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In Japanese mythology, the story of the birth of the gods (神産み, Kamiumi) occurs after the creation of Japan (Kuniumi). It concerns the birth of the divine (kami) descendants of Izanagi and Izanami.

Story

[edit]

According to the Kojiki, various kami were born from the relationship between Izanagi and Izanami until the fire kami, Kagu-tsuchi, at birth burned Izanami's genitals and wounded her fatally.[1][2] Izanagi, witnessing the death of his beloved wife, in rage took the ten-grasp[nb 1] sabre and crushed his child, Kagutsuchi.[3] A number of kami were born from the blood and remains of Kagutsuchi.[3] Subsequently, Izanagi went to the land of Yomi (the world of the dead) to find Izanami, however when he found her, she had become a rotting corpse and from her parts other kami had arisen, causing the flight of Izanagi to the world of the living.[4] Then Izanagi performed the misogi (ritual purification), through which more kami are born.[5] The last of these are the three most important kami of Shinto: Amaterasu, kami of the sun; Tsukuyomi, kami of the moon; and Susanoo, kami of the storms.[6]

Birth of the kami

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After having created the Eight Large Islands (Ōyashima) and other islands during the creation of Japan, Izanagi and Izanami decided to give birth to other kami, among them household deities,[nb 2] deities of the wind, trees and meadows, all born spontaneously:[1]

  1. Ōkoto-oshi'o (大事忍男神)[nb 3] = Ōgoto-oshi'o, male kami
  2. Iwatsuchi-biko (石土毘古神),[nb 4] male kami
  3. Iwasu-hime (石巣比売神), female kami
  4. Ōtohi-wake (大戸日別神), genderless kami
  5. Ame-no-fuki'o (天之吹男神), male kami
  6. Ōya-biko (大屋毘古神), male kami
  7. Kazamo-tsuwake-no-oshi'o (風木津別之忍男神), male kami
  8. Ōwata-tsumi (大綿津見神), genderless kami
  9. Haya-'akitsu-hiko (速秋津日子神), male kami
  10. Haya-'akitsu-hime (ハヤアキツヒコ・ハヤアキツヒメ; 速秋津比売神), female kami
    From the relationship between Haya'akitsuhiko and Haya'akitsuhime the following kami were born:[1]
    1. Aha-nagi (沫那藝神) = Awa-nagi, male kami
    2. Aha-nami (沫那美神) = Awa-nami, female kami
    3. Tsura-nagi (頬那藝神), male kami
    4. Tsura-nami (頬那美神), female kami
    5. Ame-no-mikumari [ja] (天之水分神), genderless kami
    6. Kuni-no-mikumari (国之水分神), genderless kami
    7. Ame-no-kuhizamochi (天之久比奢母智神), genderless kami
    8. Kuni-no-kuhizamochi (国之久比奢母智神), genderless kami
  11. Shina-tsu-hiko (志那都比古神), male kami
  12. Kukunochi (久久能智神), genderless kami
  13. Ohoyama-tsumi/ Ōyama-tsumi (大山津見神, Ohoyama-tsumi/ Ōyama-tsumi -no-kami), male kami - [for his genealogy with Susanoo, please refer to Ōyamatsumi]
  14. Kaya-no-hime (鹿屋野比売神), also known as No-zuchi (野椎神), female kami
    From the relationship between Ohoyamatsumi and Kaya-no-hime the following kami were born:[1]
    1. Ame-no-sazuchi (天之狭土神), genderless kami
    2. Kuni-no-sazuchi (国之狭土神), genderless kami
    3. Ame-no-sagiri (天之狭霧神), genderless kami
    4. Kuni-no-sagiri (国之狭霧神), genderless kami
    5. Ame-no-kurado (天之闇戸神), genderless kami
    6. Kuni-no-kurado (国之闇戸神), genderless kami
    7. Ohoto-mato-hiko (大戸惑子神), male kami
    8. Ohoto-mato-hime (大戸惑女神), female kami
  15. Tori-no-iwa-kusu-fune (鳥之石楠船神; "Bird's-Rock-Camphor-tree-Boat"),[nb 5] also known as Ame-no-torifune (天鳥船)[nb 6] - genderless kami
  16. Ukemochi (大宜都比売神),[nb 7] female kami, Goddess of food.
  17. Hi-no-yagi-haya'o (火之夜藝速男神) = Kagu-tsuchi, also known as Hi-no-kaga-biko (火之炫毘古神) and Hi-no-kagu-tsuchi (火之迦具土神), male kami, Kami of fire and the hearth.
Gods born during the agony and death of Izanami.

During Kagutsuchi's birth, Izanami's genitals were burned and she was mortally wounded. In her agony, from her vomit, urine and feces more kami were born.[2]

  1. Kanayama-biko (金山毘古神), male kami born from the vomit and feces of Izanami
  2. Kanayama-bime (金山毘売神), female kami born from the vomit and feces of Izanami
  3. Haniyasu-biko (波邇夜須毘古神), male kami born from the feces of Izanami
  4. Haniyasu-bime (波邇夜須毘売神) , female kami born from the feces of Izanami
  5. Mitsuhano-me (彌都波能売神) = Mizuhanome (Kami of water), female kami born from the urine of Izanami
  6. Wakumusubi (和久産巣日神),[nb 8] = Tori-no-wakumusubi (Kami of agriculture), male kami born from the urine of Izanami
Wakumusuhi had a daughter:
1. Toyouke (豊宇気毘売神 [Toyouke-bime]) = Toyoukebime (kami of agriculture) female kami;

Death of Kagutsuchi

[edit]

After the agony, Izanami dies. At the time Izanagi crept moaning about the body and mourned her death. From his tears, the female kami Nakisawame (泣沢女神) was born. Subsequently, Izanagi buried Izanami on Mount Hiba. His sadness turned into anger and he decided to kill Kagutsuchi with a ten-grasp[nb 1] sword called Ame-no-ohabari/ (archaic name) Ame-no-wohabari(天之尾羽張; also known as Itsu-no-ohabari/ (archaic name) Itsu-no-wohabari) .[2][3]

From the blood of Kagutsuchi the following kami emerged:[3]

  1. Iwasaku (石折神)[nb 9]
  2. Nesaku (根折神) - Minor Star God.
  3. Iwa-tsutsu-noo (石筒之男神)
    The kami above were born from the blood that fell from the tip of the sword in the rocks.
  4. Mika-haya-hi (甕速日神)
  5. Hi-haya-hi (樋速日神)
  6. Take-mi-kagu-tsuchi-noo (建御雷之男神), also known as Takefutsu (建布都神) or Toyofutsu (豊布都神)
    The kami above were born from the blood that fell from the blade of the sword.
  7. Kuraokami (闇淤加美神)
  8. Kuramitsuha (闇御津羽神)
    The kami above were born from the blood that fell from the handle of the sword.

Also, from the body of Kagutsuchi the following kami were born:[3]

  1. Masakayama-tsumi (正鹿山津見神), emerged from Kagutsuchi's head;
  2. Odoyama-tsumi (淤縢山津見神), from the chest;
  3. Okuyama-tsumi (奥山津見神), from the abdomen;
  4. Kurayama-tsumi (Kojiki: 闇山津見神) or (Nihon Shiki: 闇山祇), from the genitals;
  5. Shigiyama-tsumi (志藝山津見神), from the left arm;
  6. Hayama-tsumi (羽山津見神), from the right arm;
  7. Harayama-tsumi (原山津見神), from the left foot;
  8. Toyama-tsumi (Kojiki: 戸山津見神) or (Nihon Shiki: 戸山祇), from the right foot.

Land of Yomi

[edit]

Izanagi then decided to bring back Izanami and goes to Yomi-no-kuni, the underworld. Crossing the gates to that world, he met Izanami and says to her:[4]

The countries that you and me have created have not been completed yet. Let us return![nb 10]

Izanami replied:

Too bad you did not come before, for I have eaten in the country of Yomi! [By eating food in the land of Yomi, one ends up stuck being a resident of Yomi. This concept is called, "Yomotsu Hegui (黄泉戸喫)."][7] ... however, I will consult with the kami of Yomi. Under no circumstances you may look at me![nb 11]

On saying this, Izanami entered the palace of these kami. However, time passed and she did not return and Izanagi began to despair. So he broke one of the tines of his ornamental comb mizura that he wore in the left bun of his hair, lit it in order to light the place and decided to enter the world of dead. He manages to find Izanami but is surprised to see that she lost her beauty and had become a rotting corpse, covered with maggots. Of her body were born the eight Gods of thunder, which were:[4]

  1. Ō-ikazuchi (大雷), from the head of Izanami;
  2. Hono-ikazuchi (火雷), from her chest;
  3. Kuro-ikazuchi (黒雷), from her abdomen;
  4. Saku-ikazuchi (折雷), from her genitals;
  5. Waka-ikazuchi (若雷), from her left arm;
  6. Tsuchi-ikazuchi (土雷), from her right arm;
  7. Naru-ikazuchi (鳴雷), from her left foot;
  8. Fusu-ikazuchi (伏雷), from her right foot.

Izanagi, shocked, decided to return home, but Izanami was embarrassed by his appearance and commanded the Yomotsu-shikome (黄泉 丑女, lit. "horrible women from the world of darkness") to chase Izanagi. In his flight, he took the head-dress from his head, and threw it to the ground, where it turned into a grape cluster. The Yomo-tsu-shikome started to eat them, but kept chasing the fleeing Izanagi. So he broke the tine of the comb that he wore in his right bun, and as he threw it to the ground, it became bamboo shoots, prompting the Yomo-tsu-shikome to eat them, and enabling Izanagi to flee.[4]

However, Izanami decided to release the eight kami of thunder and 1500 warriors from Yomi to continue the pursuit. Izanagi drew and brandished his Totsuka-no-Tsurugi[nb 1] sword to continue his flight. As they pursued him, Izanagi reached the Yomotsu Hirasaka (黄泉比良坂), the slope that descends from the land of the living to Yomi. He took three peaches from a tree that had grown in that place and threw them at his pursuers so that they fled.[4]

Izanagi commented:

Assistance to all people when they are tired and face difficulties.[nb 12]

These peaches were called Ōkamuzumi (意富加牟豆美命, Ōkamuzumi-no-mikoto).[4]

Finally, Izanami persecuted Izanagi, but he lifted a rock that a thousand men could not move and used it to block the slope. At that moment, their eyes met for the last time.[4] Izanami said, "If you behave in this way, I will strangle and kill one thousand men of your land in one day!"[nb 13]

Izanagi replied, "If you do this, I will in one day set up 1,500 parturition houses. So in one day indeed 1,000 men will die and indeed 1,500 are going to be born."[nb 14]

These words justified the circle of life and death in humans. For the same reason, Izanami is also called Yomotsu-ōkami (黄泉津大神) or Chishiki-no-ōkami (道敷大神) and the boulder that covers the entrance to the world of the dead is known as Chikaeshi-no-ōkami (道返之大神) or Yomido-no-ōkami (黄泉戸大神) and is today known as the slope of Ifuya (伊賦夜坂, Ifuya-saka) in Izumo, Shimane.[4]

Purification of Izanagi

[edit]
Gods that emerged during the purification of Izanagi.

Leaving Yomi, Izanagi decided to remove all kegare (ritual impurity) in his body through a misogi ceremony that consisted of a bath in the river at Ahakihara in Tachibana no Ono in Tsukushi. As he stripped his clothes and accessories on the floor the following twelve kami are born:[5]

  1. Tsukitatsu funato (衝立船戸神 – Post at the Road Bend[8]) = Chimata no Kami, emerges from the staff.
  2. Michi no nagachiha (道之長乳歯神 – Long Winding Way Stones[9]), from the obi.
  3. Tokihakashi (時量師神 – Time Keeper Loosed[10]), from the handbag.
  4. Wazurai no ushi (和豆良比能宇斯能神 – Master Miasma[11]),[nb 15] from cloths.
  5. Michi mata (道俣神 – Road Fork[12]), from the hakama.
  6. Akigui no ushi (飽咋之宇斯能神 – Master Filled Full[13]), from the crown corona.
  7. Oki zakaru (奥疎神 – Beyond Offshore[14]), from the armband of the left hand.
  8. Okitsu nagisa biko (奥津那芸佐毘古神 – Offshore Surf Lad[15]), from the armband of the left hand.
  9. Okitsu kaibera (奥津甲斐弁羅神 – Offshore Tide Lad[16]),[nb 16] from the armband of the left hand.
  10. He zakaru (辺疎神 – Beyond Shoreside[17]), from the armband of the right hand.
  11. Hetsu nagisa biko (辺津那芸佐毘古神 – Shoreside Surf Lad[18]), from the armband of the right hand.
  12. Hetsu kaibera (辺津甲斐弁羅神 – Shoreside Tide Lad[19]), from the armband of the right hand.

Subsequently, Izanagi is stripped of impurities from the land of Yomi. In this moment, two kami were born:

  1. Yasomaga-tsuhi (八十禍津日神), male kami
  2. Ōmaga-tsuhi (大禍津日神), male kami

Then, shaking off the curse, three kami were born:

  1. Kamuna'obi (神直毘神), male kami
  2. Ōna'obi (大直毘神), male kami
  3. Izunome (伊豆能売), female kami

Then, when washing with water the lower parts of his body, two kami were born;

  1. Sokotsu-watatsumi (底津綿津見神), genderless kami
  2. Sokotsutsunoo (底筒之男神), male kami

When washing the middle of his body, two more kami were born:

  1. Nakatsu-watatsumi (中津綿津見神), genderless kami
  2. Nakatsutsunoo (中筒之男神), male kami

Finally, washing the upper part of his body, two more kami were born:

  1. Uwatsu-watatsumi (上津綿津見神),[nb 17] genderless kami
  2. Uwatsutsunoo (上筒之男神), male kami

The trio of Sokotsu-watatsumi, Nakatsu-watatsumi and Uwatsu-watatsumi make up the group of deities called Sanjin Watatsumi, or the kami of water. The trio of Sokotsutsunoo, Nakatsutsunoo and Uhatsutsunoo make up the Sumiyoshi Sanjin deities, the kami of fishing and sea, to whom tribute is paid at Sumiyoshi Taisha.[5]

In the last step of the purification ceremony, Izanagi washed his left eye from which the female kami Amaterasu Ōmikami (天照大御神) was born; washed his right eye from which the genderless kami Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto (月読命) was born; and when washing his nose from which the male kami Takehaya-susanoo-no-mikoto (建速須佐之男命) = commonly known as Susanoo was born.[5]

With these three kami called three precious children (三貴子, Mihashira-no-uzu), Izanagi ordered their investiture. Amaterasu received the mandate to govern Takamagahara and a necklace of jewels called Mikuratanano-no-kami (御倉板挙之神) from Izanagi. Tsukuyomi is mandated to govern over the Dominion of the Night, and Takehaya Susanoo (建速須佐之男) is to rule the seas.[6]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Kamiumi

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Kamiumi (神産み), also known as the "birth of the gods," is a central episode in described with some variations in ancient texts such as the and , wherein the primordial deities and procreate to generate a pantheon of (divine spirits) that govern natural phenomena, elements, and cosmic forces after the formation of the during (国生み, "birth of the land"). This generative process begins with the birth of Ōkotooshinoo no kami, a symbolizing the foundational importance of populating the world with divine entities, followed by pairs or individual associated with specific domains such as rocks (Iwatsuchihiko and Iwasuhime no kami), the (Ōwatatsumi no kami), rivers and harbors (Hayaakitsuhiko and Hayaakitsuhime no kami), winds (Shinatsuhiko no kami), trees (Kukunochi no kami), mountains ( no kami), and food (Ōgetsuhime no kami). The sequence culminates in the birth of the fire Kagutsuchi (also known as Hi-no-Kagutsuchi), whose emergence causes fatal burns to Izanami's genitals, leading to her death and descent into (the underworld), an event that marks a pivotal transition from creation to themes of mortality and purification in cosmology. As lay dying from her burns, additional were born from her vomit (e.g., Kanayamahiko no ) and excretions (e.g., Haniyasubiko no ), as well as from Izanagi's grief-stricken actions, including deities arising from his and the dismemberment of , thereby expanding the divine hierarchy to include over twenty major figures that underpin Shinto's animistic worldview. Izanagi's subsequent journey to to retrieve fails, resulting in their eternal separation and the birth of further from his purification ritual after his return, which ultimately leads to the emergence of Ōmikami (the sun goddess) from his left eye, solidifying Kamiumi's role as a foundational for imperial and natural legitimacy in Japanese .

Background

Definition and Context

Kamiumi (神産み), literally "the birthing of the gods," refers to the mythological episode in cosmogony where the divine pair and procreate a multitude of , representing various natural elements and forces, immediately following the formation of the Japanese islands. This process symbolizes the generative power of the cosmos, emphasizing harmony and proliferation in the divine order. Within the broader creation sequence, Kamiumi succeeds the emergence of the primordial —the separate heavenly deities such as , , and —and the subsequent generations of earthly gods, as well as , the act of land creation by stirring the primordial ocean. It underscores the transition from cosmic inception to the populated divine realm, laying the foundation for the world's natural and spiritual structure as detailed in primary texts like the . In belief, are extraordinary spirits or phenomena embodying superior qualities and natural essences, worthy of reverence and capable of influencing human affairs. The term "" derives from ancient Japanese roots connoting "above" or "superior," reflecting their exalted status, while "umi" signifies birth or production, highlighting the procreative aspect of the myth. , the male principle, and , the female, function as complementary creators, embodying the dualistic harmony central to worldview.

Primary Sources

The Kojiki, completed in 712 CE, stands as the primary narrative source for Kamiumi, compiled by the courtier Ō no Yasumaro on imperial order from Empress Genmei, drawing from oral recitations by the scholar Hieda no Are to present a poetic, myth-focused account in vernacular Japanese using man'yōgana script. The Nihon Shoki, finalized in 720 CE, offers a complementary yet more historiographical chronicle of Kamiumi, composed in classical Chinese by a team of scholars supervised by Prince Toneri, with contributions from Ō no Yasumaro, and incorporating diverse source materials to provide multiple variant accounts of the deity births and related events. Notable differences between the texts include the Kojiki's structured emphasis on the sequential births of deities and heightened dramatic portrayal of events, such as Izanami's in , contrasted with the Nihon Shoki's inclusion of rationalized alternatives—like a diminished focus on the during Izanagi and Izanami's initial union—and efforts to synchronize mythological timelines with imperial for political legitimacy. Later texts reference Kamiumi without full narrative expansions; the Engishiki, a compendium of rituals assembled in 927 CE, invokes deities born in these accounts during ceremonial norito prayers, while the Man'yōshū poetry anthology from the late 8th century alludes to the primordial births in verses evoking divine origins. Scholarly translations have facilitated global access, with Basil Hall Chamberlain's 1882 English rendition of the Kojiki—later revised in editions like the 1932 Tuttle version—providing an early comprehensive rendering, complemented by post-2000 analyses exploring the oral traditions shaping these myths, such as structural readings of cosmogonic motifs.

Mythological Account

Prelude: Kuniumi

In the Shinto creation narrative, following the emergence of the primordial deities from the chaos of the universe, the divine couple and were tasked with solidifying the earthly realm. Standing upon the Heavenly Floating Bridge, they descended the jeweled spear known as Amenonuhoko into the primordial ocean below, stirring the brine with a churning motion until droplets from the spear's tip coalesced to form the first landmass, Onogoro Island. This act marked the inception of , the mythic process of land formation, establishing a foundational for further creation. Upon descending to Onogoro, and performed a sacred around a heavenly pillar at the island's center, approaching each other from opposite directions in a ceremonial union. However, their initial coupling was marred by a violation: spoke first upon meeting, greeting as a "goodly ," which inverted the expected order where the male should initiate. This flaw resulted in the birth of a leech-child and the island of Awaji, both deemed imperfect and not counted among their legitimate progeny; the leech-child was set adrift in a , while Awaji was regarded as a mere extension of the land rather than a true . Correcting the ritual, the deities repeated the circumambulation, this time with speaking first to praise as a "goodly maiden." Their renewed union proved fruitful, yielding the eight primary islands of the , collectively known as Ōyashima: Awaji (now properly integrated), Iyo, Tsushima, Sado, Ōki, Tsukushi, Iki, and Yamato (the core land encompassing the imperial domain). In addition, this phase produced early deities associated with natural domains, including the sea god Ōwatatsumi no , who governed the waters encircling the newly formed lands. With the land now stabilized as a coherent , Izanagi and Izanami turned their generative powers toward the procreation of , initiating the subsequent phase of divine births known as kamiumi and populating the world with spiritual entities to oversee its elements and phenomena.

Birth of the Elemental Deities

Following the successful creation of the in the phase, and proceeded to the kamiumi, the procreative birth of numerous associated with natural elements, symbolizing the fertile harmony of the . This phase produced a sequence of deities embodying core aspects of the natural world, beginning with Ōkotooshio no Kami, followed by Iwatsuchibiko no Kami (god of rocks) and Iwasuhime no Kami (goddess of rocks). The Kojiki records a total of 35 such born in this harmonious phase, each linked to elemental forces and underscoring the generative power of the divine couple. Key among them are Ōyamatsumi no Kami, the god of mountains, representing terrestrial stability; Watatsumi no Kami (Ōwatatsumi no Kami), the deity of the seas, embodying oceanic vastness; and Shinatsuhiko no Kami, the wind god, associated with atmospheric movement. Other notable births include Kukunochi no Kami, god of trees, symbolizing arboreal growth and vegetation; Hayaakitsuhiko no Kami and Hayaakitsuhime no Kami, deities of sea straits and currents; and Kayanohime no Kami, goddess of fields and grasses, highlighting agricultural fertility. These progeny collectively populate the elemental landscape, fostering a balanced cosmology where land, water, air, and earth interweave in productive unity. In variant traditions, figures like Ōkuni-nushi—later revered as a god of land and —are sometimes attributed to this early procreative lineage, though primary accounts place him among later descendants. The Nihon Shoki presents a parallel account with slight reorderings and omissions, emphasizing a more streamlined narrative of divine generation. Here, sea deities such as appear earlier in the sequence, prioritizing maritime elements before mountain and wind gods. Unlike the , it omits explicit mention of malformed births like Hiruko, focusing instead on the orderly emergence of elemental such as Shina-tohe no Mikoto (wind god), Yama-tsu-mi (mountain gods), and Ku-ku no chi (tree gods), while maintaining the overall theme of natural harmony. This variant underscores the texts' complementary roles in tradition, with the Nihon Shoki's adjustments reflecting influences from Chinese historiographical styles.

The Tragedy of Kagutsuchi

In the mythological account of kamiumi, the harmonious procreation of Izanagi and Izanami reaches a tragic turning point with the birth of the fire deity Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, whose emergence fatally burns Izanami's genitals, leading to her agonizing death./Section_5) This event, described in the Kojiki as the delivery of a "very red child" symbolizing intense flame, introduces death into the divine realm for the first time, disrupting the prior sequence of elemental deities born without calamity./Section_5) Izanami's demise from these burns marks a pivotal shift, transforming her from a creator goddess to an embodiment of mortality. Overcome with grief and rage, draws his ten-fist sword, Ame no Ohabari, and decapitates the infant , cursing him as a "hateful " for causing his mother's suffering./Section_5) The violent act results in the spilling of Kagutsuchi's blood, which coagulates and scatters, giving rise to numerous powerful associated with natural forces./Section_5) This dismemberment not only avenges but also perpetuates creation through destruction, as the fire god's remains become progenitors of further deities. From the blood dripping from Izanagi's sword, eight thunder deities emerge, including (Brave-Swift-Thunder) and (Excellent-Master-of-Thunder), embodying the stormy fury unleashed by the tragedy./Section_5) Additional kami arise from Kagutsuchi's dismembered body parts: mountain gods such as (Black-Dragon-Lightning) from the left eye and Ōyamazumi (Great-Mountain-Possessor) from the right foot, along with fire-calming deities like Oho-yama-tsu-mi from the blood on the sword's hilt./Section_5) In total, the Kojiki records 44 secondary born from this event (36 from the blood and 8 from the body parts), spanning categories like hail-bringers, earth stabilizers, and elemental balancers. Symbolically, Kagutsuchi's birth represents fire as a dual force of and devastation, shattering the initial of creation and underscoring the inherent risks of divine procreation in cosmology. The proliferation of thunder and from the bloodshed illustrates how tragedy begets multiplicity, restoring balance through the generation of protective and generative entities that mitigate fire's chaos. This motif highlights the cyclical interplay of destruction and renewal central to Japanese mythological narratives.

Izanami's Descent to Yomi

Following the fatal burns sustained during the birth of the fire deity Kagutsuchi, Izanami departed for Yomi, the shadowy underworld realm of the dead, where she assumed the role of its ruler amid an atmosphere of perpetual decay. Upon her arrival, Izanami underwent a profound transformation, her once-vibrant form decaying into a maggot-infested corpse, from which eight thunder deities—known collectively as the Yakusanoikazuchi—emerged, each arising from specific parts of her body: Great Thunder from her head, Fire Thunder from her breast, Young Thunder from her left hand, Earth Thunder from her right hand, Rumbling Thunder from her left foot, Couchant Thunder from her right foot, and additional thunders from her genitals and other areas. These deities symbolized the ominous forces of Yomi, feeding on her corruption and later serving as her enforcers. Grief-stricken and determined to retrieve his consort to complete their divine labors, pursued into , reaching its foreboding gates guarded by yomotsu-shikome—hideous hags of the —and eight yellow serpents coiled around the supports. , now bound to the realm after consuming its food, initially agreed to return but implored not to gaze upon her; defying her plea, he ignited a light from a of his and beheld her horrifying state, prompting his immediate flight in terror. As he escaped, enraged attendants pursued him, but improvised defenses: his headdress transformed into clusters of grapes, his into , which distracted the hags long enough for him to gain distance. Further along his desperate retreat, Izanagi encountered an army of 1,500 warriors and the eight thunder deities dispatched by Izanami; he hurled three ripe peaches at them, which struck and repelled the horde, slaying many in the process. Drawing his sword to fend off the remnants, he finally reached the slope of Yomotsu-Hirasaka, the even pass dividing the living world from Yomi, where he rolled a massive boulder—equivalent to a thousand draughts—across the entrance to seal it, irrevocably severing his bond with Izanami. In the ensuing confrontation across the barrier, Izanami vowed to inflict 1,000 deaths upon humanity each day, but Izanagi countered by promising 1,500 births to ensure life's endurance, marking a pivotal theme of mortality and renewal in the myth.

Izanagi's Purification Ritual

Following his escape from , Izanagi sought to purify himself of the he had encountered in the . He proceeded to the plain of Awagahara (also rendered as Apaki-para or Ahaki) near the Tachibana River in the region of Himuka in Tsukushi, where he performed an ablution rite by discarding his garments and accessories before bathing in the river. As cast away his items during the initial phase of the ritual, twelve deities emerged from them, including Tuki-tatu-puna-to-no-kami from his staff, Miti-no-naga-ti-pa-no-kami from his sash, and variants associated with Ōkuni-nushi such as Oki-zakahu-no-kami and Oki-tu-nagisa-biko-no-kami from his left armbands. Further purification in the river's s gave rise to additional gods, such as the deities Yaso-maga-tu-pi-no-kami and Opo-maga-tu-pi-no-kami, along with and deities including Mizuhame-no-kami from the and the Sumiyoshi triad (Soko-tsutsu-wo-no-mikoto, Naka-tsutsu-wo-no-mikoto, and Uha-tsutsu-wo-no-mikoto) from the 's depths, mid-tide, and surface. The culminating acts of the ritual involved Izanagi washing his face: Amaterasu Ōmikami, the sun goddess and imperial ancestress, was born from his left eye; Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto, the moon god, from his right eye; and Susanoo-no-mikoto, the storm god, from his nose—collectively known as the Three Noble Children. The Kojiki emphasizes Amaterasu's preeminence in this birth sequence, positioning her as the progenitor of the imperial line. Variants in the Nihon Shoki describe a similar rite at the Ahagi plain but occasionally omit or reassign Tsukuyomi, with the right eye instead producing deities like Masakatsu-no-akatsu-hiko-ne-no-kami in certain accounts, while maintaining the births of Amaterasu and Susanoo.

Significance

Role in Shinto Cosmology

In Shinto cosmology, Kamiumi serves as the foundational process through which Izanagi and Izanami give birth to the kami, establishing a hierarchical pantheon that organizes divine entities from primordial elemental forces to governing deities of cosmic phenomena. The sequence begins with deities embodying natural elements, such as Ōwatatsumi no kami for the sea, Shinatsuhiko no kami for the winds, Kukunochi no kami for trees, and Ōyamatsumi no kami for mountains, reflecting the myth's emphasis on the animation of the natural world. This progresses to the "Three Noble Children" born from Izanagi's purification—Amaterasu Ōmikami for the sun and its cycles, Tsukuyomi no mikoto for the moon, and Susanoo no mikoto for storms and the seas—assigning them domains that structure seasonal and environmental rhythms essential to Shinto's animistic worldview. The myth delineates a cosmological transition from undifferentiated chaos to a stratified universe, where the paired creators' union produces an ordered realm contrasting the pure celestial expanse of with the defiled underworld of . emerges as the high plain of heaven, a domain of light and harmony ruled by , symbolizing divine purity and stability, while represents pollution and decay following Izanami's death and transformation. This dual structure underscores Shinto's core principles of (harae) and the maintenance of boundaries between sacred and profane spaces, influencing practices like to restore cosmic balance. Kamiumi's role extends to imperial mythology by linking the divine pantheon to human governance, as , born from Izanagi's left eye during his ablutions, is enshrined as the ancestral deity of the imperial line. Her grandson Ninigi's descent to earth with the three sacred establishes the unbroken lineage from heavenly to the Yamato emperors, legitimizing rule as a divine mandate and integrating cosmology with political authority in ancient . Furthermore, integrates seamlessly with broader narratives, paving the way for myths of succession in —such as Susanoo's exile—and the earthly descent of deities, which incorporate regional traditions like those of Izumo to form a unified national mythology. This interconnected framework reinforces the worldview of a dynamic, interrelated where oversee both heavenly order and terrestrial harmony.

Cultural and Symbolic Interpretations

The Kamiumi myth embodies profound symbolic themes central to Shinto worldview, particularly the cyclical interplay of life and death exemplified by Izanami's transformation from creator to ruler of Yomi following her death in childbirth. This narrative arc underscores the inevitability of mortality even among divine beings, with Izanami's decay upon Izanagi's visit to the underworld representing the separation between the living realm and the realm of decay, while her pursuit of him symbolizes the inescapable pull of death. Scholars interpret this as a metaphor for cosmic renewal, where death fertilizes new creation, akin to seasonal cycles in nature. Izanagi's subsequent purification ritual, known as , further symbolizes renewal through the removal of (spiritual impurity) contracted from contact with death. By bathing in the Tachibana River, Izanagi not only births key deities like but establishes as a foundational practice for restoring harmony and vitality, linking personal cleansing to broader cosmic order. Gender dynamics in the highlight Izanami's initial subordination, as her premature speech during the creation rite results in a flawed offspring, reinforcing patriarchal norms where male initiative (Izanagi's) ensures proper order. This motif extends to Izanami's association with pollution through her bodily decay and death, contrasting Izanagi's life-affirming purification and reflecting historical views tying femininity to impurity. In , the myth's emotional depth inspired Edo-period scholar , who analyzed it through the lens of —the pathos of impermanence—emphasizing the profound sorrow of Izanagi and Izanami's eternal parting as a universal human experience. Culturally, Kamiumi influenced fire rites, where Kagutsuchi's destructive birth contrasts with purifying kiri-bi flames used in rituals to ward off misfortune and ensure fertility, as seen in festivals like those at fire kami shrines. Artistic depictions, such as Utagawa Hiroshige's print of Izanagi and Izanami stirring the primordial sea, visualize the myth's themes of emergence and duality, popularizing it in 19th-century . Post-2010 feminist critiques examine the myth's reinforcement of gender hierarchies, critiquing Izanami's marginalization as a of female agency punished by taboos that historically barred women from sacred sites. Globally, Kamiumi shares parallels with the Greek tale in Izanagi's failed retrieval of , both exploring themes of love defying yet bound by taboos against looking back. Similarly, it echoes the Mesopotamian Inanna's to retrieve Dumuzi, emphasizing from the , though uniquely incorporating sibling as a divine norm and emphasizing over heroic ascent.
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