The Land of mythology

I had a chance to visit Izumo in Shimane prefecture. This place is called land of Japanese myth.

The story is as follows.

It is said that a celestial couple Izanagi and Izanami made Japanese islands from above the sky.

After that, this couple went down to one of the land of Japan, and Izanami had many “gods” on there.

However after she gave the birth of the god that presides over Fire, she got burnt and died.

Mourning the death of Izanami, Izanagi went down to the land of death, where she is.

Izanagi found his wife who looks completely changed at there.

He run away to terrestrial world from her.

He went back to this world, then he had prification ceremony.

When he got in the sea and washed his face, he got three children.

First child was born from his washing right eye, second child was from his left eye, third child was from his nose.

First child is Amaterasu who is the god that presides over the sun. And it is said that she is ancestor of the Imperial household.

Second child is Tsukuyomi who is the god that presides over the moon.

Third child is named Susano-O who is the god that presides over the sea.

This god of the sea, Susano-O, was based on Izumo region.

I have followed the track of Susano-O on Japanese myth.

Susano-O landed by the Hii river which runs through Izumo region.

He met one woman who’s name was Kushinada-Hime, lived in upstream, Later she became his wife.

When he met her at Hii river, She was about to eaten by dragon which has eight heads.

Eight heads dragon already had eaten her seven old sisters until then.

Kushinada-Hime was only one person who was survived from the eight-heads-dragon.

Susano-O asked her parents whether he can get married to her or not, in exchange for beating dragon.

Her parents accepted his request.

Susano-O made her parents prepare strong rice wine, then put it in eight casks for the eight-heads-dragon.

After a while, the dragon’s figure appeared in front of casks, and began to drink each cask of rice wine.

It was not so long before the dragon fell asleep.

He took advantage this opportunity, and beated the dragon with his sword.

At that time, he got another new sword, which is one of three sacred imperial treasures called Kusanagi-sword, from the dragon’s tail.

After that, Susano-O and Kushinada-Hime got married, and they built their palace in the land of Izumo. It seems that they lived peaceful ever afterwards.