Mindmap Of Basic Myths And Legends Of Japan

Goddess of the Sun Travels to heaven to say goodbye to Amaterasu Susanoo hurls a half-flayed pony at Amaterasu, killing one of her servant

Susanoo, having pissed off Izanagi, is banished to Yomi.

Amaterasu

Amaterasu doesn't trust his intentions so issues a challenge to see who was more noble

Amaterasu flees to Iwayado cave and disappears, causing darkness all over the world It was a tie, however Amaterasu insisted she one and incited Susanoo's rage

All the gods and goddesses try to convince Amaterasu to leave the cave until the kami of merriment Ama-no-Uzume decided to do a strip tease in front of the cave

All the gods roared with delight, making Amaterasu curious and she poked her head out the window A Kami pulled her from the cave and the opening was sealed with the Shimenawa rope

Incarnation of the Moon Tsukuyomi God of the Sea Susanoo is walking along a beach in western Japan and discovers chopsticks on the ground

Sun, Moon and Sea

Realizes people must be near by Ventures off looking for the people and discovers an elderly couple crying Unfortunately, Orochi, an Evil Dragon which ruled the area, had eaten one of the daughters each year for the last 7 years leaving only one daughter.

Enormous number of myths

Record of Ancient Matters - " Kojiki"

Susanoo Susanoo Vs. Orochi (The 8 Headed Dragon)

Prior to 300 AD Japan was a series of statelets Japan Unified after 400 AD

Susanoo inquires as to what's wrong and the couple explains they wanted a son bt instead had 8 daughters

Japan

Susanoo decides to stop Orochi and constructs a giant round table with 8 holes in it. Orochi smells the Sake and partakes of the libations, becoming drunk and passes out

Susanoo decides to marry the Daughter and declares himself king of the land

Within the 8 holes are 8 barrels of Sake (Japanese Rice Wine)

Susanoo Beheads the serpent, saving the 8th daughers life Has 3 sones, the two most important being Okuninushi - the earth chief and Ninigi

Izanagi Split the world evenly between the three of them: Amaterasu ruled the day, Tsukuyomi the nights and Susanoo the Sea and Storms/Weather "Lord on High" sent 7 pairs of spirits to the world to start life. All of them failed Izanagi dips his spear into the brine like ocean and when he removes it the brine drops off the spear forming the island of Onokoro

Creation Myth The 8th pair succeeded

Discover each others organs and then copulate, populating the world Izanami dies giving birth to fire Izanagi sees Izanami as a rotting corpse Izanagi flees and is chased by Izanami's keepers

Izanagi and Izanami

Izanagi and Izanami walked around the island several times and finally izanami asks how izanagi's body is different

Izanagi, missing Izanami travels to the underworld (Yomi) to see her

Izanami curses him: "You must stay here forever now that you've seen me!"

Izanagi reaches the "Even Pass" and throws 3 peaches onto the ground to distract his pursuers Pushes a large boulder in front of the pass to prevent Izanami from coming out. Izanami, vengeful, promises to kill humans every day until the race is finished

Contact with death is one of the most impure acts in Japanese Culture "Ritual Impurity"

Japan.mmap - 9/20/2007 -

Izanagi washes himself ritually after going to the land of the dead Can be atoned for via bathing

As he washes, the water from his body becomes different deities

Izanagi in response promises to cause more people to be born than she kills