The Beginning of Japan - The Tale of the Gods (First Half)

2024年12月18日

- Prologue: The Beginning of Heaven and Earth and the Birth of the Gods

Japan’s foundation myths are recorded in Japan’s oldest historical texts, the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.
These texts describe the birth of the world, the emergence of the gods, and the creation of the Japanese archipelago in a grand narrative.
This mythology forms the foundation of Shinto cosmology, which underpins Japanese culture and beliefs.

The mythological world is divided into three realms:

Takama-ga-hara (The High Plain of Heaven) – The heavenly realm where the gods reside.

Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni (The Central Land of Reed Plains) – The earthly realm, the prototype of Japan.

Yomi-no-Kuni (The Land of the Dead) – The underworld where the souls of the deceased go.

This story unfolds as the cosmos emerges from chaos, gods are born, and the Japanese land is shaped.

-------------

- Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Universe and the Birth of the Three Creator Gods

The creation of the world in Japanese mythology describes how Japan began and how order was established.
The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki recount how the birth of the gods led to the formation of Japan.

1. The Chaotic Universe and the Birth of the World
In the distant past, there was nothing—only a state of primordial chaos (konton), an undifferentiated and formless existence.
It was as if a dense mist filled the void, where neither form nor meaning had yet been defined.

This chaos, similar to the Western concept of "Chaos" in mythology, was not disorder but rather an unfinished state.

Over time, light and pure elements rose upward, while heavy and dense elements sank downward, creating the concept of heaven and earth.
This division led to the birth of two realms:

Takama-ga-hara (The High Plain of Heaven) – The celestial realm above.
Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni (The Central Land of Reed Plains) – The land below, the precursor to Japan.
As heaven and earth took form, the first divine beings, the Three Creator Gods, emerged.
These gods played a fundamental role in shaping the world and are known as the Zōka Sanshin (Three Deities of Creation).

2. The Three Creator Gods (Zoka Sanshin)

（Art.Mochida daisuke）

Ame-no-Minakanushi – The Supreme Deity and the Center of the Universe.
Takamimusubi – The God of Creation and Prosperity.
Kamimusubi – The God of Life and Growth.

Unlike later gods, these three deities did not take physical form or intervene directly in creation.
Instead, they passed on their divine mission to the next generation of gods.

Following their emergence, five more deities called the Separate Heavenly Deities (Kotoamatsukami) appeared.
These deities resided in Takama-ga-hara and helped shape the heavens and the earth.

- The Birth of the Kotoamatsukami (Distinguished Heavenly Gods)

After the Zoka Sanshin divided heaven and earth and laid the foundation of the world, five more deities appeared in Takamagahara. These deities are known as the Kotoamatsukami, or the Distinguished Heavenly Gods.

Unlike later gods who take direct action, the Kotoamatsukami did not intervene visibly in the world. However, they played a crucial role in preserving the order and harmony of the heavens, preparing for the next stage of creation.

(Kuni-no-Tokotachi no Kami)

The five Kotoamatsukami are:

Kuni-no-Tokotachi no Kami
The god symbolizing the immovable foundation of the land, representing the permanence and stability of the earth.
Toyokumonu no Kami
A deity embodying the richness of clouds, representing the presence that fills the space between heaven and earth.
Uhiji-ni no Kami
A god symbolizing the vital force rooted in the earth.
Suhiji-ni no Kami
A counterpart to Uhiji-ni no Kami, responsible for encouraging growth and prosperity.
Tsunugui no Kami and Ikugui no Kami
Deities tasked with solidifying the foundation of the land and linking heaven and earth together.

As these gods quietly resided in Takamagahara, the harmony and structure of the heavens were firmly established. This, in turn, prepared the way for the gods who would take on the task of shaping the earthly realm.

- Passing the Torch to the Creators

With the unseen world’s balance and foundation now complete, the narrative of creation advanced to a more tangible and active stage.

At the heart of this next phase are Izanagi (Izanagi no Mikoto) and Izanami (Izanami no Mikoto), the two deities entrusted with the great task of creating the Japanese archipelago.

They would descend from the heavens to the earth, setting in motion the divine act of "Kuniumi" — the birth of the land of Japan.

---------------

- Chapter 2: Izanagi and Izanami - The Birth of the Land

The Floating Bridge of Heaven and the Beginning of Creation
In the beginning, the world was still in a chaotic state, covered only by an endless sea.
To continue the process of creation, the gods decided to bring forth two new deities.

These deities were the male god Izanagi and the female god Izanami.

The gods of Takama-ga-hara (The High Plain of Heaven) entrusted Izanagi and Izanami with an important mission:
"Shape this formless world into solid land."

To aid them in this task, they were given a sacred spear, Ame-no-Nuboko (the Heavenly Jeweled Spear) and were sent to Ame-no-Ukihashi (the Floating Bridge of Heaven) — a divine bridge that connected heaven and earth.

Standing on this bridge, Izanagi and Izanami dipped the spear into the chaotic sea below and stirred the waters.

As they lifted the spear, drops of salty water dripped down and hardened, forming the first island—Onogoro Island (believed to be present-day Awaji Island).

Delighted with their creation, they resolved to create more islands to shape the world.

- The Divine Marriage - The Birth of Life
Although Izanagi and Izanami had been given the mission of creation, they were not yet married.
To formalize their union, they performed a sacred marriage ritual.

They walked around the Heavenly August Pillar (Ame-no-Mihashira) in opposite directions, meeting on the other side.

Upon meeting, Izanami spoke first:
"What a fine man you are!"

Izanagi then responded:
"What a fine woman you are!"

Thus, the two were joined as husband and wife.

However, there was a mistake in this ritual.
In the proper order, the man should have spoken first, but instead, Izanami spoke before Izanagi.
As a result, their firstborn child, Hiruko (the leech-child), was born deformed and was not accepted among the gods.

Recognizing their error, they repeated the ritual correctly and resumed their creation of the land.

The Birth of the Japanese Archipelago
Through their union, Izanagi and Izanami gave birth to the "Great Eight Islands" (Oyashima), forming the core of Japan:

Awaji
Shikoku
Oki
Kyushu
Iki
Tsushima
Sado
Honshu
After completing the land, they began to create various deities that governed natural elements such as wind, sea, mountains, and fire.

- The Birth of the Gods of Nature
After forming the islands, Izanagi and Izanami brought forth gods to govern the elements of the natural world:

Shinatsuhiko – God of the Wind

Owatatsumi – God of the Sea

Oyamatsumi – God of the Mountains

Kagutsuchi – God of Fire

With the birth of these deities, the world took shape, and the foundation of Japan was completed.

- The Beginning of Tragedy - The Fire God and Izanami's Death
As Izanagi and Izanami continued their divine creation, their final offspring brought forth a great tragedy.
This was the God of Fire, Kagutsuchi.

The moment Kagutsuchi was born, his blazing fire burned Izanami’s body, causing her to suffer greatly.
Ultimately, she succumbed to her wounds and died.

Devastated by the loss of his beloved wife, Izanagi fell into deep sorrow.

Overcome with rage, he drew his sword and slew Kagutsuchi.
From Kagutsuchi’s spilled blood, new deities were born, but to Izanagi, none of it mattered anymore.

His heart was filled with only one thought:

"I must bring Izanami back."

Thus, Izanagi embarked on a perilous journey to Yomi-no-Kuni (The Land of the Dead) to retrieve Izanami.

Although Japan had been formed, Izanami’s death marked the beginning of a new chapter in the myth—a journey beyond life itself.

---------------------

- Chapter 3: The Birth of the Gods and Tragedy – The Land of Yom

Journey to the Land of Yomi – In Pursuit of His Beloved Wife
After losing his beloved wife, Izanami, Izanagi could not bear to be without her. Determined to bring her back, he set out for Yomi no Kuni—the Land of Yomi, where the dead reside.

Yomi no Kuni was a realm of darkness, a forbidden place where the souls of the dead existed, and no living being was allowed to enter. Despite this, Izanagi pressed forward into the depths of this shadowy underworld, seeking to reunite with Izanami.

Reunion in Yomi no Kuni – The Forbidden Promise
Deep within Yomi no Kuni, Izanagi finally found Izanami. Desperate, he pleaded with her:
"Let us return to the world of the living together."

However, Izanami sorrowfully replied:
"I have already eaten the food of Yomi no Kuni. Because of this, I can no longer return to the living world."

In Japanese mythology, there is a belief that once one consumes the food of the underworld, they become bound to it forever. This concept is similar to the Greek myth of Persephone, where eating food from the underworld prevents one from leaving.

Still unwilling to give up, Izanagi begged for a way to bring her back.

Izanami responded:
"I will ask the gods of Yomi no Kuni for permission, but in the meantime, you must not look at me."

Izanagi agreed to wait. However, as time passed, anxiety and doubt crept into his heart. Unable to contain his curiosity, he broke the promise and lit a fire to see her.

To his horror, the once-beautiful Izanami had transformed into a decayed figure, her body crawling with maggots. Even more terrifying, thunder gods had taken residence within her rotting form.

Overwhelmed by fear, Izanagi fled in terror. Enraged at his betrayal, Izanami summoned the Yomotsu-shikome (Hags of Yomi) to chase after him.

Izanagi ran desperately, racing toward the exit of Yomi no Kuni—the Yomotsu Hirasaka. As he reached the threshold, he used his final resort: he rolled a massive boulder across the entrance, sealing the boundary between the underworld and the world of the living.

From behind the boulder, Izanami cried out in fury:
"If you do this, I will send one thousand people to Yomi every day"

To which Izanagi replied:
"Then I will ensure that fifteen hundred people are born each day"

This exchange symbolizes the balance of life and death in Japanese mythology—while death is inevitable, new life continues to be born, maintaining harmony in the world.

Return from Yomi no Kuni and the Purification Ritual (Misogi)
Having escaped from the underworld, Izanagi realized he had been tainted by the defilement (kegare) of Yomi no Kuni. To cleanse himself, he performed a misogi (ritual purification) in a sacred river.

As he washed his body, he gave birth to numerous deities. Among them, the most significant were the Three Noble Children (San-kishin):

Amaterasu – The goddess of the sun, born from Izanagi’s left eye. She was entrusted with ruling Takamagahara (the High Plain of Heaven).
Tsukuyomi – The god of the moon, born from Izanagi’s right eye. He was given dominion over the night.
Susanoo – The god of storms and the sea, born from Izanagi’s nose. He was assigned control over the seas and oceans.
These three deities would go on to play crucial roles in the next chapters of the myth.

-----------

- Chapter 4: The Birth of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo – The Fate of the Gods

Izanagi assigned the Three Noble Children their respective roles: Amaterasu ruled the heavens, Tsukuyomi governed the night, and Susanoo controlled the seas.

However, their destinies would not be peaceful, especially for Susanoo, who would soon face great trials.

- The Birth of Amaterasu and Her Rule Over the Sun

（Art.Mochida daisuke）

Amaterasu, one of the most important deities in Japanese mythology, became the ruler of Takamagahara, the celestial realm. Her radiance illuminated the heavens and the earth, bringing light and life to the world.

Her name, Amaterasu Omikami, means "the great goddess who shines in the heavens." She was revered as the source of light and life, and her influence was said to determine the cycle of day and night.

- The Birth of Tsukuyomi and His Rule Over the Moon

（Art.Mochida daisuke）

While Amaterasu governed the sun, Tsukuyomi was entrusted with ruling the night. However, his relationship with Amaterasu would soon turn sour.

One day, Tsukuyomi was invited to a grand banquet in Takamagahara, hosted by Uke Mochi, the goddess of food. To offer him a meal, Uke Mochi magically produced food from her mouth.

Disgusted by what he saw as a defiled act, Tsukuyomi grew furious and killed Uke Mochi on the spot.

When Amaterasu learned of this, she was enraged and declared,
"I will never see you again!"

From that moment onward, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi were forever separated—this was said to be the reason why day and night no longer exist together.

- The Recklessness and Exile of Susanoo

（Art.Mochida daisuke）

Unlike his siblings, Susanoo was wild and destructive. He constantly cried for his deceased mother, Izanami, and his grief turned into violent outbursts. He caused earthquakes, dried up rivers, and destroyed crops, bringing chaos to the land.

Angered by his reckless actions, Izanagi banished Susanoo from Takamagahara.

Before leaving, Susanoo sought to bid farewell to his sister, Amaterasu. However, his presence in Takamagahara soon became disruptive.

His rough behavior and destructive nature led to a catastrophic event—the Sun Goddess hid herself away.

- The Sun Goddess Hides Away – The Amano-Iwato Myth

Due to Susanoo’s reckless acts, Amaterasu retreated into the Amano-Iwato (Heavenly Rock Cave), plunging the world into darkness. Without her light, crops withered, and the balance of nature was thrown into chaos.

The gods, desperate to restore order, devised a plan:

The goddess Ame-no-Uzume performed a lively dance in front of the cave, making the gods laugh.

A mirror was placed outside the cave, tricking Amaterasu into thinking another radiant deity had appeared.
Ame-no-Tajikarforcefully pulled Amaterasu out, restoring light to the world.

This event was later celebrated through kagura (sacred dance performances) in Shinto rituals.

- Susanoo’s Exile and the Slaying of Yamata no Orochi

As punishment for his actions, Susanoo was permanently exiled from Takamagahara and descended to the earthly realm.

After wandering, he arrived in Izumo Province (modern-day Shimane Prefecture), where he met a family in distress.

The couple’s daughter, Kushinada-hime, was about to be sacrificed to the monstrous Yamata no Orochi, an eight-headed serpent that demanded a maiden as tribute each year.

Susanoo made an offer:
"If you give me Kushinada-hime as my wife, I will slay the serpent."

To defeat Orochi, Susanoo devised a clever strategy—he brewed Yashiori no Sake, an extremely potent sake, and placed it at eight spots. When the serpent drank the sake, it became intoxicated, allowing Susanoo to slay it.

As he cut through the beast’s tail, he discovered a sacred sword—Kusanagi no Tsurugi (The Grass-Cutting Sword). This sword would later become one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan.

Having defeated Orochi, Susanoo settled in Izumo and married Kushinada-hime, marking the beginning of the Izumo Myth.