Reading Notes Part A: Japanese Mythology

Story source: Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).

Izanami, goddess of mortals

Izanagi and Izanami

Izanami is mother of the sun goddess Amaterasu and also wife of Izanagi. None were like Amaterasu for she was most radiant and graceful. 

Izanami, goddess of mortals loved the Earth children very much. She loved them so much and wanted to give them everything that the other gods became jealous(what's new). They said she loved the Earth children more than the gods. 

This put Izanami in a depressed state and she withdrew to the mountains where she bore her son Susanoo, god of fire. This boy had an evil heart and she grew very afraid of this so she bore another son, god of water. Izanami then died from the pain of birth and her sorrows to Yomi, a place of departed souls. 

In Izanagi's sadness of his wife's death he finds a way to Yomi to get back his lost wife. However, it was too late she had already eaten the bread of Yomi and returned to the Underworld. 

The Miraculous Mirror

Susanoo scared his sister Amaterasu into hiding. The people were very sad and called for her to return. From their prayers a god fashioned a mirror of gold that gave a miraculous light. 

The poeple and the god Uzume, god of laughter hid with the mirror. He brought howls of laughter from the people in the moonlight. Amaterasu heard this commotion and asked what it was about. The god of laughter then told Amaterasu there was someone more fair than she. This got the goddess's attention. 

The sun goddess became very jealous when she looked into the mirror and saw such brightness and pure beauty. She then ran out of the cave out of pure anger. When she left the cave she shone her beautiful brightness to all the world. 

The Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi

Susanoo went into the mountains and found two parents with one daughter. Susanoo then asked what they were doing there? If they were humans or gods, for no human would live up in the mountains. The two parents admitted they were deities. They said that they once had eight daughters but the eight-forked serpent had eaten all but one. 

They knew for sure she would also be eaten by the serpent and begged Susanoo to help them. He said he would kill the serpent if they would give the daughter to him to marry. They first asked who he was. When he said he was the brother of Amaterasu they were thrilled and accepted. 

Susanoo then made the daughter into a comb and put it in his hair while he made a plan to kill the serpent. 

Susanoo got gallons of sake and made a channel and filled it with the booze. The serpent finally made its way around and got very drunk. Once the snake was unconscious Susanoo chopped it into eight pieces. After the snake was dead he turned the daughter back into a human and they got married.