serves as a representation of the anonymous women forgotten in history.