The Benibana Museum (The Safflower Museum)
16.History of Benibana (紅花の歴史)
"Benibana" appears in the "Kojiki"(『古事記』).
The name of "Silk Road" was settled by Ferdinand
von Richthofen, a German geographer. "Benibana" is thought
to have been brought from the Central Asia to China after long
periods. Grapes, cucumbers, peas and sesames as well as benibana
and also music instruments, dancing and magic are thought to have
been conveyed along the same route.
After benibana arrived in China, it was said to be delivered to
Japan, but the period is not certain.
In Japan, the "Kojiki" is one of the oldest literary classics, which was compiled 711 by O-no-Yasumaro (大安麻呂) under the order of Emperor Genmei (元明天皇). The book is composed by three volumes. The last volume contains the historic events from Nintoku Dynasty (仁徳朝) to Suiko Dynasty (推古朝), where the word of benibana is described four times. This is the oldest description about the name of benibana.
The time of arriving of this flower is also slightly presumed. It was 538, the thirteenth year of Emperor Kinmei (欽明天皇), that benibana appeared in this country about the same period of the first year of the delivery of Buddhism via Kudara (百済) Dynasty.