View source for Alternate historical names for Japan

The following are various names by which Japan is/has been called:

* ''Akishima'' or ''Akitsushima'' ("Island of the Dragonfly"), 秋津島
* The Land of the Rising Sun
* ''Ôyashima'' (''Oho Yashima''), 大八洲 or 大八島国 (''Yashima'', or "eight islands'' is a reference to [[Honshu]], [[Shikoku]], [[Kyushu]], [[Tsushima]], [[Awaji Island|Awaji shima]], [[Ikishima]], [[Okinoshima]], and [[Sado Island|Sado-ga-shima]])<ref>Michiko Y. Aoki, ''Records of Wind and Earth'', page 287</ref>
* ''Shinkoku'' or ''Kami no kuni'' ("land of the gods"), 神国 or 神の国
* ''Yamato'', 大和
* ''Ashihara''
* ''Ka''
* ''Wa'', 和 or 倭

Terms such as ''honchô'' (本朝, "this court/realm"), ''wagakuni'' (我国, "our country"), and the like are also common, but might not be taken as true placenames.