Mythic threads from the Kojiki weave through centuries of Japanese storytelling and artistic expression, sparking creativity from court poetry to cutting-edge anime. Those origin tales of Amaterasu and Susanoo laid down a cultural blueprint, inspiring Heian-era waka poets to infuse celestial imagery into love verses, and later fuelling medieval Noh dramas where gods and spirits take center stage. Even today’s Takarazuka musicals sometimes tip their hats to these divine narratives, blending ritual solemnity with theatrical flair.

Visual arts import Kojiki themes like seeds into fertile soil. Edo painters rendered the sun-goddess legend in vivid emakimono scrolls, while modern manga artists—take Makoto Yukimura’s “Vinland Saga,” for instance—borrow archetypes of brotherly rivalry and cosmic destiny that resonate with Susanoo’s tempestuous spirit. Contemporary illustrators on social platforms have given these deities fresh looks, proving that ancient myth can go viral in the age of TikTok and Instagram.

Architecture and garden design owe a nod as well. Shinto shrines mirror the text’s emphasis on purity and harmony: mirrored surfaces, simple rooflines, and stone pathways echo the Kojiki’s balance between heaven and earth. When Expo 2025 in Osaka highlights “Designing Future Society,” it’s hard not to sense the text’s centuries-old dialogue between humanity and the divine shaping modern visions of sustainability and community.

Even pop culture isn’t immune: Studio Ghibli’s forest spirits, numerous video games, and blockbuster films tap into that well of kami lore, pulling at viewers’ heartstrings with tales of nature’s magic. As global audiences dive into Netflix’s latest yokai-themed series, the Kojiki’s influence feels as alive as ever—proof that stories written over a millennium ago still speak to the human craving for wonder, identity, and connection. This living tapestry of myth continually sparks new blossoms in literature and art, reminding everyone that the past and present are forever intertwined.