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Watatsumi
View on Wikipedia | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2024) |
| Watatsumi | |
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| Major cult centre | Shikaumi Shrine, Watatsumi jinja, |
| Genealogy | |
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| Children | |
| Equivalents | |
| Greek | Pontus |
Watatsumi (海神; 綿津見) [watatsɯmi], also pronounced Wadatsumi, is a legendary kami (神, god; deity; spirit), Japanese dragon and tutelary water deity in Japanese mythology. Ōwatatsumi no kami (大綿津見神; "great deity of the sea") is believed to be another name for the sea deity Ryūjin (龍神, Dragon God) and also for the Watatsumi Sanjin (綿津見三神; "Three Watatsumi gods"), which rule the upper, middle and lower seas respectively and were created when Izanagi was washing himself of the dragons blood when he returned from Yomi, "the underworld".
The main shrine is Shikaumi Shrine on Shika Island in Fukuoka Prefecture.
Name
[edit]The earliest written sources of Old Japanese transcribe the name of the sea god in a diverse manner. The c. 712 CE Kojiki (tr. Basil Hall Chamberlain 1883) writes it semantically as 海神 lit. "sea god" and transcribes it phonetically with man'yōgana as Wata-tsu-mi, 綿津見, lit. "cotton port see" in identifying Ōwatsumi kami and the Watatsumi Sanjin. The c. 720 CE Nihongi (tr. William George Aston 1896) also writes Watatsumi as 海神 "sea god", along with 海童 "sea child" and 少童命 "small child lords" for the Watatsumi Sanjin. In the modern Japanese writing system, the name Watatsumi is usually written either in katakana as ワタツミ or in kanji phonetically 綿津見 or semantically 海神 "sea god".
Note that in addition to reading 海神 as watatsumi, wata no kami or unagami in native Japanese kun'yomi pronunciation, it is also read kaijin or kaishin in Sino-Japanese on'yomi . The original Watatsumi meaning "tutelary deity of the sea" is semantically extended as a synecdoche or metaphor meaning "the sea; the ocean; the main".
The etymology of the sea god Watatsumi is uncertain. Marinus Willem de Visser (1913:137) notes consensus that wata is an Old Japanese word for "sea; ocean" and tsu is a possessive particle, but disagreement whether mi means "snake" or "lord; god". "It is not impossible" he concludes, "that the old Japanese sea-gods were snakes or dragons." Compare the Japanese rain god Kuraokami that was similarly described as a giant snake or a dragon. The comparative linguist Paul K. Benedict proposed (1990:236–7) that Japanese wata, 海, "sea" derives from Proto-Austronesian *wacal, "sea; open sea".
Ōwatatsumi
[edit]The Kojiki version of the Japanese creation myth honorifically refers to Watatsumi 海神 with the name Ōwatatsumi kami 大綿津見神 "Great Watatsumi god". Compare this sea god with mountain god named Ohoyamatsumi 大山積. The world-creating siblings Izanagi and Izanami first give birth to the Japanese islands (kuniumi) and then to the gods (kamiumi).
When they had finished giving birth to countries, they began afresh giving birth to Deities. So the name of the Deity they gave birth to was the Deity Great-Male-of-the-Great-Thing; next they gave birth to the Deity Rock-Earth-Prince; next they gave birth to the Deity Rock-Nest-Princess; next they gave birth to the Deity Great-Door-Sun-Youth; next they gave birth to the Deity Heavenly-Blowing-Male; next they gave birth to the Deity Great-House-Prince; next they gave birth to the Deity Youth-of-the-Wind-Breath-the-Great-Male; next they gave birth to the Sea-Deity, whose name is the Deity Great-Ocean-Possessor; next they gave birth to the Deity of the Water-Gates, whose name is the Deity Prince-of-Swift-Autumn; next they gave birth to his younger sister the Deity Princess-of-Swift-Autumn. (tr. Chamberlain 1919:28)
Chamberlain (1919:30) explains mochi 持ち "having; taking; holding; grasping; owning" behind translating Ōwatsumi kami as "Deity Great-Ocean-Possessor", "The interpretation of mochi, "possessor," though not absolutely sure, has for it the weight both of authority and of likelihood."
A subsequent Kojiki passage describes Watatsumi's daughter Otohime and her human husband Hoori living with the sea god. After Hoori lost his brother Hoderi's fishhook, he went searching to the bottom of the sea, where he met and married the dragon goddess Otohime. They lived in the sea god's underwater palace Ryūgū-jō for three years before Hoori became homesick.
So he dwelt in that land for three years. Hereupon His Augustness Fire-Subside thought of what had gone before, and heaved one deep sigh. So Her Augustness Luxuriant-Jewel-Princess, hearing the sigh, informed her father, saying: "Though he has dwelt three years [with us], he had never sighed; but this night he heaved one deep sigh. What may be the cause of it?" The Great Deity her father asked his son-in-law saying: "This morning I heard my daughter speak, saying: 'Though he has dwelt three years [with us], he had never sighed; but this night he heaved one deep sigh.' What may the cause be? Moreover what was the cause of thy coming here?" Then [His Augustness Fire-Subside] told the Great Deity exactly how his elder brother had pressed him for the lost fish-hook. Thereupon the Sea-Deity summoned together all the fishes of the sea, great and small, and asked them, saying: "Is there perchance any fish that has taken this fish-hook?" So all the fishes replied: "Lately the tahi has complained of something sticking in its throat preventing it from eating; so it doubtless has taken [the hook]." On the throat of the tahi being thereupon examined, there was the fish-hook [in it]. Being forthwith taken, it was washed and respectfully presented to His Augustness Fire-Subside, whom the Deity Great-Ocean-Possessor then instructed. (tr. Chamberlain 1919:149)
Watatsumi instructs Hoori how to deal with Hoderi, and chooses another mythic Japanese dragon, a wani "crocodile" or "shark", to transport his daughter and son in law back to land.
Two Nihongi contexts refer to Watatsumi in legends about Emperor Keikō and Emperor Jimmu. First, the army of Emperor Keikō encounters Hashirimizu 馳水 "running waters" crossing from Sagami Province to Kazusa Province. The calamity is attributed to the Watatsumi 海神 "sea god" and placated through human sacrifice.
Next he marched on to Sagami, whence he desired to proceed to Kadzusa. Looking over the sea, he spake with a loud voice, and said: "This is but a little sea: one might even jump over it." But, when he came to the middle of the sea a storm suddenly arose, and the Prince's ship was tossed about, so that he could not cross over. At this time there was a concubine in the Prince's suite, named Oto-tachibana-hime. She was the daughter of Oshiyama no Sukune of the Hodzumi House. She addressed the Prince, saying: "This present uprising of the winds and rushing of the waves, so that the Prince's ship is like to sink, must be due to the wishes of the God of the Sea. I pray thee let me go into the sea, and so let the person of thy mean handmaiden be given to redeem the life of the Prince's Augustness." Having finished speaking, she plunged into the billows. The storm forthwith ceased, and the ship was enabled to reach the shore. Therefore the people of that time called that sea Hashiri-midzu. (tr. Aston 1896:206)
Second, the genealogy of Emperor Jimmu claims descent from the goddess Toyotama-hime, the daughter of Hori and Otohime, who is identified as the daughter of Watatsumi 海童.
The Emperor Kami Yamato Ihare-biko's personal name was Hiko-hoho-demi. He was the fourth child of Hiko-nagisa-takeu-gaya-fuki-ahezu no Mikoto. His mother's name was Tamayori-hime, daughter of the Sea-God. From his birth, this Emperor was of clear intelligence and resolute will. (tr. Aston 1896:109-110)
There is uncertainty whether Nihongi scribes wrote tsumi with dō 童 "child; boy" simply for pronunciation or for some semantic significance.
Watatsumi Sanjin
[edit]When Izanagi's sister-wife dies giving birth to the fire god Kagu-tsuchi, his destroying it creates various deities, including the snow dragon Kuraokami. After Izanagi goes to the underworld in a futile attempt to bring Izanami back to life, he returns to the world and undergoes ritual purifications to cleanse himself of hellish filth. He creates 12 deities from his garments and belongings and 14 (including the 3 Watatsumis) from bathing himself.
With the tsu 津 in these three dragon names being read as the genitive particle "of", they rule different water depths in the sea, soko 底 "bottom; underneath", naka 中 "middle; center", and uwa 上 "above; top" (Kojiki) or uwa 表 "surface; top" (Nihongi). Chamberlain (1919:48) notes, "There is the usual doubt as to the signification to be assigned to the syllable tsu in the second, fourth and last of these names. If it really means, not "elder" but "possessor," we should be obliged to translate by "the Bottom-Possessing-Male," etc."
The earlier Kojiki version of the "Three Watatsumi Gods" calls them Wakatsumikami 綿津見神 "Wakatsumi gods": Sokotsu Watatsumikami 底津, Nakatsu Watatsumikami 中津綿津見神, and Uwatsu Watatsumikami 上津綿津見神.
Thereupon saying: "The water in the upper reach is [too] rapid; the water in the lower reach is [too] sluggish," he went down and plunged in the middle reach; and, as he washed, there was first born the Wondrous-Deity-of-Eighty-Evils, and next the Wondrous-Deity-of-Great-Evils. These two Deities are the Deities that were born from the filth [he contracted] when he went to that polluted, hideous land. The names of the Deities that were next born to rectify those evils were: the Divine-Rectifying-Wondrous Deity, next the Great-Rectifying-Wondrous-Deity, next the Female-Deity-Idzu. The names of the Deities that were next born, as he bathed at the bottom of the water, were: the Deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Bottom, and next His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Bottom. The names of the Deities that were born as he bathed in the middle [of the water] were: the Deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Middle, and next His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Middle. The names of the Deities that were born as he bathed at the top of the water were the Deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Surface, and next His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Surface. These three Ocean-Possessing Deities are the Deities held in reverence as their ancestral Deities by the Chiefs of Adzumi. So the Chiefs of Adzumi are the descendants of His Augustness Utsushi-hi-gana-saku, a child of these Ocean-Possessing Deities. These three Deities His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Bottom, His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Middle, and His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Surface are the three Great Deities of the Inlet of Sumi. (tr. Chamberlain 1919:45-46)
The later Nihongi version describes the "Three Watatsumi Gods" as Watatsumi Mikoto 少童命 "small child lords": Sokotsu Watatsumi Mikoto 底津少童命, Nakatsu Watatsumi Mikoto 中津少童命, and Uwatsu Watatsumi Mikoto 表津少童命. These Watatsumis are paired with three O Mikoto 男命 "male lords".
Moreover, the Deities which were produced by his plunging down and washing in the bottom of the sea were called Soko-tsu-wata-tsu-mi no Mikoto and Sokotsutsu-wo no Mikoto. Moreover, when he plunged and washed in the mid-tide, there were Gods produced who were called Naka I tsu wata-dzu-mi no Mikoto, and next Naka-tsutsu-wo no Mikoto. Moreover, when he washed floating on the surface of the water, Gods were produced, who were called Uha-tsu-wata-dzu-mi no Mikoto and next Uhai-tsutsu-wo no Mikoto. There were in all nine Gods. The Gods Soko-tsutsu-wo no Mikoto, Naka-tsutsu-wo no Mikoto, and Soko-tsutsu-wo no Mikoto are the three great Gods of Suminoye. The Gods Soko-tsu-wata-dzu-mi no Mikoto, Naka-tsu-wata-dzu-mi no Mikoto, and Uha-tsu-wata-dzu-mi no Mikoto are the Gods worshipped by the Muraji of Adzumi. (tr. Aston 1896:27)
Aston notes translations of "Bottom-sea-of-body", "Middle-sea-god", and "upper".
Shrines
[edit]
There are numerous Shinto shrines dedicated to the sea god Watatsumi. Some examples include the Ōwatatsumi jinja or Daikai jinja 大海神社 in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka (associated with the Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine), the Watatsumi Shrine 海神社 in Tarumi-ku, Kobe, and the Watatsumi jinja 綿都美神社 in Kokura Minami-ku, Kitakyūshū.
Genealogy
[edit]- Red background is female.
- Green background means groups
- Bold letters are three generations of Hyuga.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Borgen, Robert; Ury, Marian (April 1990). "Readable Japanese Mythology: Selections from Nihon shoki and Kojiki" (PDF). The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese. 24 (1). American Association of Teachers of Japanese: 61–97. doi:10.2307/489230. JSTOR 489230. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ a b https://archive.today/20230406174104/https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/?id=9716
- ^ a b c d e Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697, translated from the original Chinese and Japanese by William George Aston. Book II, page 73. Tuttle Publishing. Tra edition (July 2005). First edition published 1972. ISBN 978-0-8048-3674-6
- ^ a b c Akima, Toshio (1993). "The Origins of the Grand Shrine of Ise and the Cult of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami". Japan Review. 4 (4): 143. ISSN 0915-0986. JSTOR 25790929.
- ^ a b c Tsugita, Masaki (2001) [1977]. 古事記 （上） 全訳注 [Complete Translated and Annotated Kojiki, Part 1]. Vol. 38. 講談社学術文庫. p. 205. ISBN 4-06-158207-0.
- ^ a b c d e The History of Nations: Japan. Dept. of education. Japan. H. W. Snow. 1910.
- ^ The Kojiki: Records of Ancient Matters. Tuttle Publishing. 19 June 2012. p. 218. ISBN 978-1-4629-0511-9.
Bibliography
[edit]- Aston, William George, tr. 1896. Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. 2 vols. Kegan Paul.
- Benedict, Paul K. 1990. Japanese/Austro-Tai. Karoma.
- Chamberlain, Basil H., tr. 1919. The Kojiki, Records of Ancient Matters. Asiatic Society of Japan.
- Visser, Marinus Willem de. 1913. The Dragon in China and Japan Archived 2018-04-25 at the Wayback Machine. J. Müller.
- Yamanouchi, Midori and Joseph L. Quinn, trs. 2000. Listen to the Voices from the Sea: Writings of the Fallen Japanese Students (Kike Wadatsumi no Koe). University of Scranton Press.
External links
[edit]- Watatsumi, Encyclopedia of Shinto
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| Japanese creation myth | ||
| Takamagahara mythology | ||
| Izumo mythology | ||
| Hyūga mythology | ||
| Human age | ||
| Mythological locations | ||
| Mythological weapons | ||
| Major Buddhist figures | ||
| Seven Lucky Gods | ||
| Legendary creatures | ||
| Other | ||
Watatsumi
View on GrokipediaName and Etymology
Linguistic Origins
The term Watatsumi derives from Old Japanese linguistic elements, interpreted as "wata-tsu-mochi," meaning "holder of the sea," indicating a kami with domain over the ocean.[4] Alternative interpretations link "wata" to concepts like cotton or sea foam in later phonetic adaptations, reflecting the term's evolution from a descriptive maritime reference to a divine appellation, as seen in the ateji kanji 綿津見. The suffix-like "tsumi" appears in related compounds as an indicator of deities associated with harbors or watery realms, emphasizing Watatsumi's role as a protective entity over coastal and oceanic boundaries. Earliest attestations of Watatsumi occur in the Kojiki (compiled in 712 CE) and Nihon Shoki (completed in 720 CE), where it is rendered as Watatsumi no Kami, signifying the sea god within the cosmogonic and legendary narratives of these foundational texts. Phonetic variations such as Wadatsumi emerge in later transcriptions, influenced by regional dialects and orthographic shifts in classical Japanese. The name is commonly represented in kanji as 海神 (kaijin, literally "sea spirit" or "sea god") or the ateji 綿津見, which phonetically matches watatsumi while evoking "cotton harbor view," symbolizing the frothy edges of the sea or a guardian over tidal zones. This dual kanji usage highlights the term's layered meanings, blending literal sea deity connotations with protective spiritual attributes. Sino-Japanese influences are evident in Watatsumi's conceptualization, drawing parallels to the Chinese Longwang (dragon kings), sovereigns of the seas who command tides and weather, as seen in shared motifs of draconic authority over aquatic domains in early mythological exchanges.[5]Alternative Names and Titles
Watatsumi is commonly referred to as Watatsumi no Mikoto, an honorific title denoting the "august sea deity," as recorded in the Nihon Shoki where it appears in the context of the sea god's interactions with Hoori no Mikoto.[4] In traditions of sea deity worship, Watatsumi is associated with Sumiyoshi no Kami, the protective deities of seafaring enshrined at Sumiyoshi Taisha, reflecting shared maritime guardianship for sailors and traders across East Asian seas.[6] Regional variations emerge in fishing communities, where Watatsumi's worship intersects with that of Ebisu, the god of fisheries and fortune, reflecting shared reverence for sea prosperity among coastal populations reliant on marine resources. In later folklore, particularly from the medieval period onward, Watatsumi is equated with Ryūō or dragon kings, drawing from Chinese influences that portrayed the sea deity as a serpentine ruler controlling tides and storms, as seen in tales of underwater palaces.[7] The grandiose epithet Ōwatatsumi, meaning "great sea possessor," evolved in medieval texts to signify supremacy over all oceans, appearing in compilations like the Kojiki as Ōwatatsumi no Kami.[4] In classical literature, Watatsumi features prominently in the Man'yōshū anthology (compiled ca. 759 CE), where phrases like "Watatsumi no tono" evoke the deity's palace as a metaphor for the sea's unpredictable depths, representing uncontrollable natural forces in poems about longing, voyages, and elemental awe.[8] These poetic invocations, such as in Book 3, Poem 347, portray Watatsumi as a distant yet omnipotent presence, influencing later waka traditions to symbolize maritime peril and divine mystery.[8]Description and Attributes
Role as a Sea Deity
Watatsumi, often identified with Ryūjin or Ōwatatsumi, functions as the primary tutelary kami of the sea in Shinto cosmology, holding sovereign domain over the oceans, tides, and all marine life therein.[9][10] As ruler of these watery expanses, he commands the ebb and flow of tides through magical artifacts known as the tide jewels (shio-mitsutama), symbolizing his authority to manipulate the sea's rhythms and ensure its bounty or peril for humanity.[9] These jewels, typically depicted as magatama-shaped gems, underscore his role in regulating natural forces essential to coastal communities.[9] Watatsumi's influence extends to weather phenomena, where he is revered as a bringer of rain and thunder, wielding power over storms that could aid or threaten maritime endeavors.[9] From his opulent underwater palace, Ryūgū-jō—a sprawling, coral-encrusted domain beneath the waves—he oversees the aquatic realm, directing sea creatures and safeguarding navigators against tempests.[9] This palace serves as a symbolic nexus of divine order, contrasting the chaotic surface world and highlighting his mediation between elemental forces.[9] In protective capacities, Watatsumi is invoked by fishermen and seafarers through prayers and offerings to prevent shipwrecks, secure abundant harvests from the sea, and avert destructive gales, embodying both the nurturing and vengeful aspects of oceanic power.[9] His guardianship emphasizes safe passage across perilous waters, often granting boons like calm seas or plentiful catches to those who honor him.[9] This oceanic sovereignty positions Watatsumi in liminal opposition to terrestrial kami such as Yama-no-Kami, the mountain deities who oversee land-based fertility and resources, thereby delineating the sacred boundaries between human settlements and the profound, otherworldly depths of the sea.[11][9]Associations with Dragons and Serpents
In Japanese mythology, Watatsumi is frequently portrayed as a ryū, a dragon deity characterized by a long, serpentine body, prominent horns, and powerful claws, embodying the formidable power of the sea. These draconic portrayals represent later syncretic influences from Chinese dragon kings and Buddhism, evolving from Watatsumi's earlier non-zoomorphic form in ancient Shinto texts.[12] This zoomorphic form underscores Watatsumi's dominion over oceanic depths, where the deity resides in an opulent underwater palace known as Ryūgū, constructed from red and white coral pillars and adorned with crystal and pearl, symbolizing both splendor and the hidden wonders of the marine realm.[12] Such depictions draw from ancient texts like the Nihon Shoki, which describe the palace as a magnificent structure beneath the waves, accessible only to favored mortals like the hunter Hoori.[1] Watatsumi's draconic attributes reflect adaptations of the Chinese long, the imperial dragon kings who govern waters and weather, reimagined in Japan as benevolent yet formidable guardians of the seas capable of summoning rains or tempests.[12] These long-inspired figures, introduced via Buddhist and Confucian influences during the Nara period, emphasize Watatsumi's role in maritime protection and fertility, blending the serpentine grace of the Chinese model with indigenous reverence for sea spirits as transformative entities.[1] The deity's form often merges these traditions, portraying a scaled, coiling body that evokes both nurturing abundance and perilous storms, as seen in folklore where Watatsumi aids fishermen or unleashes fury on intruders.[12] In folklore, Watatsumi manifests through serpent avatars, embodying themes of renewal through shedding skin and inherent danger as venomous predators of coastal ecosystems. These serpentine forms symbolize the cyclical nature of tides and life, with snakes revered in rural tales as extensions of the sea god's will, bridging the human world and underwater domains.[13] Along Japan's coastline, snakes are venerated as divine messengers at shrines dedicated to water kami, where offerings protect against misfortune and honor their role in conveying omens from Watatsumi's realm, a belief persisting in practices that prohibit harming these creatures to avoid invoking sea calamities.[13] Artistic traditions vividly capture Watatsumi's dragon-serpent duality, particularly through shape-shifting between humanoid and draconic guises. In ukiyo-e prints, such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi's 1853 triptych depicting the dragon-king rising from turbulent waves with a sinuous, horned body amid watery attendants, the form conveys awe-inspiring majesty and latent threat.[1] These representations, influenced by earlier scroll paintings and temple icons, highlight Watatsumi's overlap with Ryūjin as a transformative sea dragon.[1]Mythological Role
The Hoori and Toyotama Legend
In Japanese mythology, the legend of Hoori and Toyotama recounts the marriage between the human prince Hoori, known as Yamasachihiko or the "Lucky Hunter," and Toyotama-hime, the daughter of the sea god Watatsumi, symbolizing a union between terrestrial and marine realms. The story originates in the Kojiki, Japan's earliest chronicle of myths and history compiled in 712 CE. Hoori, the younger son of the heavenly deity Ninigi, trades occupations with his elder brother Hoderi, the "Lucky Fisherman," borrowing his brother's enchanted fishhook to try his hand at fishing. Unfamiliar with the sea, Hoori soon loses the hook among the waves, prompting a desperate quest to recover it and restore familial harmony.[14] Guided by the salty-water deity Shiotsuchi-no-Kami, who provides a stout boat to reach the sea palace, Hoori descends to Watatsumi's opulent palace at the ocean's bottom, with walls and floors made of fish scales. There, he meets Toyotama-hime, and the two swiftly wed, enjoying three years of bliss in the underwater domain where time passes differently and abundance reigns. After three years, Hoori reveals his concern over the lost fishhook; Watatsumi summons various sea creatures, such as fish and a sea turtle, to search for and retrieve it from the throat of a sea bream.[15] With Toyotama now pregnant, the couple travels to the surface, where Toyotama constructs a parturition hut of cormorants' feathers on the shore and warns Hoori not to observe her during labor, lest he see her true divine form. Unable to contain his curiosity, Hoori peeks inside and beholds Toyotama transformed into an eight-fathom crocodile (often interpreted as a dragon or serpent), embodying her aquatic heritage as Watatsumi's offspring. Mortified by the revelation, she gives birth to their son, Ugayafukiaezu no Mikoto, before fleeing back to the sea in shame, entrusting the infant to her sister Tamayorihime to raise alongside Hoori.[16] In a gesture of benevolence, Watatsumi bestows upon Hoori two sacred jewels: the kanju (tide-flowing jewel) to raise the waves and the manju (tide-ebbing jewel) to lower them, granting him mastery over the ocean's rhythms. These artifacts not only aid Hoori in returning the fishhook to his brother but also empower him to navigate future challenges upon his return to land.[15] The narrative delves into themes of interspecies union, portraying the marriage as a bridge between human and divine worlds that fosters alliance rather than conflict, while Watatsumi's role underscores the sea's dual nature as both perilous and protective. It further emphasizes filial piety through Hoori's unwavering pursuit of the lost hook to honor his sibling bond, and it lays the foundation for imperial divinity by linking this lineage to sacred origins.[17]Appearances in Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
In the Kojiki, compiled in 712 CE, Watatsumi is portrayed as the great god and sovereign ruler of the sea, residing in an opulent underwater palace with walls and floors of fish scales.[15] This depiction emphasizes Watatsumi's dominion over marine life, as he summons sea creatures to aid in recovering a lost fish hook for his guest Hoori, highlighting his authoritative role in the oceanic realm.[15] The text presents Watatsumi as a benevolent host who bestows treasures, including tide-controlling jewels described simply as magical orbs that raise and lower the tides, without elaborate cosmological ties.[15] The Nihon Shoki, completed in 720 CE, formalizes Watatsumi as Watatsumi-no-Mikoto, a kami integrated into the imperial cosmology under the supreme deity Amaterasu, with narratives underscoring his deference to the heavenly order.[18] Here, Watatsumi inhabits a splendid palace beneath the waves, but its location is generalized as the sea bottom, reflecting the text's aim to align myths with centralized Yamato authority.[18] The tide jewels receive more detailed portrayal as dual artifacts—one for ebbing and one for flowing—symbolizing controlled natural forces in service to divine hierarchy, and Watatsumi's interactions emphasize ritual submission to Amaterasu's lineage.[18] These variations between the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki stem from differing compilation agendas: the former preserves archaic, localized oral traditions with vivid, regional details, while the latter imposes a Sinicized structure to legitimize imperial rule, subordinating sea deities to solar sovereignty.[5] Such textual differences illustrate evolving mythological frameworks during the Nara period, adapting indigenous beliefs to state ideology.[5] Watatsumi's portrayal in these foundational texts influenced subsequent chronicles like the Fudoki, eighth-century provincial gazetteers that incorporate regional sea legends echoing the sea god's motifs of underwater realms and tidal mastery.[19] For instance, in the Izumo Fudoki, Watatsumi appears in tales of marine kami aiding or challenging land-based figures, extending the Kojiki-Nihon Shoki archetype to localized narratives of coastal harmony and conflict.[20] Similarly, the Harima Fudoki references sea deities akin to Watatsumi in etiological stories of bays and tides, demonstrating how central myths disseminated into peripheral lore.[20]Variants and Identifications
Ōwatatsumi
Ōwatatsumi, known as the "Great Watatsumi" or Ōwatatsumi no kami, serves as the paramount sea deity in Japanese mythology, embodying sovereignty over the entirety of the oceans, tides, winds, waves, and rains. This figure is frequently equated with Ryūjin, the dragon god who resides in the opulent underwater palace of Ryūgū-jō and wields magical tide jewels—kanju and manju—to command the sea's rhythms, ensuring maritime bounty and protection for seafarers and fishermen.[6] In medieval literature, such as the Heike Monogatari, Ōwatatsumi is associated with the underwater palace Ryūgū-jō, where legends place the souls of drowned figures like Emperor Antoku after the battle of Dan-no-ura.[21] Medieval developments further elevated Ōwatatsumi through syncretic fusion with the Buddhist dragon kings (Ryūō), merging indigenous Shinto reverence for natural forces with esoteric Buddhist motifs of protective nagas and cosmic guardians, a process that integrated continental dragon lore to portray Ōwatatsumi as a multifaceted entity overseeing both physical seas and spiritual waters.[6] Distinguished from subordinate Watatsumi entities like the Sanjin Watatsumi—who oversee localized waters such as upper, middle, and lower seas—Ōwatatsumi encapsulates a transcendent, all-encompassing authority, symbolizing the infinite expanse and unpredictable might of the global marine domain rather than confined regional influences.[6]Watatsumi Sanjin
Watatsumi Sanjin, known as the Three Watatsumi Gods, represent a triad of sea deities in Shinto mythology who govern the ocean's stratified realms. These include Uwa no Watatsumi no Kami (Upper Sea Possessor God), Naka no Watatsumi no Kami (Middle Sea Possessor God), and Soko no Watatsumi no Kami (Bottom Sea Possessor God), embodying the upper, middle, and lower layers of the sea.[22] According to ancient texts, they were born when Izanagi bathed in the sea, emerging from its bottom, middle, and surface layers respectively.[23] As ancestral kami of maritime clans, the Watatsumi Sanjin hold a foundational role in overseeing oceanic domains and ensuring the spiritual balance of waters essential for fishing and navigation.[24] Their creation underscores the mythological linkage between purification rites and the birth of elemental forces, positioning them as primordial rulers distinct from later syncretic figures like the dragon deity Ryūjin, who is often depicted as the overarching sea lord in folk traditions.[25] In cultural interpretations, the triad symbolizes the ocean's profound depth and the imperative for human reverence toward sea kami to avert calamities such as tsunamis while fostering harmony with marine life.[22] Shrines dedicated to Watatsumi, such as those along coastal regions, invoke these deities for safe voyages and bountiful catches, reflecting their enduring influence on Japanese maritime spirituality.[4]Worship and Shrines
Major Shrines and Locations
One of the principal shrines dedicated to Watatsumi is Shikaumi Shrine, located on Shikanoshima Island in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu. Established during the period when the seafaring Azumi clan dominated northern Kyushu from the 3rd to 7th centuries, the shrine is revered as the ancestral site for these ancient mariners and serves as a principal site for Watatsumi worship.[26] Dedicated to the three Watatsumi-no-Mikoto—representing the upper, middle, and lower seas—it holds geographical significance as the guardian of Hakata Bay, a vital maritime gateway for trade and defense in ancient times.[27] Legendarily founded by Empress Jingū around the 3rd century before her campaign to Korea, its structures reflect 6th-century developments emphasizing protection for seafarers.[28] In Osaka, Sumiyoshi Taisha incorporates syncretic worship of Ōwatatsumi through its subsidiary Daikai Jinja, predating the main shrine's early 3rd-century establishment. Daikai Jinja was originally dedicated solely to Watatsumi as a powerful sea god invoked by sailors for voyage protection, highlighting Osaka's role as a historical port linking inland capitals like Nara and Kyoto to the sea.[29] The site's geographical importance lies in its proximity to the Seto Inland Sea, facilitating imperial maritime activities. Architectural elements include sea-facing orientations and dragon motifs symbolizing Watatsumi's draconic nature, such as carved serpentine guardians on shrine pillars and roofs.[30] Along Kyushu's southern coast in Miyazaki Prefecture, shrines tied to the Hoori legend underscore Watatsumi's mythological ties to the sea. Aoshima Shrine, situated on a small island accessible by a land bridge, enshrines Hoori-no-Mikoto and his wife Toyotama-hime, daughter of Watatsumi, with its vermilion torii gate emerging from the waves to symbolize safe passage.[31] Nearby Udo Jingu, nestled in a seaside cave, commemorates Toyotama's childbirth and features rock formations interpreted as protective symbols, oriented toward the Pacific Ocean for maritime blessings. These sites' coastal positions reflect their role in honoring the legend's oceanic realm.[32] Watatsumi is also enshrined at numerous sites across Japan, including over 600 Sumiyoshi shrines associated with the Sumiyoshi Sanjin, who are often identified with the sea deity triad. A notable example is Watatsumi Shrine in Kobe's Tarumi-ku, legendarily founded by Empress Jingū in the 3rd century CE as a guardian for seafarers. During the Nara period (710–794 CE), these shrines witnessed imperial engagements for sea safety, as envoys prepared for perilous voyages to Tang China. Sumiyoshi Taisha, for instance, received court patronage for rituals ensuring safe crossings, with records indicating prayers at such sites before dispatching missions comprising up to 600 members.[3] Dragon motifs proliferated in shrine art during this era, evoking Watatsumi's serpentine form to invoke divine safeguarding over imperial fleets.[33]Rituals and Cultural Practices
Rituals honoring Watatsumi, the sea deity, are deeply embedded in Japan's coastal maritime culture, serving to seek protection for fishermen, ensure safe voyages, and express gratitude for ocean bounty. These practices emphasize communal participation and symbolic acts that connect participants to the deity's domain. Annual festivals, such as the Watatsumi Matsuri held at Watatsumi Shrine in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, typically occur in early June and feature mikoshi processions through the town, culminating in a special stage at the local fish market. These events include sacred performances like the Tiger Dance and Kagura, which invoke Watatsumi's benevolence for prosperous fishing seasons and highlight the shrine's ties to the ocean deity. Purification rites known as misogi are central to Watatsumi worship, involving full-body immersion in seawater to remove spiritual impurities and prepare devotees for interaction with the kami. Practitioners often perform these at coastal shrines dedicated to sea deities, using the ocean's natural waters to symbolize renewal and harmony with Watatsumi's realm. Accompanying offerings typically include fresh fish, representing marine abundance, and sake, a staple in Shinto invocations for safe seas and abundant harvests from the waters.[34][35] In fishing guilds and coastal communities, Watatsumi's influence extends to protective customs, such as irezumi tattoos depicting dragon forms—echoing the deity's serpentine associations—to ward off dangers at sea and attract good fortune. These intricate designs, often featuring coiling dragons amid waves, are worn by fishermen as talismans for resilience and success.[36]Genealogy and Relations
Parentage and Family Tree
In Shinto cosmology as described in the Kojiki, Ōwatatsumi no kami, the primary manifestation of the sea deity Watatsumi, emerges as one of the numerous kami born to the primordial progenitors Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto during the kamiumi, or the generative birth of the gods.[4] This process follows the creation of the Japanese islands and precedes the more famous ablution births, positioning Watatsumi among the elemental deities governing natural domains such as seas, winds, and terrains, akin to siblings like Ōyamatsumi (great mountain god) and other localized forces.[4] The Nihon Shoki echoes this origin but refers to the deity as Watatsumi no Mikoto, emphasizing a similar direct descent from the creator pair without specifying the exact sequence among the early kami births.[4] A variant genealogy appears in both texts during Izanagi's purification ritual after his journey to Yomi (the underworld), where three additional Watatsumi kami—Uwatsu-watatsumi no Kami (upper sea god), Nakatsu-watatsumi no Kami (middle sea god), and Sokotsu-watatsumi no Kami (bottom sea god)—are produced from the water used in his ablutions, collectively known as the Sanjin Watatsumi or three water deities.[4] These are sometimes interpreted as aspects or subordinates of the primary Ōwatatsumi, representing stratified layers of the ocean, though the Kojiki treats the original kamiumi-born Watatsumi as the central patriarchal figure of the sea realm.[4] This places Watatsumi in a broad sibling cohort with the terrestrial and atmospheric kami from Izanagi and Izanami's unions, distinct from but contemporaneous with the heavenly lineage stemming from Izanagi's later ablutions, such as Amaterasu Ōmikami (sun goddess), who governs the celestial plain.[4] Watatsumi's immediate family centers on his daughter Toyotama-bime no Mikoto, a princess of the undersea palace who marries Hoori no Mikoto (also known as Yamasachi-hiko), the earthly grandson of Amaterasu, in a union that bridges sea and land realms.[37] Toyotama-bime bears Hoori a son, Ugayafukiaezu no Mikoto, making the latter Watatsumi's grandson; Ugayafukiaezu is raised by his maternal aunt Tamayori-bime (another daughter of Watatsumi) after Toyotama-bime returns to the sea following childbirth.[37][38] Ugayafukiaezu then weds Tamayori-bime, producing four sons, the eldest of whom is Kamuyamato Iware-biko no Mikoto, posthumously titled Emperor Jimmu, the legendary first emperor of Japan and Watatsumi's great-grandson through this intertwined lineage.[38] The familial lineage from the primordial creators to Watatsumi's sea branch can be outlined as follows: Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto beget Ōwatatsumi no Kami among the early elemental offspring; Ōwatatsumi sires Toyotama-bime no Mikoto (and her sister Tamayori-bime no Mikoto); Toyotama-bime unions with Hoori no Mikoto to produce Ugayafukiaezu no Mikoto; and Ugayafukiaezu with Tamayori-bime yields Emperor Jimmu no Mikoto, thereby linking the oceanic dynasty to the imperial line.[4][37][38] This structure underscores Watatsumi's role as a foundational uncle-like figure to the solar-heavenly descent of Amaterasu, whose grandson Hoori integrates the sea branch into the broader cosmological family tree without direct overlap in generations.[4] The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki present minor textual variances, such as the Nihon Shoki's alternate account of Toyotama-bime's postpartum return to Watatsumi's palace, but consistently affirm this nuclear sea genealogy as integral to Shinto origins.[37]Connections to Other Deities and the Imperial Lineage
In Japanese mythology, Watatsumi demonstrates subordination to Amaterasu through the pivotal marriage of his daughter, Toyotama-hime, to Hoori (also known as Hiko-hoho-demi), the grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu.[10] This union symbolizes the integration of sea and heavenly realms, with Watatsumi's underwater palace serving as a divine embassy where Hoori is welcomed and aided in his quests, reinforcing Amaterasu's overarching authority over the pantheon.[39] The palace, described as a magnificent coral structure, facilitates diplomatic exchanges between the terrestrial-heavenly lineage and the oceanic domain, underscoring Watatsumi's role as a supportive ally rather than an equal.[39] Watatsumi's connections extend directly to the imperial lineage via Toyotama-hime and Hoori's son, Ugayafukiaezu, who becomes the father of Emperor Jimmu, the legendary founder of Japan's imperial dynasty.[10] This genealogy establishes a sea-land unity in emperorship myths, portraying the emperor as a descendant of both Amaterasu's celestial line and Watatsumi's marine heritage, thereby legitimizing divine rule over unified territories.[40] The narrative emphasizes harmony between oceanic and earthly powers, with Watatsumi's blessings—such as the tidal jewels granted to Hoori—symbolizing the sea's contribution to imperial stability and prosperity.[39] Syncretism between Watatsumi and Susanoo manifests as a brotherly or rival dynamic, given their overlapping domains as sea and storm deities in ancient texts.[41] Susanoo, assigned governance over the seas in variants of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, shares attributes with Watatsumi as a turbulent oceanic force, leading to identifications where Susanoo's stormy aspects complement Watatsumi's calmer waters, fostering a fraternal alliance in broader pantheon interpretations.[24] This relational tension, occasionally depicted as rivalry over maritime control, evolved through medieval syncretic practices, blending their worship in coastal shrines to invoke protection against tempests.[24] During the Meiji era, Watatsumi's lineage influenced state Shinto by supporting narratives of maritime expansion, framing Japan's imperial destiny as an extension of ancient sea-land unity.[40] Official ideologies drew on Watatsumi's ties to the imperial family to justify naval ambitions and colonization, portraying the emperor's divine descent as encompassing oceanic domains for national unification and overseas outreach.[42] This integration elevated Watatsumi in state rituals, aligning mythological alliances with modern geopolitical strategies.[40]References
- https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Nihongi/Book_I