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Kuniyuzuri
The was a mythological event in Japanese prehistory, related in sources such as the ''Kojiki'' and the ''Nihon Shoki''. It relates the story of how the rulership of Japan passed from the earthly ''kami'' (''kunitsukami'') to the ''kami'' of Heaven (''amatsukami'') and their eventual descendants, the Imperial House of Japan. Background The ''Kojiki'' and the ''Nihon Shoki'' both relate that the Japanese archipelago were created by the primordial couple Izanagi and Izanami, who also brought forth many gods into existence, three of which – Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo – were appointed to govern the sky (Takamagahara, the 'Plain of High Heaven'), the night, and the seas, respectively. Susanoo, expelled by Izanagi either because he refused to perform his allotted task of ruling the sea (''Kojiki'') or his impetuous nature (''Nihon Shoki''), went to Takamagahara to see his sister. Suspected of insurrection, Susanoo protested his innocence, at which the two gods underwent a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amatsukami
is a category of kami in Japanese mythology. Generally speaking, it refers to kami born in, or residing in, Takamagahara. ''Amatsukami'' is one of the three categories of kami, along with their earthly counterpart , and . In the time of Ninigi the ownership of land was moved from Kunitsukami to Amatsukami. Mythology ''Amatsukami'' refers to kami residing in Takamagahara, along with kami who were born in Takamagahara but later descended to Japan. In the mythological event of kuni-yuzuri, the descendants of ''amatsukami'' descended to pacify the world, which was occupied by the ''kunitsukami''. Susanoo-no-Mikoto, who was cast out of Takamagahara, and his descendants, such as Ōkuninushi, are considered to be Kunitsugami. List of ''amatsukami'' * Kotoamatsukami ** Amenominakanushi ** Takamimusubi ** Kamimusubi ** Umashiashikabihikoji ** Amenotokotachi * Kamiyonanayo ** Kuninotokotachi ** ** ** ** ** **Izanagi and Izanami *Shusaishin **Amaterasu *Others ** Ame no Hohi ** ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kojiki
The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperial line. It is claimed in its preface to have been composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Genmei in the early 8th century (711–712), and thus is usually considered to be the oldest extant literary work in Japan. The myths contained in the as well as the are part of the inspiration behind many practices and unified "Shinto orthodoxy". Later, they were incorporated into Shinto practices such as the purification ritual. Composition It is believed that the compilation of various genealogical and anecdotal histories of the imperial (Yamato) court and prominent clans began during the reigns of Emperors Keitai and Kinmei in the 6th century, with the first concerted effort at historical compilation of which we have record ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magatama
are curved, comma-shaped beads that appeared in prehistoric Japan from the Jōmon period, Final Jōmon period through the Kofun period, approximately 1000 BCE to the 6th century CE. The beads, also described as jewels, were made of stone and earthen materials in the early period, but by the end of the Kofun period were made almost exclusively of jade. originally served as decorative jewelry, but by the end of the Kofun period functioned as ceremonial and religious objects. Jōmon period first appeared in Japan in the Jōmon period, Final Jōmon period (1000–300 BCE), and in this period were made from relatively simple, naturally occurring materials, including clay, talc, slate, quartz, gneiss, jadeite, nephrite, and serpentinite. from the Jōmon period were irregularly shaped, lacked continuity in form from region to region, and have been called "Stone Age " for this reason. are thought to be an imitation of the teeth of large animals, pierced with a hole, which are found ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Takamimusubi
Takamimusubi (高御産巣日, lit. "High Generative Force") is a Creator deity, creation deity in Japanese mythology, who was the second of the Kotoamatsukami, first beings to come into existence. It is speculated that Takamimusubi was originally the tutelary deity for the Imperial House of Japan, Japanese imperial family. According to the Kojiki, Takamimusubi was a hitorigami. Mythology According to ''Kojiki'', when the Japanese creation myth, heaven and earth were created, Ame-no-Minakanushi was the first one to appear in Takamagahara, Takamimusubi the second, and Kamimusubi the third. Together with Amaterasu, he jointly rules the Takamagahara. One myth tells of a bird named Nakime who was sent down to earth to check in on Ame-no-wakahiko, Amewakahiko. Amewakahiko shot the bird with his bow. The arrow pierced through the bird, but the arrow flew all the way to heaven. Takamimusubi saw the arrow and threw it back at the earth where it hit Amewakahiko while he was lying in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kotoamatsukami
In Shinto, is the collective name for the first gods which came into existence at the time of the creation of the universe. They were born in Takamagahara, the world of Heaven at the time of the creation. Unlike the later gods, these deities were born without any procreation. The three deities that first appeared were: * - Central Master * - High Creator * - Divine Creator A bit later, two more deities came into existence: *Umashiashikabihikoji Japanese Wiki (Corpus). - Energy * (天之常立神) Japanese Wiki (Corpus). - Heaven The next generation of gods that followed was the [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sukunabikona
Sukunabikona or Sukuna bikona (少彦名神, also known as Sukuna-biko, Sukuna-biko-na, Sukuna hikona) is the Shinto kami of the ''onsen'' (hot springs), agriculture, healing, magic, brewing sake and knowledge. His name means "the small lord of renown." He is often described as being a dwarf and is frequently paired with Ōkuninushi.Handbook of Japanese Mythology by Michael Ashkenazi, ABC-CLIO, 2003 Adventures with Ōkuninushi One day while Ōkuninushi was at Miho Bay, he saw a small boat on the whitecap waves. The boat was made of a Metaplexis pod. Inside was a small dwarf, no bigger than a thumb. Ōkuninushi picked him up, and Sukuna-biko-na bit him on the cheek. Ōkuninushi asked him his name, but he would not reply. Then a nearby toad said to bring Sukuna-biko-na to Kuebiko the kami of agriculture, as the scarecrow god would know. When Kuebiko saw the dwarf, he said "That is Sukuna son of Kami-Musubi." Kamimusubi is part of the primordial creator trinity with Takamimusubi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Koshi Province (Japan)
was an ancient province or region of Japan in what is now the Hokuriku region. The region as a whole was sometimes referred to as . Koshi appears as one of the original provinces in the ''Nihon Shoki''. In 598 AD, the residents of Koshi presented a white deer to Empress Suiko as tribute. At the end of the 7th century, Koshi was divided into three separate provinces: Echizen, Etchū, and Echigo (as noted in the Taihō Code). The names of these provinces mean 'Inner-Koshi' (Echizen), 'Middle-Koshi' (Etchu), and 'Outer-Koshi' (Echigo), respectively, indicating their relative positions with respect to the capital region (Kinki) at the time the Ritsuryō system was enacted. Later, parts of Echizen were separated off into Noto and Kaga provinces. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Koshi''" in . See also * Koshibito * Hokurikudō * Hokuriku subregion Notes References * Asiatic Society of Japan. (1874). ''Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan.'' Yokohama: The Societ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ōkuninushi
Ōkuninushi (; historical orthography: , ), also known as Ō(a)namuchi (''Oho(a)namuchi'') or Ō(a)namochi (''Oho(a)namochi'') among other variants, is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology. He is one of the central deities in the cycle of myths recorded in the () and the (720 CE) alongside the sun goddess Amaterasu and her brother, the wild god Susanoo, who is reckoned to be either Ōkuninushi's distant ancestor or father. In these texts, Ōkuninushi (Ōnamuchi) is portrayed as the head of the ''kunitsukami'', the gods of the earth, and the original ruler of the terrestrial world, named Ashihara no Nakatsukuni (葦原中国, the "Central Land of Reed Plains"). When the heavenly deities ('' amatsukami'') headed by Amaterasu demanded that he relinquish his rule over the land, Ōkuninushi agreed to their terms and withdrew into the unseen world (幽世, ''kakuriyo''), which was given to him to rule over in exchange. Amaterasu's grandson Ninigi then came down from heaven to gover ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Koto (instrument)
The is a Japanese plucked half-tube zither instrument, and the national instrument of Japan. It is derived from the Chinese and , and similar to the Mongolian , the Korean and , the Vietnamese , the Sundanese and the Kazakh . Koto are roughly in length, and made from Paulownia wood ('' Paulownia tomentosa'', known as ). The most common type uses 13 strings strung over movable bridges used for tuning, different pieces possibly requiring different tuning. Seventeen-string koto are also common, and act as bass in ensembles. Koto strings are generally plucked using three fingerpicks (), worn on the first three fingers of the right hand. Names and types The character for ''koto'' is , although is often used. However, (''koto'') is the general term for all string instruments in the Japanese language,(jaKotobank koto/ref> including instruments such as the , , , , , and so on. When read as , it indicates the Chinese instrument . The term is used today in the same way. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inaba Province
was a Provinces of Japan, former province in the area that is today the eastern half of Tottori Prefecture in the San'in region of Japan. Inaba was bordered by Hōki Province, Hōki, Mimasaka Province, Mimasaka, Harima Province, Harima and Tajima Province, Tajima Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of the Gokishichidō system, Inaba was one of the provinces of the San'indo circuit. Under the ''Engishiki'' classification system, Inaba was ranked as one of the 35 "superior countries" (上国) in terms of importance, and one of the "near countries" (近国) in terms of distance from the capital. The kokufu, provincial capital was located in what is now the city of Tottori (city), Tottori. The ''ichinomiya'' of the province is the Ube shrine also located in the city of Tottori. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yomi
is the Japanese language, Japanese word for the underworld, land of the dead (World of Darkness). According to Shinto mythology as related in ''Kojiki'', this is where the dead go in the afterlife. Once one has eaten at the hearth of Yomi it is (mostly) impossible to return to the land of the living. Yomi is most commonly known for Izanami's retreat to that place after her death. Izanagi followed her there and upon his return he washed himself, creating Amaterasu, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Susanoo, and Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto in the process. This realm of the dead geographical continuity with this world and certainly cannot be thought of as a paradise to which one would aspire, nor can it appropriately be described as a hell in which one suffers retribution for past deeds; rather, all deceased carry on a gloomy and shadowy existence in perpetuity, regardless of their behavior in life. Scholars believe that the image of Yomi was derived from ancient Japanese tombs in which corpses were lef ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kushinadahime
, also known as or Inadahime (稲田姫、いなだひめ) among other names, is a goddess (''kami'') in Japanese mythology and the Shinto faith. According to these traditions, she is one of the wives of the god Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Susanoo, who rescued her from the monster Yamata no Orochi. As Susanoo's wife, she is a central deity of the Gion cult and worshipped at Yasaka Shrine. Name The goddess is named 'Kushinadahime' (櫛名田比売) in the ''Kojiki'', while the ''Nihon Shoki'' variously names her 'Kushiinadahime' (奇稲田姫), 'Inadahime' (稲田姫), and 'Makamifuru-Kushiinadahime' (真髪触奇稲田媛). 'Inadahime' may be translated either as "lady / princess ('':wikt:姫#Etymology 1 2, hime'') of Inada", with "Inada" (稲田) here being understood as the name of a place in Izumo Province (part of what is now the town of Okuizumo, Shimane, Okuizumo (formerly Yokota, Shimane, Yokota) in Nita District, Shimane, Nita District, Shimane Prefecture), or "lady / princess ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
