|
Susanoo
__FORCETOC__ Susanoo (, ; historical orthography: , ), often referred to by the honorific title Susanoo-no-Mikoto (), is a in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical ancestress of the Japanese imperial line, he is a multifaceted deity with contradictory characteristics (both good and bad), being portrayed in various stories either as a wild, impetuous god associated with the sea and storms, as a heroic figure who killed a monstrous serpent, or as a local deity linked with the harvest and agriculture. Syncretic beliefs of the Gion cult that arose after the introduction of Buddhism to Japan also saw Susanoo becoming conflated with deities of pestilence and disease. Susanoo, alongside Amaterasu and the earthly Ōkuninushi (also Ōnamuchi) – depicted as either Susanoo's son or scion depending on the source – is one of the central deities of the imperial Japanese mythological cycle recorded in the ( CE) and the (720 CE). One ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yamata No Orochi
Yamata no Orochi (ヤマタノオロチ, also written as 八岐大蛇, 八俣遠呂智 or 八俣遠呂知) is a legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed serpent that appears in Japanese mythology. Both the ''Kojiki'' and ''Nihon Shoki'' record the serpent as being slain by the god Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Susanoo, in order to rescue the goddess Kushinadahime, Kushinada-hime. It is also noted that the Kusanagi no Tsurugi, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, one of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, Three Sacred Treasures, was found within the serpent's tail. In local tradition, Yamata no Orochi was believed to have survived their encounter with Susanoo and fled to Mount Ibuki, where they were venerated as Ibuki Daimyōjin (伊吹大明神). Additionally, figures such as Emperor Antoku and the Longnü, Nāga Maiden have been identified as incarnations of Yamata no Orochi. Name The name ''Yamata no Orochi'' (八俣遠呂智 in the ''Kojiki'', 八岐大蛇 in the ''Nihon Shoki'') is variously translated as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amaterasu
, often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (''kami'') of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () and the (720 CE), as the ruler (or one of the rulers) of the heavenly realm Takamagahara and as the mythical ancestress of the Imperial House of Japan via her grandson Ninigi. Along with two of her siblings (the moon deity Tsukuyomi and the impetuous storm-god Susanoo) she ranks as one of the "Three Precious Children" (, ), the three most important offspring of the creator god Izanagi. Amaterasu's chief place of worship, the Grand Shrine of Ise in Ise, Mie Prefecture, is one of Shinto's holiest sites and a major pilgrimage center and tourist spot. As with other Shinto ''kami'', she is also enshrined in a number of Shinto shrines throughout Japan. Name The goddess is referred to as ''Amaterasu Ōmikami'' ( / ; historical orthogr ... [...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] |
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] |
Gozu Tennō
Gozu Tennō (牛頭天王, lit. "Ox-Headed Heavenly King") is a syncretic Japanese deity of disease and healing. Originally imported to Japan from mainland Asia, he was regarded since the Heian period both as a causer of and protector against epidemics and eventually became amalgamated with the native ''kami'' Susanoo during the medieval and early modern periods. During the Meiji period, when the government mandated the separation of Shinto and Buddhism, Shinto shrines dedicated to Gozu Tennō of the Gion cult tradition such as Yasaka Shrine in the Gion district of Kyoto or Tsushima Shrine in Tsushima, Aichi Prefecture or Hiromine Shrine in Hyōgo Prefecture officially reidentified their enshrined deity as Susanoo. Overview The origins and early development of the Gozu Tennō cult before it reached Japan, as well as the process of his amalgamation with other deities, are unclear and a matter of debate. One theory for instance claims that Gozu Tennō was originally a minor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto
, or simply or , is the moon kami in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. The name "Tsukuyomi" is a compound of the Old Japanese words and . The ''Nihon Shoki'' mentions this name spelled as , but this ''yumi'' is likely a variation in pronunciation of ''yomi''. An alternative interpretation is that his name is a combination of and . ''-no-Mikoto'' is a common honorific appended to the names of Kami; it may be understood as similar to the English honorific 'the Great'. In ''Man'yōshū'', Tsukuyomi's name is sometimes rendered as , implying that he is male. Myth Tsukuyomi was the second of the born when Izanagi-no-Mikoto, the kami who created the first land of Onogoroshima, was cleansing himself of his kegare while bathing after escaping the underworld and the clutches of his enraged dead sister, Izanami-no-Mikoto. Tsukuyomi was born when he washed out of Izanagi's right eye. However, in an alternative story, Tsukuyomi was born from a mirror made of white copper ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Izanagi
Izanagi (イザナギ/伊邪那岐/伊弉諾) or Izanaki (イザナキ), formally referred to with a divine honorific as , is the creator deity (''kami'') of both creation and life in Japanese mythology. He and his sister-wife Izanami are the last of the seven generations of primordial deities that manifested after the formation of heaven and earth. Izanagi and Izanami are held to be the creators of the Japanese archipelago and the progenitors of many deities, which include the sun goddess Amaterasu, the moon deity Tsukuyomi, and the storm god Susanoo. He is a god that can be said to be the beginning of the current Japanese imperial family. Name His name is given in the () both as ''Izanagi-no-Kami'' (伊邪那岐神) and ''Izanagi-no-Mikoto'' (伊邪那岐命), while the '' Nihon Shoki'' (720 AD) refers to him as ''Izanagi-no-Mikoto'', with the name written in different characters (伊弉諾尊). The names ''Izanagi'' (''Izanaki'') and ''Izanami'' are often interpreted ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Izanami
, formally referred to with the honorific , is the creator deity of both creation and death in Japanese mythology, as well as the Shinto mother goddess. She and her brother-husband Izanagi are the last of the seven generations of primordial deities that manifested after the formation of heaven and earth. Izanami and Izanagi are held to be the creators of the Japanese archipelago and the progenitors of many deities, which include the sun goddess Amaterasu, the moon deity Tsukuyomi and the storm god Susanoo. In mythology, she is the direct ancestor of the Japanese imperial family. In Shinto and Japanese mythology, Izanami gave humans death, so Izanami is sometimes seen as a shinigami. Name Her name is given in the () both as ''Izanami-no-Kami'' (伊弉冉神) and ''Izanami-no-Mikoto'' (伊邪那美命), while the (720 AD) refers to her as ''Izanami-no-Mikoto'', with the name written in different characters (伊弉冉尊). The names ''Izanagi'' (''Izanaki'') and ''Izanami'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Mythology
Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of years of contact with Chinese and various Indian myths (such as Buddhist and Hindu mythology) are also key influences in Japanese religious belief. Japanese myths are tied to the topography of the archipelago as well as agriculturally-based folk religion, and the Shinto pantheon holds uncountable ''kami'' (" god(s)" or "spirits"). Two important sources for Japanese myths, as they are recognized today, are the and the . The , or "Record of Ancient Matters," is the oldest surviving account of Japan's myths, legends, and history. Additionally, the ''Shintōshū'' describes the origins of Japanese deities from a Buddhist perspective. One notable feature of Japanese mythology is its explanation of the origin of the Imperial Family, which has been used h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suga Shrine
Suga Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Unnan, Shimane Prefecture, Japan The shrine, claimed to stand on the site of the palace Shinto deity Susanoo built after defeating the Yamata no Orochi, enshrines Susanoo, Kushinadahime, and their son Yashimajinumi. According to the Kojiki it was the first Shrine in Japan. It was founded immediately after the battle when Susanoo married Kushinadahime. The Shrine is also seen as the birthplace of Waka poetry. After Susanoo wrote a poem about the surrounding area. The shrine is listed in the Izumo ''Fudoki'' as one of sixteen shrines in Ōhara District not registered with the Department of Divinities The , also known as the Department of Shinto Affairs, Department of Rites, Department of Worship, as well as Council of Divinities, was a Japanese Imperial bureaucracy established in the 8th century, as part of the reforms. It was first establish .... References Susanoo-no-Mikoto shrines Gion shrines Shinto shrines in Shimane Prefectur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kumano Taisha
is a Shinto shrine located in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture. The shrine is dedicated to the god Kaburogi-kumano-okami Kushi-mike-no-mikoto (伊邪那伎日真名子加夫呂伎熊野大神櫛御気野命, "Beloved Child of Izanagi, Divine Ancestor ndGreat Deity of Kumano, Kushimikenu-no-Mikoto'), which is identified with Susanoo-no-Mikoto. The Kumano Taisha is considered one of the most sacred ''ichinomiyas'' in the Izumo Province, along with the Izumo Grand Shrine. It is not to be confused with the Kumano Sanzan shrine complex in Wakayama Prefecture. It is significant in Japanese culture as the origin of fire in Japan. The shrine is also considered in myth to be where the use of fire originated; two ancient fire-making tools, a hand drill (燧杵 ''hikiri-kine'') and a hearthboard (燧臼 ''hikiri-usu'') are kept in the shrine and used in the shrine's Sankasai Fire Festival (鑚火祭 ''Kiribi-matsuri'' or ''Sanka-sai'') held every October. Location The shrine is situated in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yaegaki Shrine
, formerly known as , is a Shinto shrine in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. History The gods ''Susanoo __FORCETOC__ Susanoo (, ; historical orthography: , ), often referred to by the honorific title Susanoo-no-Mikoto (), is a in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical ancestress of the Japanese im ...'' and princess '' Kushinada-hime'' are enshrined here. This shrine is dedicated to marriage and matchmaking. The people who come to this shrine often pray for a marriage partner, good marital relations, pregnancy and healthy child-bearing. In keeping with this theme, several large wooden phalluses can be found on the shrine's grounds. According to legend, Susanoo came across a couple who had lost seven of their eight daughters to an eight-headed serpent, the Yamata-no-orochi (lit., "Eight-Pronged-Serpent"). The serpent was due to return for the last daughter, Princess Kushinada, when Susanoo arrived. Through his ingenuit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
