In Japanese mythology, the story of the occurs after the creation of Japan (Kuniumi). It concerns the birth of the divine (kami) descendants of Izanagi and Izanami.
Story According to the Kojiki, various kami were born from the relationship between Izanagi and Izanami until the fire kami, Kagutsuchi, incinerated Izanami's genitals upon birth and wounded her fatally. Izanagi, after witnessing the death of his beloved wife, unsheathed Ame no Ōhabari in his rage and beheaded Kagutsuchi. Several kami were born from the blood and body parts of Kagutsuchi. Subsequently, Izanagi went to the land of Yomi to find Izanami, however when he found her, she had become a maggot-infested rotting corpse and from her body parts other kami had emerged, causing the escape of Izanagi back to Ashihara no Nakatsukuni. Afterwards Izanagi performed Misogi, through which even more kami were born. The last of these are the three most important kami of Shinto: Amaterasu, kami of the sun; Tsukuyomi, kami of the moon; and Susanoo, kami of the seas and storms.
Birth of the kami
After having birthed Ōyashima and other islands during the creation of Japan, Izanagi and Izanami wanted to birth kami that would inhabit these islands, among them were household deities,Despite the existence of the Japanese article, usually refers to Chinese deities and extending the term to Japanese kami has no long history or has any appreciably wide acceptance. aswell as deities of the wind, trees and meadows, all born spontaneously:
,Chamberlain: Ohokotooshio male kami ,Chamberlain: Ihatsuchibiko male kami , female kami , male kami , male kami , male kami , male kami , male kami , male kami , female kami From the relationship between Hayaakitsuhiko and Hayaakitsuhime the following kami were born: , male kami , female kami , male kami , female kami , female kami , female kami , male kami , male kami , male kami , male kami , male kami , female kami From the relationship between Ōyamatsumi and Kayanohime the following kami were born: , genderless kami , genderless kami , genderless kami , genderless kami , genderless kami , genderless kami , male kami , female kami , also known as Probably also a boat; ridden by Takemikazuchi - male kami ,Chamberlain: Ohogetsuhime female kami, Goddess of food. = Kagutsuchi, male kami, God of fire.
During Kagutsuchi's birth, Izanami's genitals were burned and she was mortally wounded. In her agony, from her vomit, urine and feces more kami were born. , male kami born from the vomit and feces of Izanami , female kami born from the vomit and feces of Izanami , male kami born from the feces of Izanami , female kami born from the feces of Izanami = Mizuhanome (Kami of water), female kami born from the urine of Izanami ,Chamberlain:Wakumusuhi male kami born from the urine of Izanami
Wakumusubi had a daughter: 1. , female kami
Death of Kagutsuchi After the agony, Izanami died. At the time Izanagi crawled around the body mourning his beloved wife's death. From his tears, the female kami was born. Subsequently, Izanagi buried Izanami on Mount Hiba. His sadness turned into anger as he killed Kagutsuchi with a Totsuka no Tsurugi called also known as Itsu no Ōhabari.
From the blood of Kagutsuchi the following kami emerged:
Chamberlain: Ihasaku - Minor Star God.
The kami above were born from the blood that fell from the tip of the sword in the rocks.
The kami above were born from the blood that fell from the blade of the sword.
The kami above were born from the blood that fell from the handle of the sword.
Also, from the body of Kagutsuchi the following kami were born: , emerged from Kagutsuchi's head; , from the chest; , from the abdomen; , from the genitals; , from the left arm; , from the right arm; , from the left foot; , from the right foot.
Land of Yomi
Izanagi felt that he wanted to bring back Izanami and so travels to . Travelling through the path to that world, he met Izanami and said to her:
Izanami replied:
After saying this, Izanami went to speak with the kami of Yomi. However, much time passed and she did not return which made Izanagi begin to despair. So he broke one of the tines of his ornamental comb mizura that he wore in the left bun of his hair, lit it in order to see better and then decided to travel deeper. He manages to find Izanami but is horrified to see that she has become a rotting corpse, infested with maggots. Of her body were born the eight kami of thunder, which were:
, from the head of Izanami; , from her chest; , from her abdomen; , from her genitals; , from her left arm; , from her right arm; , from her left foot; , from her right foot.
Izanagi, afraid, wanted to return home, but Izanami was embarrassed by his appearance and commanded the to chase Izanagi. In his escape, he took his headband, and threw it to the ground, where it turned into a grape cluster. The Yomotsu Shikome started to eat them, but kept chasing the fleeing Izanagi. So he broke the tine of the comb that he wore in his right bun, and as he threw it to the ground, it became bamboo shoots, prompting the Yomotsu Shikome to eat them, and enabling Izanagi to flee.
However, Izanami released the eight kami of thunder and 1500 warriors from Yomi to continue the pursuit. Izanagi drew out his Totsuka no Tsurugi and brandished it behind himself to continue the escape. As they pursued him, Izanagi reached , the border between Yomi and . He took three peaches that were there and, waiting for his pursuers, attacked them with it which caused them to flee.
Izanagi commented:
The kami of these peaches was called .
Finally, Izanami herself came after Izanagi, but he lifted a boulder that would take a thousand men to lift and used it to block the border. At that moment, their eyes met for the last time. Izanami said, "If you behave in this way, I will strangle and kill one thousand men of your land in one day!"「私はこれから毎日、一日に千人ずつ殺そう」. Kojiki
Izanagi replied, "If you do this, I will in one day set up 1,500 parturition houses. So in one day indeed 1,000 men will die and indeed 1,500 are going to be born."「それなら私は人間が決して滅びないよう、一日に千五百人生ませよう」. Kojiki
These words justified the circle of life and death in humans. For the same reason, Izanami is also called or and the boulder that obstructs the path to Yomi is known as or .
Purification of Izanagi
Leaving Yomi, Izanagi decided to remove all kegare in his body through performing misogi near Awagihara at the Tachibana river in Himuka of Tsukushi. As he took off his clothes and accessories, the following twelve kami were born:
– Post at the Road Bend, emerges from the staff. – Long Winding Way Stones, from the obi. – Time Keeper Loosed, from the sack. – Master Miasma,Chamberlain: Wazurahinoushi from the robe. – Road Fork, from the hakama. – Master Filled Full, from the crown. – Beyond Offshore, from the armbands of the left hand. – Offshore Surf Lad, from the armbands of the left hand. – Offshore Tide Lad,Chamberlain: Okitsukahibera from the armbands of the left hand. – Beyond Shoreside, from the armbands of the right hand. – Shoreside Surf Lad, from the armbands of the right hand. – Shoreside Tide Lad, from the armbands of the right hand.
Afterwards, Izanagi became purified of the kegare from Yomi. At this moment, two kami were born:
, male kami , male kami
Then, to rectify these two, three kami were born:
, male kami , male kami , female kami
Then, when washing with water the lower parts of his body, two kami were born;
, male kami , male kami
When washing the middle parts of his body, two more kami were born:
, male kami , male kami
Finally, washing the upper parts of his body, again two more kami were born:
,Chamberlain: Uhatsuwatatsumi male kami , male kami
The trio of Sokotsuwatatsumi, Nakatsuwatatsumi and Uwatsuwatatsumi make up the triad of deities called . The trio of Sokotsutsunoo, Nakatsutsunoo and Uwatsutsunoo make up the triad of deities called .
In the last segment of his purification, Izanagi washed his left eye from which the female kami was born; then he washed his right eye from which the male kami was born; after which he washed his nose from which the male kami = Susanoo was born.
These three are known as , and Izanagi ordered their investiture. Amaterasu received the mandate to govern and a necklace of magatama called from Izanagi. Tsukuyomi was commanded to manage , and Susanoo was told to rule .
Notes
References
Bibliography