I first discovered stories about the thunder god, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, when I visited the Gion Matsuri last summer.
Susanoo-no-Mikoto is enshrined in Yasaka Shrine, with Kushinada Hime, the soul of rice, and their children.
During the matsuri there are kagura dances to appease and entertain them, accompanied by traditional music.
One evening I stood under summer starlight as a Shinto priest manoeuvred the ancient kami (or the symbol of the kami) under cover of white cloths, from the shrine to the mikoshi. All of the lights of the shrine were extinguished and the small crowd were hushed. It was an astonishing moment, and since then I have been keen to learn more about the ancient kami.
The mikoshi are carried through the streets of Kyoto. Their presence purifies the local area. This is the heart of the festival - the purification by the local gods.
Susanoo-no-Mikoto is the unruly brother of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess herself.
I discovered her story when I was looking into the antecedents of the Gion geisha dances. I was taken right back to one of the earliest foundation myths of Japan, and the dance that had lured Amaterasu out of the cave where she had dimmed her light because of Susanoo's chaos.
This was more than enough to spark my interest!
Let's take a look at this fascinating early myth, that became one of the most important texts of Shinto, and in turn became the narrative of emperors.
An Introduction to the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki
Chinese writing was first brought to Japan in the 1st century. Prior to this, writing was used primarily in a symbolic way: it was used for inscriptions on stone and metal for symbolic items such as mirrors and swords.
When the capital moved to Heijō-kyō (present day Nara) in the 8th century, a state university was established. Chinese was the written language of the educated male (similar to Latin in medieval Europe), and was used for administrative, religious and commercial purposes too.
The oldest extant literary and historical texts date from the beginning of the 8th century, and they are the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters, 712) and Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan, 720, sometimes known as Nihongi).
These historical records, drawn from oral songs and narratives transmitted through festivals and rituals, as well as Chinese and Korean historical records, were commissioned to be written in order to legitimize imperial rule by the Yamato clan. They supplied an authoritative account of how the world came into being, tracing the antecedents of the emperor to Japan's foundational gods. Many other clans are woven into a mythological backstory too.
Modern scholars believe that the Kojiki's original purpose was not as a collection of myths, but as an official genealogy to prove that the aristocratic families of the court served the imperial family because their ancestors had done so ever since the age of the gods.
[Joshua Frydman]
According to its preface, the Kojiki was commissioned by the 7th century Emperor Tenmu. He had asked a man of exceptional memory, Hieda no Are, to begin recording oral narratives in order to present an official account of the history of the imperial family. The account was finally completed by Ō no Yasumaro and it was presented to Empress Genmei in 712.
It is a mythology and history in three volumes, beginning with the creation of the Japanese archipelago in the age of the gods, and the descent to earth of the ancestor of the Imperial family. It continues with accounts of the establishment of the first emperor, Emperor Jimmu, and follows the imperial line up to the reign of the thirty-third sovereign, Empress Suiko, who ruled from 592-618.
The key concept of the creation myth, which describes the origin of Japan but not of the universe, is musuhi, or ‘creating force’, a spontaneous power through which the gods come into existence.
[Haruo Shirane]
Seven generations of gods are created by this force. The last couple to be created are a male god called Izanagi and a female god called Izanami [pictured], who together create the islands of Japan.
Izanagi and Izanami also create gods of natural phenomena, including the gods of sea and rivers; of mountains and plains; of the wind, and finally of fire. The fire god tragically causes the death of Izanami.
After a period of mourning, the male kami Izanagi creates the most well-known kami of all: the Sun Goddess Amaterasu.
Amaterasu’s grandson, the god Ninigi, descends from heaven to earth and becomes the ancestor of the Yamato emperors.
The Kojiki is a mythological tapestry woven into a narrative of the divine ancestry of the Yamato line.
According to the Kojiki cosmology, the earth is dependent on heaven, and the Yamato emperors, as the descendants of the heavenly gods, are entitled to rule the earth. Although some of the myths contained in the Kojiki may date from long before the 8th century, their primary function in the narrative was to legitimate the world order of the early-8th-century Japanese state.
[Haruo Shirane]
Chaos, a reed stem, and the manifestation of the gods.
The Kojiki begins with the first appearance of heaven and earth, and the coming into existence of the first three gods. There is no creation myth – these mystical happenings occur out of the newness of everything.
Next, when the land was young, resembling floating oil and drifting like a jellyfish, there sprouted forth something like reed-shoots.
[Kojiki, Donald L. Philippi]
Two more deities sprung forth from the reed shoots, and together with the earlier three, they became the Separate Heavenly Deities. All were invisible.
Next followed the seven generations of the age of the gods, culminating with a male and female god called Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto who are commanded by the earlier kami to create the islands of Japan.
Izanagi and Izanami on the Floating Bridge of Heaven.
They then gave them
the jewel-spear of Heaven.
Hereupon the two gods stood
on the floating bridge of
Heaven, and plunging down
the spear, sought for land.
Then upon stirring the ocean
with it, and bringing it up
again, the brine which dripped
from the spear-point
coagulated and became an
island, which was called Onogorojima.
The two gods
descended, dwelt in this
island, and erected there an
eight-fathom palace. They
also set up the pillar of
Heaven."
The two gods discover their sexuality and move around the Pillar of Heaven in order to meet and bear the islands of Japan.
The Swift Burning Fire Deity
Once Izanagi and Izanami have created the islands of Japan, they begin to create more deities, such as the wind deity, mountain deity, and river deity.
Finally, Izanami bears the fire deity, and she suffers and dies, but the metal, clay, earth, water, and agricultural gods came into existence from her body as she lay dying.
Izanagi kills the fire deity with a sword, and more kami spring from the shed blood.
Echoes of Western Myth
At this time, Izanagi-no-Mikoto, wishing to meet again his spouse Izanami-no-Mikoto, went after her to the land of Yomi. When she came forth out of the door of the hall to greet him, Izanagi-no-Mikoto said : '0, my beloved spouse, the lands which you and I were making have not yet been completed; you must come back !'
Then Izanami-no-Mikoto replied, saying: 'How I regret that you did not come sooner. I have eaten at the hearth of Yomi. But, oh my beloved husband, how awesome it is that you have entered here! Therefore I will go for a while to discuss with the gods of Yomi my desire to return. Pray do not look upon me!
[Kojiki, Donald L. Philippi]
At this point in the Japanese foundation myth things take a fascinating turn, as the story has strong echoes of another myth that is familiar to us in the West: the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.
In Ovid's Metamorphoses, when Orpheus’ bride Eurydice dies of an adder bite on their wedding day, he travels to the Underworld to appeal to Hades with his beautiful song, which moves even the stoniest heart to tears…
…The king and queen
of the world below forbore to refuse such a moving appeal,
and they summoned Eurydice. Leaving the rest of the
ghosts who had newly
arrived, she slowly trailed along on her wounded
ankle.
Orpheus was told he could lead her away, on one
condition:
to walk in front and never look back until he had left
the Vale of Avernus, or else the concession would count
for nothing.
Similarly, broken-hearted deity Izanagi travels to the land of Yomi – the Japanese World of Darkness. His wife meets him there and he appeals to her that she must return as the lands have not been completed.
In another echo of Greek myth, this time the tale of Persephone and Hades, Izanami confesses that she cannot return with Izanagi as she has eaten in the underworld.
She walks away to appeal to the deities so that she might return with Izanagi but entreats Izanagi – do not look at me.
In the Greek myth, thousands of miles away, the contract between Hades and Orpheus states that he must not look back at Eurydice.
Izanami is gone so long, Izanagi breaks off a part of a comb that he is wearing in his hair and lights it as a torch to illuminate the caverns.
What he sees is horrific – his wife in a state of decomposition with eight thunder deities reclining on her body.
Izanagi flees the land of Yomi, pursued by the hags that Izanami sends after him.
After a series of adventures, finally Izanami and Izanagi face each other at the entrance to the underworld: Izanagi has a huge boulder with which to block the entrance, which will separate them forever.
They make a deal over who will create mortal lives, and who will take mortal lives, establishing the system of birth and death.
As Izanagi leaves he says that he has been to a terrible, unclean land, and he purifies himself from the pollution of death. And as he cleanses himself, many deities are born.
Amaterasu and Susanoo
From the washing of Izanagi's left eye comes into existence Amaterasu, the Great Heaven Shining Goddess. From the washing of his right eye comes the Moon Goddess, and from the washing of his nose comes Susanoo no Mikoto, ‘Ferocious Virulent Male God’, the Thunder God, brother of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, who has sanctuary in Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto.
At this time Izanagi-no-Mikoto, rejoicing greatly, said: 'I have borne child after child, and finally in the last bearing I have obtained three noble children.'
Then he removed his necklace, shaking the beads on the string so that they jingled, and, giving it to Amaterasu, he entrusted her with her mission, saying:
'You shall rule Takama no Hara [the Plane of High Heaven].'
[Kojiki, Donald L. Philippi]
Susanoo is entrusted with the ocean, but he does not obey and instead weeps and howls, causing the mountains and rivers and oceans to dry. Izanagi is so enraged he expels Susanoo from the spiritual world.
Susanoo causes chaos in a rampage, which compels his sister, Amaterasu, to hide her light from the Plane of High Heaven in a cave.
Then the eight-hundred myriad deities assembled in a divine assembly in the river-bed...They took the heavenly hard rock from the upper stream of the river; they took iron from the mountain. They sought the smith and commissioned Isi Kori Dome no Mikoto to make a mirror.
They commissioned ...long strings of myriad magatama beads...They uprooted by the very roots the flourishing ma-sasaki trees of the mountain; to the upper branches they affixed long strings of myriad magatama beads; in the middle branches they hung a large-dimensioned mirror; in the lower branches they suspended white nikite cloth and blue nikite cloth.
[Kojiki, Donald L. Philippi]
Amaterasu can only be lured from the cave by the dancing of Ame no Uzume, and singing, and a mirror which reflects her light:
...Then Amaterasu, thinking this strange, opened a crack in the heavenly rock-cave door, and said from within:
'Because I have shut myself in, I thought that Takama no Hara would be dark, and that the Central Land of the Reed Plains would be completely dark. But why is it that Ame no Uzume sings and dances, and all the the eight-hundred myriad deities laugh?'
Then Ame no Uzume said: 'We rejoice and dance because here is a deity superior to you.' [Kojiki, Donald L. Philippi]
Then the gods brought out the mirror and showed it to Amaterasu. Amaterasu gradually comes out of the cave and approaches the mirror.
The gods pull her from the cave and stretch a rope across its entrance so that she cannot return (it's a shimenawa). Amaterasu's light returns to the High Plane of Heaven and the islands of Japan.
Kagura dance at Zuishin-in temple's Hanezu Odori
Susanoo no Mikoto and the Eight Forked Serpent
Susanoo is expelled to the islands of Japan, where he discovers an old couple who have lost all of their children except for their one daughter, Kushinada-hime, to a huge tree-backed, eight-headed serpent.
Susanoo asks to marry their daughter, and changes her into a hair comb which he wears in his hair. He entices the serpent to drink from eight vats of sake, so that it soon falls asleep and he can kill it.
When he chops open the serpent's tail he discovers the sword known as Kusanagi no tsurugi.
Amaterasu's mirror and the string of jewels are of of huge significance in Japanese culture. The sword Kusanagi no tsurugi, with which Susanoo-no-Mikoto apologises to Amaterasu for the chaos, is of huge significance too.
They are the Sacred Regalia: Amaterasu and her Mirror now dwell at the most sacred Shinto shrine at Ise.
The Sacred Regalia are physical treasures from the gods which validate the rule of the imperial line.
And Susanoo-no-Mikoto married Kushinada-hime, and they and their children are now enshrined at Yasaka Shrine, Gion, Kyoto.
And as you can see from the video (above), Kyoto is still telling the story :)
Ninigi, grandson of the Sun Goddess
The Kojiki now continues with the handing of power from the Sun Goddess to her grandson, from whom the emperors of Japan will claim descent.
Therefore Amaterasu gave to Ninigi no Mikoto the three treasures:
the curved jewel of Yasaka gem, the eight-hand mirror, and the sword Kusanagi...
The grandson of the sun goddess, Ninigi no Mikoto receives instructions to descend from the heavens to rule the Central Land of the Reed Plains (Japan).
Ninigi said: 'This place is opposite the land of Kara; it is a land where the morning sun shines directly, a land where the rays of the evening sun are brilliant. This is a most excellent place.'
[Haruo Shirane]
Amaterasu's grandson is accompanied by the deities who helped lure Amaterasu from the cave, and roles are assigned to the mortal clan leaders of Japan to act as his guide.
Yamato the Brave
Among the stories from the Nihongi that you may see depicted in Japanese art is the story of Yamato Takeru, known as Yamato the Brave.
Prince Yamato is the son of the first century Emperor Keikō, who in a manner reminiscent of Irish champion Cú Chulainn, is a skilled and brutal warrior, a lone fighting machine who lays waste to enemies. He's also very skilled at pacifying kami.
Having subdued the evil people of the east, he is immediately sent to subdue the evil people of the west. He appeals to his aunt Princess Yamato, the high priestess who serves Amaterasu at Ise Shrine.
She gives him the sacred sword that was won by Susanoo no Mikoto: Kusanagi, Grass Feller, which aids him in his quest. She also gives him a small bag which contains a firestarter.
With the aid of these gifts, Prince Yamato creates a fire which spreads and kills his foe.
Yamato the Brave goes to quell the kami of Mount Ibuki, who has transformed into a white boar. The kami causes Prince Yamato to become increasingly fatigued and delirious, singing songs of yearning for his home in Yamato. When his songs cease Prince Yamato dies and he is transformed into a giant white bird which soars towards the sea.
Emperor Jimmu, 660 BC
Like the Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki, (which is also referred to as the Nihongi), also describes the foundation myths of Japan and the tale of the heavenly descent of Ninigi no Mikoto.
It includes a record of the first emperor's reign: the great grandson of Ninigi no Mikoto is Emperor Jimmu. The first fifteen emperors are regarded as heroes: a combination of both god and human.
Jimmu is regarded as the first emperor of Japan (although many scholars aren't convinced he existed!).
It is in this way that the Japanese Imperial family traced its lineage back to the gods.
From the Nihongi:
The Emperor Kami Yamato Ihare-biko's personal name was Hiko-hoho-demi. He was the fourth child of Hikonagisa-take-ugaya-fuki-ahezu no Mikoto.
His mother's name was Tamayori-hime, daughter of the Sea-God.
From his birth, this Emperor [Jimmu] was of clear intelligence and resolute will.
At the age of fifteen he was made heir to the throne.
When he grew up, he married Ahiratsu-hime, of the district of Ata in the province of Hiuga, and made her his consort. By her he had Tagishimimi no Mikoto and Kisumimi no Mikoto.
When he reached the age of forty-five, he addressed his elder brothers and his children, saying:—"Of old, our Heavenly Deities Takamimusubi no Mikoto [the second of the deities to come into existence], and Ohohirume no Mikoto [Amaterasu], pointing to this land of fair rice-ears of the fertile reed-plain, gave it to our Heavenly ancestor, Ninigi no Mikoto. Thereupon Ninigi no Mikoto, throwing open the barrier of Heaven and clearing a cloud-path, urged on his superhuman course until he came to rest.
At this time the world was given over to widespread desolation. It was an age of darkness and disorder. In this gloom, therefore, he fostered justice, and so governed this western border.
Our Imperial ancestors and Imperial parent, like gods, like sages, accumulated happiness and amassed glory. Many years elapsed. From the date when our Heavenly ancestor descended until now it is over 1,792,470 years.
But the remote regions do not yet enjoy the blessings of Imperial rule. Every town has always been allowed to have its lord, and every village its chief, who, each one for himself, makes division of territory and practises mutual aggression and conflict. Now I have heard from the Ancient of the Sea, that in the East there is a fair land encircled on all sides by blue mountains.
Moreover, there is there one who flew down riding in a Heavenly Rock-boat. I think that this land will undoubtedly be suitable for the extension of the Heavenly task [the expansion of Imperial power], so that its glory should fill the universe. It is, doubtless, the centre of the world... Why should we not proceed thither, and make it the capital?"
The Japanese chronicles record the first emperor Jimmu's march eastwards along Japan’s Inland Sea, subduing tribes as he went and establishing his centre of power in Yamato.
Yamato corresponds to Nara prefecture. Centuries later Nara will be established as the first permanent capital of Japan, Heijō-kyō , before it is moved to Heian-kyō (modern day Kyoto) in 794.
Isn't it an incredible story!
I hope you have enjoyed reading about the amazing foundational myths of Japan.
If you have enjoyed this blog you may like our previous blog:
See you next time,
Cathy
xx
Sources
Haruo Shirane, Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600, (Columbia University Press), Chapter 1: The Ancient Period + image: The Genealogy of the Gods.
Kojiki, Donald L. Philippi, (translator).
Kojiki, Wikisource.
Song transcripts from: Nihongi, Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times, Wikisource.
Joshua Frydman, The Japanese Myths: A Guide to Gods, Heroes and Spirits, (Thames and Hudson), p.28.
Ovid, David Raeburn (translated by), Metamorphoses, (Penguin Classics), Orpheus and Eurydice, p.384.
Art
Ukiyoe.com: Izanami and Izanagi on the Floating Bridge of Heaven (Ame no Ukihashi), by Utagawa Hiroshige, 1850, MFA Boston.
Wikipedia: Origin of Music and Dance at the Rock Door by Shunsai Toshimasa, 1887.
Wikimedia: Ogata Gekkō, Yamato Takeru and his Sword Kusanagi, (Japanese, 1859–1920), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia: Emperor Jimmu, Stories from Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), by Ginko Adachi.
Uzume Awakens the Curiosity of Amaterasu: F. Hadland Davis, Myths & Legends of Japan, illustrated by Evelyn Paul, (1912), on Project Gutenberg
Mythopedia: Susanoo slaying Yamata no Orochi
WikiArt: Orpheus and Eurydice by Edward Poynter, 1862
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