Japanese mythology KOJIKI -1-

Have you ever read or heard Japanese Mythology?
I really want to introduce Japanese mythology to you!
It’s really fun and I hope you will like it.

• There are many gods in this story like greek one.
• Japanese one is over a thousand years old.
• There are contradictions or bias in some part.But have fun with that!
• Also, in Japanese mythology, gods didn’t give birth to human.
• That is very long story,so I’ll introduce you main part.

Now, let us begin!

Long long time ago when there is no island in this world,
two gods commanded to birth islands by higher gods who live in a place higher than the sky.
The name of those two gods are Izanami (woman) and Izanagi(man).
First, they stir up the sea.

A small island was created. This island was called Onokoro island.
They landed on the island and built a palace with a greate pillar.
This pillar is connected to Gods in a place higher than the sky.
They talk together like “Let’s have many birth here!”
But how?
Izanami： “I grew up already,but I’m missing a piece.”
Izanagi ： “ I grew up already, but I have a extra one. So let’s fill in your missing piece with my extra one and give birth!”

They already know each other,but they start when they meet.
They start acting while going around the pillar.

And they get things started.
But it didn’t work.

They wanted to give birth to island,but only bubbles were born.
They asked gods through the pillar.
What should we do?
Then, they heard voices like this.
“You guys are talking to Izanami from Izanagi, right? It’s the other way around. Try to talk to woman from man.”

They tried to do exactly that, the island was created.
It’s called Awaji island. Next is Shikoku island.

Japan has a lot of small islands, but the order of the larger island is Kyushu, followed by Honshu which is main island in japan.
Okinawa and Hokkaido are not there. They are still not japan.

After giving birth islands, they begin to give birth to gods a lot.
Like, God of wind, god of Mountain, God of stone….

At the end, she gives birth to the god of fire.
This means her death. She gave birth to the god of fire and was burned to death.

It is believed that gods resided in natural objects.

Next time, I’ll talk about world after Izanami’s death.

Incidentally, the bubble that were being created when the island was not well formed had been washed away to sea by Izanami and Izanagi.
There is a shrine that the bubble is enshrined.

In Japan, It was believed that those who drifter brought good fortune, and there was a custom to worship them.
In my opinion, I think this is that the sprit of hospitality Omotenashi comes from.

Reference article:
マンガ面白いほどよくわかる！古事記
図解いちばんやさしい古事記の本