Izanagi and Izanami: The Creation Myth

According to the Kojiki, the oldest collection of poems and songs of Japan's history, the beginning of the
world was a time of chaos, where everything existed as a limitless and shapeless mass of disorder. One day
, heaven called the Takama-ga-hara, which translates to "Plain of the High Heaven" thereby forming the
earth.was born from the light particles rising up into the sky, and with it came the existence of the
Kotoamatsukami or "Three Creating Deities". These gods were single, sexless, invisible and without shape.
They came into existence and then they hid. After that, also in heaven, two more kami appeared. They, too,
were single, sexless, invisible, and without shape and they, too, came into existence and then hid.

However, because the world was super boring with only hiding, invisible gods, the first kami made five
successive generations of heavenly siblings. These heavenly spirits were male and female pairs, born as
divine spouses. The seventh and final duo is the most well-known and the most important. They are known
as Izanagi, which means He Who Invites, and Izanami, meaning She Who Invites. The word "god" is just a
common English translation of the Japanese word "Kami.". Kami means something closer to spirit or
phenomena.

The older generations of gods charged Izanagi and Izanami to give form to the Earth and create everything
that would exist in it. To help them do this, Izanagi and Izanami were given a heavenly spear decorated with
jewels, named Amanonuhoko (Heavenly Halberd of the Marsh). The two deities then went to the bridge
between heaven and earth, Amenoukihashi (Floating Bridge of Heaven) and churned the sea below with the
spear. When drops of salty water fell from the spear, they formed into the island Onogoroshima (self-
forming). Izanagi and Izanami descended from the bridge of heaven and made their home on the island.
Eventually they wished to mate, so they built a pillar called Amenomihashira. Izanagi and Izanami circled the
pillar in opposite directions, and when they met on the other side, Izanami spoke first in greeting: “What a
fine young boy.” Izanagi responded in greeting: “What a fine young girl.” Izanagi didn't think that this was
proper, but they mated anyway. Their first child, Hiruko, was born without bones and limbs. Hence, he was
called the Leech Child. The divine couple put Hiruko on a boat and set him out to the sea. The second child,
Awashima (pale island), was also badly-formed.

Not understanding what they had done wrong, the couple sought answers from the elder gods. They were
told that the male deity should have spoken first in greeting during the ceremony. So Izanagi and Izanami
went around the pillar again, and this time when they met, Izanagi spoke first and their union was
successful. From their union were born the Ōvashima, or the eight great islands of Japan:
Awazi, Iyo, Ogi, Tsukusi, Iki, Tsushima, Sado, and Yamato.

But their work didn’t end with the land. Izanami and Izanagi continued to have many divine children, who
would become the gods and goddesses governing various aspects of the natural world. Some in of the most
important among these were:
- Ōyamatsumi, the god of mountains.
- Kukunochi, the god of trees.
- Watatsumi, the god of the sea.
Each of these deities would preside over a different part of nature, shaping the world that humans would
later inhabit.

They bore six more islands and many more deities. Izanami, however, died giving birth to the child
Kagutsuchi (kami of fire) also known as Ho-Masubi. As Izanami gave birth to Kagutsuchi, her genitals
burned horribly which caused her to suddenly feel extremely ill. From her vomit came Kanayamabiko and
Kanayamabime, from her feces came Haniyasubiko and Haniyasubime and from her urine came
Mizuhanome and Wakumusubi. Izanami gave existence to more kami and then died from her fatal wound.
Stricken with grief, Izanagi cried for his dead wife and as the tears fell to the ground another kami was born
(Nakisawame, Okamuzumi, and Shigaeshinookami).
After burying Izanami, Izanagi trembled with rage and killed Kagutsuchi, cutting his head off and his body
into eight pieces using Ame-no-ohabari, a ten-grasp sword . These eight pieces of flesh became the eight
major deities;
• Masakayama-tsumi- from Kagutsuchi's head;
• • Odoyama-tsumi- from the chest;
• Okuyama-tsumi- from the abdomen;
• Kurayama-tsumi- from the genitals;
• Shigiyama-tsumi- from the left arm;
• Hayama-tsumi- from the right arm;
• Harayama-tsumi- from the left foot;
• Toyama-tsumi- from the right foot.

And from the blood that dripped from Izanagi's sword, arose eight deities. They are:
Fell from the tip of the sword:
• Iwasaku
• Nesaku
• Iwa-tsutsu-no'o
Fell form the blade of the sword:
• Mika-haya-hi. • Hi-haya-hi. • Takefutso
Fell from the handle of the sword:
• Kuraokami • Kuramitsuha

Yomi, the Shadowy Land of the Dead

Izanagi lamented the death of Izanami and undertook a journey to Yomi or "the shadowy land of the dead”.
Quickly, he searched for Izanami and found her. At first, Izanagi could not see her at all for the shadows hid
her appearance well. Nevertheless, he asked her to return with him. Izanami spat out at him, informing
Izanagi that he was too late because she had already eaten the food of the underworld and was now one
with the land of the dead. She could no longer return to the surface with the living.
Izanagi was shocked at this news but he refused to give in to her wishes and leave her to the dark embrace
of Yomi. Izanami agreed to go back to the world above, but said she would ask permission first and
instructed Izanagi not to look at her face until she is ready. When Izanagi couln’t wait any longer, he took
the comb that bound his long hair and set it alight as a torch. Under the sudden burst of light, he saw the
horrid form of the once beautiful and graceful Izanami. She was now a rotting form of flesh with maggots and
foul creatures running over her ravaged body.

Of her body were born the eight Gods of thunder, which were:

Ō-ikazuchi, from the head of Izanami;

Hono-ikazuchi, from her chest;
Kuro-ikazuchi, from her abdomen;
Saku-ikazuchi, from her genitals;
Waka-ikazuchi, from her left arm;
Tsuchi-ikazuchi, from her right arm;
Naru-ikazuchi, from her left foot;
Fusu-ikazuchi, from her right foot

Crying out loud, Izanagi could no longer control his fear and started to run, intending to return to the living
and abandon his death-ridden wife. Izanami, furious that he broke his promise, chased after him. Wild
shikome, or foul women, also hunted for the frightened Izanagi, as instructed by Izanami to bring him back.

Izanagi, thinking quickly, hurled down his headdress which became a bunch of black grapes. The shikome
fell on these but continued pursuit. Next, Izanagi threw down his comb which became a clump of bamboo
shoots. Now it was Yomi's creatures that began to give chase, but Izanagi urinated against a tree, creating a
great river that increased his lead. Unfortunately, they still pursued Izanagi, forcing him to hurl peaches at
them. He knew this would not delay them for long, but he was nearly free, for the boundary of Yomi was now
close at hand.

Izanagi burst out of the entrance and quickly pushed a boulder in the mouth of the cavern that was the
entrance of Yomi. Izanami screamed from behind this impenetrable barricade and told Izanagi that if he left
her she would destroy 1,000 living people every day. He furiously replied he would give life to 1,500.

Izanami became the goddess of death.. And so began the cycle that everyday 1000 people die and 1500
people are born.

Thus, the separation between life and death became permanent, and Izanagi returned to the land of the
living, forever changed by his journey.

The Noble Children: Sun, Moon, and Sea

Feeling filthy, Izanagi went on to purify himself or misogi (禊, a Shinto purification ritual)after recovering from
his descent to Yomi. As he stripped his clothes and accessories on the floor the following twelve gods are
born:[5]

Tsukitatsu funato, emerges from the staff.

Michi no nagachiha, from the obi.
Tokihakashi, from the handbag.
Wazurai no ushi, from cloths.
Michi mata, from the hakama.
Akigui no ushi, from the crown corona.
Oki zakaru, from the armband of the left hand.
Okitsu nagisa biko, from the armband of the left hand.
Okitsu kaibera, from the armband of the left hand.
He zakaru, from the armband of the right hand.
Hetsu nagisa biko, from the armband of the right hand.
Hetsu kaibera, from the armband of the right hand.

Subsequently Izanagi is stripped of impurities from the land of Yomi. In this moment two gods were born:
Yasomaga-tsuhi, male deity
Ōmaga-tsuhi , male deity

Then, shaking off the curse, three gods were born:

Kamuna'obi , male deity
Ōna'obi, male deity
Izunome, female deity

Then, when washing with water the lower parts of his body, two gods were born;
Sokotsu-watatsumi, genderless deity and spirit
Sokotsutsuno'o, male deity

When washing the middle of his body, two more gods were born:
Nakatsu-watatsumi, genderless deity and spirit
Nakatsutsuno'o, male deity

Finally, washing the upper part of his body, two more gods were born:
Uwatsu-watatsumi, genderless deity and spirit
Uwatsutsuno'o, male deity
 The most important ones were created once he washed his face: Amaterasu (kami of the sun) from his left
eye, Tsukuyomi (kami of the moon) from his right eye, and Susanoo (kami of the storms and ruler of the
sea) from his nose. He called these three the noble children.

Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi

Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi were quite close and were often seen together. During those moments when
looking at the sky it was possible to see the sun and the moon shining together. There was no distinction
between day and and night. One day, the glorious goddess Amaterasu was invited to a banquet by
Ukemochi, the goddess of food. But Amaterasu could not attend so she asked his brother Tsukiyomi to
represent her at the banquet. The lunar god encountered a table full of the most diverse foods. The goddess
Ukemochi appeared from behind a rock with even more treats. Tsukiyomi wondered
where these foods came from, given that right after the goddess hid behind the rock with her empty tray she
quickly re-emerged on the other side with the tray full of food. So, he decided to spy on what was happening
behind the stone and he was shocked Ukemochi threw up the rice she was going to serve, from her ears
she grabbed vegetables and roots, milks flowed from her nose, and unworthy holes also produced food.
Tsukiyomi was disgusted and offended by that grotesque scene and proceeded to cut the food goddess with
his sword. Her pieces were thrown from the sky and the most diverse vegetables were born where they hit
the ground.

Amaterasu was furious to hear about the violence perpetrated by her brother while he was representing her.
The goddess expelled her brother to the other side of the world.
From this day on they were hardly seen together in heaven. And so where Tsukiyomi was Amaterasu was
not. It was now day and night.

Amaterasu and Susanoo

Izanagi considered that his mission to fill the world was accomplished at last. But before
leaving for the high plains of heaven he gave his daughter Amaterasu a beautiful necklace filled with
mystical jewels. From that moment on she would reign over the heavens during the day and illuminates the
whole world. Tsukiyomi would take over the night and as a lunar deity he would rule the night and the tides.
The impetuous Susanoo received the domain of the seas and storms.

The gods recognize how glorious the goddess Amaterasu was acclaimed as the new lady of the heavenly
plains stood above the other gods. But Susanoo was angered to see her sister named the most important
deity. Unfazed by it he started to foster several problems. He made rivers dry and the green vegetation of
the sacred mountains began to dry up and die. Izanagi noticed the chaos his son was creating and asked
why he was acting that way. Susanoo revealed how frustrated he was at not being given such an important
role as his sister. He declared that he no longer wanted to be in this world and he preferred to leave for the
kingdom of the dead and stay beside Izanami his mother. Izanagi was enraged to hear that his son preferred
to live in the unclean underworld. He expelled his son and told him to never return. Before leaving Susanoo
wanted to make one last visit to his sister in her heavenly abode. Amaterasu noticed the sound of thunder
and an impending storm, she knew that such a thing could only be his impetuous brother. He probably
wanted to take her place. Amaterasu assumed her battle position. Upon arriving Amaterasu asked her
brother the reason for his visit, and
susanoo assured her that he had no bad intentions whatsoever. But Amaterasu didn't trust her brother. But
she did not believe him and requested a contest as proof of his good faith. A challenge was set as to who
could bring forth more noble and divine children. Amaterasu made three women from Susanoo's sword,
while Susanoo made five men from Amaterasu's ornament chain. Amaterasu claimed the title to the five
men made from her belongings, and therefore, the three women were attributed to Susanoo. Both gods
declared themselves to be victorious. Amaterasu's insistence on her victory drove Susanoo to violent
campaigns that reached their climax when he hurled a half-flayed pony, an animal sacred to Amaterasu, into
Amatarasu's weaving hall, causing the death of one of her attendants. In grief, Amaterasu fled and hid in the
cave called Iwayado. As the sun goddess disappeared into the cave, darkness covered the world.

All the gods and goddesses in their turn strove to coax Amaterasu out of the cave, but she ignored them all.
Finally, the “kami” of merriment, Ama-no-Uzume, hatched a plan. She placed a large bronze mirror on a
tree, facing Amaterasu's cave. Then Uzume clothed herself in flowers and leaves, overturned a washtub,
and began to dance on it, drumming the tub with her feet. Finally, Uzume shed the leaves and flowers and
danced naked. All the male gods roared with laughter, and Amaterasu became curious. When she peeked
outside from her long stay in the dark, a ray of light called "dawn" escaped and Amaterasu was dazzled by
her own reflection in the mirror. The god Ameno-Tajikarawo pulled her from the cave and it was sealed with
a holy shirukume rope. Surrounded by merriment, Amaterasu's depression disappeared and she agreed to
return her light to the world. Uzume was from then on known as the kami of dawn as well as mirth.

Susanoo and Orochi

Susanoo, exiled from heaven, came to Izumo Province. It was not long before he met an old man and his
wife sobbing beside their daughter. The old couple explained that they originally had eight daughters who
were devoured, one by one each year, by the dragon named Yamata-no-Orochi ("eight-forked serpent”).
The terrible dragon had eight heads and eight tails, stretched over eight hills and was said to have eyes as
red as good wine. Kusinada or Kushinada-Hime (rice paddy princess) was the last of the eight daughters.

Susanoo, who knew at once of the old couple's relation to the sun goddess Amaterasu, offered his
assistance in return for their beautiful daughter's hand in marriage. The parents accepted and Susanoo
transformed Kushinada into a comb and hid her safely in his hair. He also ordered a large fence-like barrier
built around the house, eight gates opened in the fence, eight tables placed at each gate, eight casks placed
on each table, and the casks filled with eight-times brewed rice wine.

Orochi arrived and found his path blocked; after boasting of his prowess he found that he could not get
through the barrier. His keen sense of smell took in the sake - which Orochi loved - and the eight heads had
a dilemma. They wanted to drink the delicious sake that called to them, yet the fence stood in their way,
blocking any method of reaching it. One head first suggested they simply smash the barrier down...but that
would knock over the sake and waste it. Another proposed they combine their fiery breath and burn the
fence into ash, but then the sake would evaporate. The heads began searching for an opening and found
the hatches. Eager for the sake, they were keen to poke their heads through and drink it. The eighth head,
which was the wisest, warned his brethren of the folly of such a thing and volunteered to go through first to
make sure all was well. Susanoo waited for his chance, letting the head drink some sake in safety and report
back to the others that there was no danger. All eight heads plunged through one door each and greedily
drank every last drop of the sake in the casks.

As the heads finished drinking, Susanoo launched his attack on Orochi. Drunken from consuming so much
sake, the great serpent was no match for the spry Susanoo, who decapitated each head in turn and slew
Orochi. A nearby river was said to have turned red with the blood of the defeated serpent. As Susanoo cut
the dragon into pieces, he found an excellent sword from a tail of the dragon. The sword was called
Kusanagi.

Acknowledging the artifact's massive value, Susanoo went to meet Amaterasu. He knelt before the sun
goddess and offered her the glorious sword as an apology for every mischief he had caused. Amaterasu
already an unparalleled goddess became even more splendid when she carried the famous Kusanagi
sword. Susano left to meet Kushina Dahime his new wife. They built a massive palace and had
numerous and prosperous offspring. Amaterasu also had a glorious descent, among them were the men
who conquered Japan. They fought in the name of the sun
and with the strong brightness of the goddess on their backs. It is believed that Japan’s first emperor,
Jimmu, was a direct descendant of Amaterasu and was under her protection.