In Japanese mythology, the story of the birth of the gods (神産み Kamiumi) occurs after the creation of Japan (Kuniumi) and refers to the birth of the kami, descendants of Izanagi and Izanami.
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According to the Kojiki, various gods were born from the relationship between Izanagi and Izanami until the fire deity, Kagutsuchi, 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 gods 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 gods had arisen, causing the flight of Izanagi to the world of the living.[4] Then Izanagi performed the misogi ritual purification through which more gods are born.[5] The last of these are the three most important gods of Shinto: Amaterasu, goddess of the sun; Tsukuyomi, deity of the moon; and Susanoo, god of the sea.[6]
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 gods, among them the Katakurokushin (家宅六神), deities of the wind, trees and meadows, all born spontaneously:[1]
After the agony, Izanami dies. At the time Izanagi crept moaning about the body and mourned her death. From his tears 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 (天之尾羽張, also known as Itsu-no-ohabari).[2][3]
From the blood of Kagutsuchi the following gods emerged:[3]
Also, from the body of Kagutsuchi the following gods were born:[3]
Izanagi then decided to bring back Izanami and goes to Yomi, 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!
Izanami replied:
Too bad you did not come before, for I have eaten in the country of Yomi! ... however, I will consult with the gods of Yomi. Under no circumstances you may look at me!
On saying this, Izanami entered the palace of these gods. 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]
Izanagi, shocked, decided to return home, but Izanami was embarrassed by his appearance and commands the Yomotsushikome (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, throws it to the ground where it turns into a bunch of grapes. The Yomotsushikome start to eat them but keep 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 becomes bamboo shoots prompting the Yomotsushikome to eat them and enabling Izanagi to flee.[4]
However, Izanami decided to release the eight gods of thunder and 1,500 warriors from Yomi to continue the pursuit. Izanagi draws and brandishes his ten-grasp[nb 1] sword to continue his flight. As they kept on pursuing him, Izanagi on reaching the Yomotsu-hirasaka (黄泉比良坂), the slope that descends from the land of the living to Yomi, took three peaches from a tree that had grown in that place and throws them at his followers so that they flee.[4]
Izanagi commented:
Assistance to all people when they are tired and face difficulties
These peaches were called: Ohokamuzumi-no-mikoto (意富加牟豆美命).[4]
Finally Izanami persecutes Izanagi, but he lifts a rock that a thousand men could not move and blocks with it the slope. At that moment their eyes meet for the last time.[4]
Izanami says:
If you behave in this way, I will strangle and kill one thousand men of your land in one day!
Izanagi replies:
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.
These words justify the circle of life and death in humans. For the same reason, Izanami is also called Yomotsu-ohokami (黄泉津大神) or Chishiki-no-ohokami (道敷大神) and the boulder that covers the entrance to the world of the dead is known as Chikaeshi-no-ohokami (道返之大神) or Yomido-no-ohokami (黄泉戸大神) and is today known as slope of Ifuya (伊賦夜坂) in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture.[4]
Leaving Yomi, Izanagi decided to remove all uncleanness in his body through a purification ceremony (misogi) consisting 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 gods are born:[5]
Subsequently Izanagi is stripped of impurities from the land of Yomi. In this moment two gods were born:
Then, shaking off the curse, three gods were born:
Then, when washing with water the lower parts of his body, two gods were born;
When washing the middle of his body, two more gods were born:
Finally, washing the upper part of his body, two more gods were born:
The trio of Sokotsuwatatsumi, Nakatsuwatatsumi and Uhatsuwatatsumi make up the group of deities called Sanjin Watatsumi, or the gods of water. The trio of Sokotsutsunoo, Nakatsutsunoo and Uhatsutsunoo make up the Sumiyoshi Sanjin group of deities, gods 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 Amaterasu Ohomikami (天照大御神) was born; washed his right eye from which Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto (月読命) was born; and when washing his nose, Takehayasusanoo-no-mikoto (建速須佐之男命) was born.[5]
With these three gods called Mihashira-no-uzu-no-miko (三貴子, ”Three precious children”), 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 Takehayasusanoo is to rule the seas.[6]
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