Since my site is Japanese Tales, I think it’s only right that my first article should be about the Japanese creation myth.
In the beginning
In the beginning, there was only darkness. In the darkness was a swirling mass in the shape of an enormous egg. Gradually the lighter and purer and the heavier parts began to separate.
The heavy part settled to form the earth, the lighter part rose to form the heavens. Gods (Kami) came into being in the heavens at Takamagahara, the High Plains of Heaven. The seventh generation of the Gods (Kami) included Kami Izanagi (he who invites) and Kami Izanami (she who invites).
The older generations of Kami instructed Izanami and Izanagi to bring order and structure to the chaos of the world. They were given the jeweled spear (Ama no Nuboko)
Izanagi and Izanami went to the heavenly floating bridge, they had no idea how to start the creation process, in the end, they stirred the dark waters with the spear. When the spear was pulled up, the thick salty water dripped from the tip. These drops formed the island Onogoro, which means Spontaneously Created Island.
The Heavenly Pillar
Izanagi and Izanami descended to the island and decided to make the island their home and built a palace, at the center of the palace stood a pillar, the Heavenly August Pillar. Izanagi and Izanami decided to become husband and wife and build the land together.
Izanagi and Izanami circled the pillar in opposite directions, and when they met on the other side and excited Izanami said “What a fine young man!” “What a fine young woman!” said Izanagi. He then complained that he should have initiated the greeting.
They were uncertain if they had done the ritual correctly. In due time Izanami gave birth to two children, but unfortunately, they both did not live long. They sort advice from the older Gods, they confirmed that Izanagi should have greeted his wife first, so the couple repeated the process, this time Izanagi greeted his wife first and she responded appropriately.
Soon after, Izanami gave birth to the islands of Awaji, Shikoku, Kyushu, Tsushima and finally the largest island of Honshu. They named this land Oyashimakumi, meaning the Land of Eight Great Islands.
After creating the land, Izanami gave birth to kami (Gods) that would look after the land, such as kami of the sea, wind, trees, mountains and many others.
All was going well until Izanami gave birth to fire, Kagutsuchi, she was burned to death, further kami were born from her body, this is the way Death and sorrow entered the world.
Yomi – The Land of the Dead
Izanagi was grief-stricken and determined to bring back his wife Izanami, so she set off to bring his wife back, he traveled to Yomi, the Land of the Dead. After a long and dangerous journey Izanagi entered Yomi and came across a heavily guarded mansion, Izanagi entered through a back entrance.
Wandering through the dark mansion eventually, Izanagi found his wife and they enjoyed a joyful reunion. He begged her to return with him, but Izanami sadly told her husband she couldn’t return with him since she had already eaten while in Yomi. Izanagi continued to beg his wife to return with him, eventually, she agreed to return with me but asked him to leave the mansion and she would come out soon.
Izanagi, waited and waited but his wife did not appear, so he re-entered the mansion, it was pitch black so he used a tooth from his comb as a torch. In the dim light, he searched the rooms for his wife. Izanagi was horrified to see the body his wife as a rotten decaying corpse. In shock and revolution Izanagi fled the ghastly scene, he was pursued by the corpse of his wife along with many warriors.
Izanagi fought off his pursuers and managed to roll a huge boulder to block the entrance to Yomi. Izanami screamed she would take the lives of a thousand people a day, he replied that he would father one thousand and five hundred children for every thousand she killed.
Izanagi, went on to purify himself after returning from his descent to Yomi. As he undressed each item dropped to the ground formed a deity. More Gods were created as he washed. From the water of his left eye was born the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami (ancestor of the imperial family). From his right eye was born the moon god Tsukiyomi no Mikoto and from his nose, the trickster god Susanoo was to govern the sea.
Izanagi divided the world between them with Amaterasu inheriting the heavens, Tsukuyomi taking control of the night and moon and the storm god Susanoo owning the seas.
That’s the end of my first ever article, I enjoyed the research and hope this will be the first of many
