Creation Myth of Japan
Japanese Creation Myth
The world started with an egg containing all things. Over the years, the eggs darker and lighter parts drew away creating the earth and the heavens. The earth was the darker part, IN or also yin. The heavens was lighter, YO or yang. YO and IN are opposites and can not survive without each other. From the separation the first beings emerged, Izanagi which resembles YO and Izanami who resembles IN. YO is male and IN female.
Izanagi and Izanami found themselves standing on a bridge above a vast darkness sounding like rushing water. They asked each other if there was land beneath them, all the while Izanagi thrust a spear tipped with jewels into the water below.
When the spear came back up, the water seemed to have created an island called Onogoro-jima which means a spontaneously created island. They both descend to the island in which they decide to live and build the island. They decide to get married and walk around the world axle in opposite directions and meet again. They walked for months.
When they finally meet, Izanami exclaimed “What a wonderful man I have met!”
Izanagi did not like the fact that he was not the first to speak and ordered that they walk around the world axle again and do it correctly. When they met again, Izanagi was first to speak, “What a lovely women I have met!”
They explained to each other that they had an empty part in them and they each complete each other as husband and wife.
Over the years, they have many children, the first being the island of Ahaji and six more creating an eight island country known as Japan.
After creating the eight island country, Izanagi and Izanami have several more children who became gods or elements. Their last child the god of fire killed Izanami during birth sending her to Yomi, the underworld.
The world started with an egg containing all things. Over the years, the eggs darker and lighter parts drew away creating the earth and the heavens. The earth was the darker part, IN or also yin. The heavens was lighter, YO or yang. YO and IN are opposites and can not survive without each other. From the separation the first beings emerged, Izanagi which resembles YO and Izanami who resembles IN. YO is male and IN female.
Izanagi and Izanami found themselves standing on a bridge above a vast darkness sounding like rushing water. They asked each other if there was land beneath them, all the while Izanagi thrust a spear tipped with jewels into the water below.
When the spear came back up, the water seemed to have created an island called Onogoro-jima which means a spontaneously created island. They both descend to the island in which they decide to live and build the island. They decide to get married and walk around the world axle in opposite directions and meet again. They walked for months.
When they finally meet, Izanami exclaimed “What a wonderful man I have met!”
Izanagi did not like the fact that he was not the first to speak and ordered that they walk around the world axle again and do it correctly. When they met again, Izanagi was first to speak, “What a lovely women I have met!”
They explained to each other that they had an empty part in them and they each complete each other as husband and wife.
Over the years, they have many children, the first being the island of Ahaji and six more creating an eight island country known as Japan.
After creating the eight island country, Izanagi and Izanami have several more children who became gods or elements. Their last child the god of fire killed Izanami during birth sending her to Yomi, the underworld.