The god Izanagi and his wife, Izanami, are responsibilities of the creation of the Japanese archipelago. The first Island created was the Onokoro Island, nowadays believed to be the Awaji Island, where the Onokoro Shrine is.
After this, they bore many islands that form part of the archipelago and other deities that were supposed to inhabit them: the deities of rivers, oceans, trees, mountains. However, after giving birth to the fire deity, Izanami got sick and died.
In revenge, Izanagi killed the fire deity, from whom other deities were born.
Then, wanting to see his wife, he goes to the land of the Yomi, or the afterworld. Its entrance is said to be located in the Iya Shrine.
There, Izanami received him, coming out of a hall and explaining that she could not go back because she had eaten the food in the Yomi but, she said she would go and ask to the gods of Yomi. “However” she said “do not look at me”. (Does this myth sound similar to another one?)
Izanagi was left alone for a long time, waiting outside until he couldn’t bare it and entered the hall: there he saw the dead body of Izanami being eaten by maggots.
Scared, he fled and his wife, angered, pursued him. The god crossed the barrier that divides both worlds and closed it with a boulder.
— Husband —said Izanami from the other side—, if you do this, I will strangle to death one thousand of the people from your country.
— Wife —answered Izanagi—, if you do this, each day five hundred will be born.
Upon returning, thought to be the place were the Eda Shrine is, he underwent a purification ceremony called misogi. From this, many deities were born from the clothes he took off and also three important deities: Amaterasu came into existence after washing his left eye, Tsukuyomi after washing his left eye and Susanoo after washing his nose.
After this, Izanagi gave his three children each one a mission… but that is a different myth.
Sources
Rubio, C. and Moratalla, R (2008) Kojiki, Cronicas de antiguos hechos de Japón. Editorial Trotta. Translated from spanish by Mythology Web.
Images from Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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