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InJapanese mythology, the story of the birth of the gods (神産み,Kamiumi) occurs after the creation of Japan (Kuniumi). It concerns the birth of the divine (kami) descendants ofIzanagi andIzanami.
According to theKojiki, various kami were born from the relationship between Izanagi and Izanami until the fire kami,Kagu-tsuchi, at birth burned Izanami's genitals andwounded her fatally.[1][2] Izanagi, witnessing the death of his beloved wife, in rage took the ten-grasp[nb 1] sabre and crushed his child, Kagutsuchi.[3] A number of kami were born from the blood and remains of Kagutsuchi.[3] Subsequently, Izanagi went to the land ofYomi (the world of the dead) to find Izanami, however when he found her, she had become a rotting corpse and from her parts other kami had arisen, causing the flight of Izanagi to the world of the living.[4] Then Izanagi performed themisogi (ritual purification), through which more kami are born.[5] The last of these are the three most important kami ofShinto:Amaterasu, kami of the sun;Tsukuyomi, kami of the moon; andSusanoo, kami of the storms.[6]
After having created the Eight Large Islands (Ōyashima) and other islands during thecreation of Japan, Izanagi and Izanami decided to give birth to other kami, among them household deities,[nb 2] deities of the wind, trees and meadows, all born spontaneously:[1]
DuringKagutsuchi'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.[2]
After the agony, Izanami dies. At the time Izanagi crept moaning about the body and mourned her death. From his tears, the female kamiNakisawame (泣沢女神) was born. Subsequently, Izanagi buried Izanami onMount Hiba. His sadness turned into anger and he decided to kill Kagutsuchi with a ten-grasp[nb 1] sword called Ame-no-ohabari/ (archaic name) Ame-no-wohabari(天之尾羽張; also known as Itsu-no-ohabari/ (archaic name) Itsu-no-wohabari) .[2][3]
From the blood of Kagutsuchi the following kami emerged:[3]
Also, from the body of Kagutsuchi the following kami were born:[3]
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Izanagi then decided to bring back Izanami and goes toYomi-no-kuni, the underworld. Crossing the gates to that world, he met Izanami and says to her:[4]
The countries that you and me have created have not been completed yet. Let us return![nb 10]
Izanami replied:
Too bad you did not come before, for I have eaten in the country of Yomi! [By eating food in the land of Yomi, one ends up stuck being a resident of Yomi. This concept is called, "Yomotsu Hegui (黄泉戸喫)."][7] ... however, I will consult with the kami of Yomi. Under no circumstances you may look at me![nb 11]
On saying this, Izanami entered the palace of these kami. However, time passed and she did not return and Izanagi began 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 light the place and decided to enter the world of dead. He manages to find Izanami but is surprised to see that she lost her beauty and had become a rotting corpse, covered with maggots. Of her body were born the eight Gods of thunder, which were:[4]
Izanagi, shocked, decided to return home, but Izanami was embarrassed by his appearance and commanded the Yomotsu-shikome (黄泉 丑女,lit. "horrible women from the world of darkness") to chase Izanagi. In his flight, he took the head-dress from his head, and threw it to the ground, where it turned into agrape cluster. The Yomo-tsu-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 becamebamboo shoots, prompting the Yomo-tsu-shikome to eat them, and enabling Izanagi to flee.[4]
However, Izanami decided to release the eight kami of thunder and 1500 warriors from Yomi to continue the pursuit. Izanagi drew and brandished hisTotsuka-no-Tsurugi[nb 1] sword to continue his flight. As they pursued him, Izanagi reached theYomotsu Hirasaka (黄泉比良坂), the slope that descends from the land of the living to Yomi. He took three peaches from a tree that had grown in that place and threw them at his pursuers so that they fled.[4]
Izanagi commented:
Assistance to all people when they are tired and face difficulties.[nb 12]
These peaches were called Ōkamuzumi (意富加牟豆美命, Ōkamuzumi-no-mikoto).[4]
Finally, Izanami persecuted Izanagi, but he lifted a rock that a thousand men could not move and used it to block the slope. At that moment, their eyes met for the last time.[4] Izanami said, "If you behave in this way, I will strangle and kill one thousand men of your land in one day!"[nb 13]
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."[nb 14]
These words justified the circle of life and death in humans. For the same reason, Izanami is also called Yomotsu-ōkami (黄泉津大神) or Chishiki-no-ōkami (道敷大神) and the boulder that covers the entrance to the world of the dead is known as Chikaeshi-no-ōkami (道返之大神) or Yomido-no-ōkami (黄泉戸大神) and is today known as the slope of Ifuya (伊賦夜坂,Ifuya-saka) inIzumo, Shimane.[4]
Leaving Yomi, Izanagi decided to remove allkegare (ritual impurity) in his body through a misogi ceremony that consisted of a bath in the river at Ahakihara in Tachibana no Ono in Tsukushi. As he stripped his clothes and accessories on the floor the following twelve kami are born:[5]
Subsequently, Izanagi is stripped of impurities from the land of Yomi. In this moment, two kami were born:
Then, shaking off the curse, three kami were born:
Then, when washing with water the lower parts of his body, two kami were born;
When washing the middle of his body, two more kami were born:
Finally, washing the upper part of his body, two more kami were born:
The trio of Sokotsu-watatsumi, Nakatsu-watatsumi and Uwatsu-watatsumi make up the group of deities calledSanjin Watatsumi, or the kami of water. The trio of Sokotsutsunoo, Nakatsutsunoo and Uhatsutsunoo make up theSumiyoshi Sanjin deities, the kami of fishing and sea, to whom tribute is paid atSumiyoshi Taisha.[5]
In the last step of the purification ceremony, Izanagi washed his left eye from which the female kamiAmaterasu Ōmikami (天照大御神) was born; washed his right eye from which the genderless kamiTsukuyomi-no-mikoto (月読命) was born; and when washing his nose from which the male kamiTakehaya-susanoo-no-mikoto (建速須佐之男命) = commonly known as Susanoo was born.[5]
With these three kami called three precious children (三貴子,Mihashira-no-uzu), Izanagi ordered their investiture. Amaterasu received the mandate to governTakamagahara and a necklace of jewels calledMikuratanano-no-kami (御倉板挙之神) from Izanagi. Tsukuyomi is mandated to govern over the Dominion of the Night, andTakehaya Susanoo (建速須佐之男) is to rule the seas.[6]
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| Japanese creation myth | ||
| Takamagahara mythology | ||
| Izumo mythology | ||
| Hyūga mythology | ||
| Human age | ||
| Mythological locations | ||
| Mythological weapons | ||
| Major Buddhist figures | ||
| Seven Lucky Gods | ||
| Legendary creatures | ||
| Other | ||