The Japanese mythology Is one of the most complex systems of beliefs, because it is composed of more than 800,000 deities that are constantly increasing, laying the foundations of Shinto or Shintô (voice of the gods).
We speak of the second most influential religion in the Eastern country, which has about 108 million faithful, being only surpassed by Japanese Buddhism.
Enclosure of the Sanjusangen-do Buddhist temple in Kyoto.
The Shintô would arrive in Japan from the hands of emigrants from Korea and Mongolia, who would mix with the indigenous peoples of Japan despite being closely linked to Chinese civilization. Much of their beliefs are autochthonous, Buddhist traditions and popular beliefs typical of the agricultural.
Due to its numerous deities, Shintoism is a polytheistic religion that considers none of these as unique or predominant, however, does possess mythical narratives that explain the origin of the world and of humanity.
Unlike other mythologies such as Greek or Egyptian, it is difficult to define what is considered by the Japanese a myth and what is not.
The 20 most representative gods of Japan
1- Izanagi
Izanagi and Izanami
Also known as 'the first man', along with his wife Izanami, was given the mission to create the first land. In consensus, the other Kamis awarded them a spear decorated with jewels known as Amenonuhoko (spear of the skies), which was agitated in the ocean and, upon contact with the salt water, formed the island Onogoro where they decided to inhabit.
Upon meeting, Izanami spoke first before her husband, which caused their first two children: Hiruko and Awashima, were born deformed, reason why their parents left them at sea in a ship adrift. When they are abandoned, these first children are not considered kamis.
Izanagi and his wife ask for advice from the upper kami, who explain that in their first meeting, Izanagi had to speak first before his wife.
Subsequently, by doing things right, from their union they created more known islands like Ohoyashima, which corresponds to each of the great islands that form Japan today.
2- Izanami
Known as 'the first woman', along with her husband begin to procreate many deities. However, she dies during the birth of Kagatsuchi, the fire kami.
In pain, Izanagi goes on a trip to Yomi, the land of the dead, and in the middle of darkness, he finds his deceased wife and asks him to return with him. Izanami tells him that it is too late, because he is now part of the world of the dead and can not return to life.
Resigned, the man accepts, but before returning to the earth and while Izanami sleeps, he lights a torch in the middle of the darkness of the Yomi. Having light, he realizes that his wife is no longer the beautiful woman he used to be, now he is a decomposing body. Frightened, Izanagi flees while his enraged wife pursues him.
The man manages to escape and covers the entrance of the Yomi with a large stone from inside, Izanami shouts that if he does not let her out, she would destroy 1,000 people every day. He replied that then he would give life to 1,500, thus giving rise to death.
3- Kagutsuchi
Deity of the fire and son of Izanagi and Izanami, during its birth causes burns in the genitals of Izanami causing the death to him. Angry, his father kills him with a sword, and from the blood and mutilated body of his son are born more kamis.
His body cut into eight parts, from life to eight volcanoes. The death of Kagatsuchi marks the end of the creation of the world and the beginning of death.
Within the Japanese beliefs, he is worshiped as the god of fire and pattern of the blacksmiths. At present, they pay tribute to different shrines in Shizuoka, Kyoto and Shimane.
4- Amaterasu
After his return from the Yomi, Izanagi is purified and immersed in water for washing three of the most important Japanese deities are created, among them Amaterasu, the sun kami, considered ancestor of the royal family of emperors.
It is said that he was born from the right eye of Izanagi, and that after his birth, his father decided to divide the earth, giving Amaterasu the sky and his brother Susanoo the seas and lightning. However, this cast resulted in a sibling rivalry.
In a moment of anger, Susanoo destroys the rice fields of his sister, which causes that Amaterasu is enclosed in a cave. Without sun, the World falls into the era of cold and darkness and, while the fields die, the other kamis decide to organize a party at the entrance of the cave to get the attention of Amaterasu.
The noise outside attracted the curiosity of Amaterasu, who came out and asked what the fuss was about. The gods responded that it was a new kami, showing her reflection in a mirror. Amaterasu, who had never seen his reflection before, saw a woman full of light and warmth. At that moment he is convinced to return to heaven and give light to the world.
5- Susanoo
Kami of the sea and of storms, is the third son born of the face of Izanagi, specific of its nose. Facing his sister and causing her confinement, she is judged by the other kamis and expelled from the sky.
Banished and sent to another region faces a fearsome serpent of eight heads and eight tails that frightened the place. To overcome it, she created eight enormous doors that hid behind them enormous quantities of sake for the serpents to drink. It was a trap.
Susanoo cut off the heads and tails and within the fourth tail, found a beautiful sword that gave as a gift to his sister, recovering their place in the sky.
6- Tsukuyomi
It is the kami of the moon and the second of the children born from the face of Izanagi, specifically his right eye. When his father decides to divide the world between them, Tsukuyomi rises to the skies and takes control of the night, whereas his sister Amaterasu is made with the day.
The legend tells that once his sister sent him as a representative to the goddess Uke Mochi, to honor his presence. The goddess offered him a delicious meal, created from his mouth and nose, however, Tsukuyomi was so angry that he killed Uke Mochi.
Amaterasu, angry, did not want to see his brother again. From that moment, the brothers lived apart, alternating in the sky, a symbology of how day and night alternate in the sky.
7- Uke Mochi
It is the creative deity of flora and fauna and food. His death, at the hands of Tsukuyomi, gave man food, because of his body were born the five cereals.
From his eyes was born the seed of rice, his ears Son , Of his wheat genitals, of his Jewish black nose and of his straight soy, granting food to the mortals.
8- Inari
Kami of fertility, rice, agriculture, industry and success in general, is sometimes represented as a male figure and in others as female. It often uses white foxes as its messengers, which is why it is also sometimes represented in the form of this animal.
Inari is one of the most popular deities in Japan reaching 32,000 shrines across the country dedicated to her.
9- O-Wata-Tsu-Mi
Its name means 'The old man of the tides' and stands out from the majority of marine deities. He is considered a kind kami, who controls the waters and tides at will, but allows mortals to predict their movements.
Among his characteristics, he is born of Izanagi at the time of purification, dominates all the living beings of the ocean and, despite having the appearance of an old man, his true form is the dragon of green color that lives in a great palace in the Depths of the sea.
10- Hachiman
According to Shinto, he is the god of the samurai warriors, being also considered the god of agriculture, happiness and peace. It is given the title of protector of human life, and is symbolized with a white dove.
Although its origin is unknown, since it does not appear in the manuscripts of the Kojiki or Nihonshoki, in time it became one of the most important kamis.
11- Takemikazuch
It is said that he was born of the blood that Kagatsuchi shed when he was assassinated, which gave him the gift of being the kami of thunder and sword. From its combat with another deity known as Takeminakata would be born the first duel of sumos, famous sport of the Eastern country.
Takemikazuchi is in charge of subjecting catfish or Namazu, creator of earthquakes.
12- Namazu
Kami of earthquakes, is responsible for the movement of the earth and the creation of tsunamis. It is represented in the form of a giant catfish, which is said to dwell under the earth.
Takemikazuchi is the guardian of this creature, and keeps him still to prevent the earth from moving. However, when neglected earthquakes travel the islands of Japan.
13- Shinatobe
Known as the wind kami, the Kojiki book claims to be the direct son of Izanagi and Izanami, while the Nihonshoki relates that it was born from the morning fog blow by Izanami.
14- Inugami
They are creatures represented as dogs that perform the work of being guardians. The myths say that to create one, it was necessary to bury a dog up to the neck and put food in front without being able to reach it.
In the process, the master affirms that the suffering of the dog is not bigger than his and after the death of the dog, it becomes Inugami. It is said that these are surrounded by success and good luck.
15- Ama in Uzume
It is the kami of happiness, fertility and dance. It was one of the goddesses that managed to remove Amaterasu from the cave in which it was hidden.
Ama no Uzume danced until her clothes were untied, remaining naked before the other deities who laughed so much that they caught the attention of Amaterasu.
16- Ebisu
One of the first sons of Izanami and Izanagi, considered the kami of prosperity and wealth in business.
He is also worshiped by fishermen, which is why he is depicted as a fisherman with a typical hat, a fishing rod in his right hand and a large fish representing abundance
The Four Sacred Beasts of Japanese Mythology
17- Suzaku
It has the appearance of a red fenix representing the south, the summer and the element of fire. This creature, like the other sacred beasts, are some of those that the Chinese share with the Japanese in their mythology.
18- Genbu
He is the guardian of the north and is often represented as a serpent coiled around a turtle. It is the symbol of winter and earth element.
19- Byakko
Translated means"white light"and is usually represented as a white tiger that protects the west.
It represents the autumn season and the element of the air. When roars attract storms and storms
Seiryu
It is the last of the protectors of the city of Kyoto, is an icon of the water element and is represented as a huge blue dragon.
It also has a symbology for spring and, like the previous beasts, this one has representation in the constellations of the Chinese tradition.
Shinto and other Japanese myths
Shinto is based on the worship of kamis, as they are known in the region, or spirits of nature or higher levels of existence. This concept includes any supernatural force, ancestors and men who acquired over time the qualification of deities even some ideals or values that symbolize an abstract power.
The Japanese, as direct descendants of the kami, have a responsibility to live in harmony with the gods in order to be protected and blessed by them. Similarly, the Japanese make offerings to solve their problems and ailments.
The Japanese myths are based on the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki, the two oldest books that is conserved on the history of Japan respectively.
The Kojiki narrates the creation of the universe and the world at the hands of the kami. It also contains several myths, legends and tells the appearance of the first emperors, figures that the Japanese have great importance considering them descendants of the kami.
In fact, the Japanese word for"emperor"is tennō, which translated means"heavenly sovereign."
It is at this point that there is no line that differentiates what is a myth and what is history, so that both are often extremely linked. The book also includes some songs written in a kind of Chinese mixed with Japanese, which shows the importance of one civilization on the other.
References
- Addiss, Stephen. Japanese Ghosts & Demons: Art of the Supernatural. New York: G. Braziller, 1985. (pp. 132-137).
- Ashkenazy, Michael. Handbook of Japanese Mythology. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, 2003.
- "History of Religions". Authors: Carlos Cid and Manuel Riu. Library Hispania Illustrated. Editorial Ramón Sopena. Year 1965. Printed in Spain. Page 175.
- Aston, William George, tr. 1896. Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. 2 vols. Kegan Paul. 1972 Tuttle reprint.
- Naumann, Nelly (1998). Ancient Japanese myths. Barcelona: Editorial Herder.
- Seco Serra, Irene (2006). Legends and tales of Japan. Madrid: Ediciones Akal.