Transcript Japanese Creation Story

Japanese Creation Story
By Austin Young, Patrick Vasquez,
Panfilo Ramos, Taylor Sandman
Japanese Creation Story
• In the beginning of the world,
everything was chaos. There
was no heaven and no earth.
Everything was never ending.
One day three gods came. The
first was Ame-no-MinakaNushi-no-Mikoto. Then,
another god named TakamiMusubi-no-Mikoto was born.
Finally, a third god named
Kammi-Musubi-no-Mikoto
came from the heavens.
These three gods were known
as the Three Creating Deities.
Japanese Creation Story
• While the heavens began
to form something else was
occurring. All the heavy
things in the air came
together to form the earth.
This took a very long time.
The earth resembled
spilled oil on water.
Eventually, two more gods
were born. Their names
were Umashi-Ashi-KahibiHikoji-no-Mikoto and Ameno-Tokotachi-no-Mikoto.
Lots of other gods were
Japanese Creation Story
• Finally all the gods called the two
divine ones, Izanagi and Izanami,
(one was male and one was
female) and asked them to go
down to the earth and make it
something other than an oil spill.
Once they had done that, the
gods gave them a beautiful spear
and told them to rule the land.
The two immortals, Izanagi and
Izanami crossed the floating
bridge from heaven to earth.
The gods took the spear, touched
the water that covered
everything, and they created an
island. Today this island is called
Onokoro.
Japanese Creation Story
• They got so excited, that they
made the island their home. On
their island they built a great
pillar, called the Heavenly August
Pillar. Around it they built a
palace called the Hall of Eight
Fathoms. Next, the male turned
to his left, and the female turned
to her right and they went
around the pillar in opposite
directions. When they met
again, Izanami, the female, and
Izanagi fell in love and created a
baby. The baby, however was
ugly.
Japanese Creation Story
• The parents were
disgusted so they
abandoned their baby in a
reed boat. They were so
disappointed in their baby,
that they asked the rest of
the gods how it could have
happened. They were told
that it was because the
woman had spoken to the
man first. The next time
the pair walked around
the pillar, the man spoke
first and all of their future
children turned out okay.
Japanese Creation Story
• The two gods had
several island children,
Shikoku, Awaji, Oki,
Kyushu, Tsushima and
Honshu. There were
several smaller islands
born that formed
around the larger ones.
Japanese Creation Story
• Izanagi and Izanami also were
the parents of the first Japanese
Gods and Goddesses. First to be
born was the God of the Sea,
whose name was Owatatsumino-Kami. Next, they had
Kamihaya-akitsu-hiko, the god
who controlled the land, and
Haya-akitsu-hime, the goddess
who controlled the sea. They
also had the following children:
Kami-Shinatsuhiko-no-Mikoto –
Wind God; Kukunochi-no-Kami –
God of the Trees; Oyamatsumino-Kami – God of the Mountains;
and Kayanuhime-no-Kami –
Goddess of the Plains.
Japanese Creation Story
• Things went well until the
God of Fire was born. His
name was Kagnutsuchi-noKami. When he was born
Izanami his mother was so
terribly burned that she died.
Her husband Izanagi tried to
bring her back to life and was
successful but she refused to
eat anything. Her husband
prepared all kinds of delicious
foods for her but she refused
to try them. If she did try
something she usually threw
up right away.
Japanese Creation Story
• At one point when she
threw up more children
were born: Kanayama-biko
and Kanayama-hime, the
god and goddess of metals.
From different parts of her
body more children were
born. They were Haniyasuhiko and Haniyasu-hime,
god and goddess of earth.
The last child born to
Izanami was a miracle.
Mizuhame-no-Mikoto, the
Goddess of Death.
Japanese Creation Story
• After his wife died Izanagi
was alone. He completely
joined all of the individual
islands to form one large
Island Empire of Japan.
Then overcome with his
sadness he began to cry.
He was amazed when one
of his teardrops fell and a
beautiful goddess
Nakisawame-no-Mikoto,
was born. He looked at her
with wonder but kept on
crying.
Japanese Creation Story
• He was so angry with the
Fire god for killing his wife
that he went into a rage
and cut the god’s head off.
Izanagi was very surprised
at what happened next.
Eight new gods appeared
made from the blood and
the sword. The dead body
of the Fire god continued to
create new gods until there
were 16 in all. Izanagi was
speechless.
Japanese Creation Story
• Meanwhile his wife
decided not to fight for
her life anymore, and
she went to “The Land
Of Hades”.
Source
http://library.thinkqu
est.org/06aug/0234
0/Japancreation.htm
Question Answers
•The gods were created then the earth and heaven were created and then the two
divine gods create and island and build their home on it. Then they create a pillar. They
walk around the pillar in opposite directions and meet at the other side and create
another island. The island was ugly so they asked the other gods what was wrong and
after the other gods told them what was wrong all of the other islands turned out
okay. The two divine gods were the parents to the first gods and goddesses. They had
seven children that were great. Then the eighth child was the god of fire and when he
was born his mother died. His father brought her back to life but she wouldn’t eat
anything. The fire god’s dad was so sad he started crying and when his tear drops fell
to the ground another god popped up. The fire god’s dad was still so mad he cut the
god of fire’s head off. And in the blood of the fire god, 16 more gods arose. After this
happened the fire god’s mother went to the “Land Of Hades”.
•Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi was male and Izanami was female. They loved
creating more islands and more gods.
•It shows that they love their home and like how it was created.
•The most unusual part of this myth was when the two divine gods walked around
the pillar they built and created islands.
•The part when the two divine gods threw their first island baby away because it
was ugly is similar to when Hera threw Hephaestus off of Mount Olympus because
he was ugly.