According to legend, the first gods ordered the divine beings Izanagi and Izanami to create the islands of Japan. The two stood on the floating bridge of heaven and stirred the ancient ocean with a jeweled spear. When they lifted the spear, the drops that fell back into the water formed the first solid land, an island called Onogoro (pronounced oh-NOH-goh-roh). Izanagi and Izanami descended to the island and became husband and wife. Their first child was deformed, and the other gods said it was because Izanami spoke before her husband at their marriage ceremony.
The couple performed another wedding ceremony, this time correctly. Izanami soon gave birth to eight lovely children, who became the islands of Japan. Izanagi and Izanami then created many gods and goddesses to represent the mountains, valleys, waterfalls, streams, winds, and other natural features of Japan. However, during the birth of Kagutsuchi (pronounced kah-guh-TSOO-chee), the fire god, Izanami was badly burned. As she lay dying, she continued to create gods and goddesses, and still other deities emerged from the tears of the grief-stricken Izanagi.
When Izanami died, she went to Yomi (pronounced YOH-mee), the underworld or land of the dead. Izanagi decided to go there and bring his beloved back from the land of darkness and death. Izanami greeted Izanagi from the shadows as he approached the entrance to Yomi. She warned him not to look at her and said that she would try to arrange for her release from the gods of Yomi. Full of desire for his wife, Izanagi lit a torch and looked into Yomi. Horrified to see that Izanami was a rotting corpse, Izanagi fled.
Angry that Izanagi had not respected her wishes, Izanami sent hideous female spirits, eight thunder gods, and an army of fierce warriors to chase him. Izanagi managed to escape and blocked the pass between Yomi and the land of the living with a huge boulder. Izanami met him there and, unable to get past the boulder, vowed to take revenge by strangling 1,000 people a day. Izanagi responded by saying he would cause the birth of 1,500 people a day. They broke off their marriage.
Izanagi felt unclean because of his contact with the dead, and he took a bath to purify himself. A number of gods and goddesses, both good and evil, emerged from his discarded clothing as Izanagi bathed. As he washed his face, the sun goddess Amaterasu (pronounced ah-mah-te-RAH-soo) appeared from his left eye, the moon god Tsuki-yomi (pronounced TSOO-kee-yoh-mee) appeared from his right eye, and Susano-o (pronounced soo-sah-noh-OH) came from his nose. Proud of these three noble children, Izanagi divided his kingdom among them.
World History
