Japanese Mythology

The Kojiki (712 A.D.) and the Nihon Shoki (720 A.D.) are the oldest documents dealing about ancient (legendary) Japan. The Kojiki has occupied 133 sections out of 180 to set out the mythological history. Everything started in the Plain of High Heaven, where a succession of deities came to existence. Finally five pairs of gods -male and female- were born. One pair was ordered to descend to earth : the god Izanagi and the goddess Izanami. They were ordered to give birth to the Islands of Japan and to some thirty deities. Unfortunately, Izanami died with the birth of Kagutsuchi, the fire god. His flames had burned her severely. She was buried on the borders of Idzumo and Hoki. Thereupon the inconsolable Izanagi decided to visit Izanami in the underworld and asked her to come back. Izanami explained that it was impossible to return to the living world because she had already "eaten from the food of the underworld". Nevertheless, Izanagi kept on begging her to come back. Izanami who was willingly to do so, had first to obtain permission from the deities. She asked Izanagi to wait for her while she would go to the palace of the underworld in order to consult the deities about her return to the divine life on earth. Izanagi kept on waiting but finally became impatient and decided to enter the palace as well…There he found the decomposing body of Izanami from which eight thunder gods rose up. Angry at being put to shame, Izanami sent the hosts of hell to chase Izanagi. He escaped to Hyuga where he purified himself by bathing in a stream. As he did so, fresh deities were born. It is told that the sun goddess -Amaterasu- was born from his left eye, the moon god -Tsuku(yo)mi - from his right eye and the impetuous male, the god of storm -Susanowo- from his nose.

This part of the glossary also includes information on legends.