Japanese all shrines are based on Kojiki.
Please read Kojiki 1 Kuniumi to Kamiumi story before this page.
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Three important gods were created by Izanagi(father).
He was very pleased with birth of noble children.
Amaterasu-Ohomikami is god of the Sun/Day time/Heaven/World of Gods
Tsukuyomi is god of the moon/Night time/World of dead people
Susanoo is god of the sea and land/The Earth/World of living people
Father said to three gods
"Control and protect each world".
But Susanoo didn't.
He was always crying bitterly because he wanted to see his dead mother Izanami.
Because of his strong sadness and rampages,mountains and rivers were dried
and only bad things happend.
Father asked Susanoo,
"Why can't you control your world?"
Susanoo said,
"I want to go to the death world because I have never met my mother."
Izanagi exiled Susanoo from the world of gods with anger.
Note
Susanoo can visit all worlds freely and he represents human beings too.
Because human is always repeating cycle of reincarnation.
(Birth in the Earth - Death - Stay in the another world of death - Birth again...)
So,your spirit never die.It is always living.Only your material body dies.
You need to know why human have to repeat the cycle.
If you give up your Ego,you will be released from the cycle.
Susanoo went to say good bye to his sister Amaterasu in the world of the Gods.
But Amaterasu was really trembling because she thought that he may plunder her world.
"Why you came here?"
Armed Amaterasu said to him.
They confronted each other across the Amanoyasukawa river.
The Amanoyasukawa river in current Miyazaki prefecture
"I don't have dirty mind"
Susanoo said.
"I just came here because I wanted to greet you"
"I am going to visit Yomi/Death world from now"
"Proof your innocent heart."Amaterasu said.
"So,let's try divination each other."Susanoo said.
Amaterasu took his sword and broke it into 3 pieces.
Then,she purified the pieces with clean well water.
She crunched the pieces down in her mouth and blew them out.
Fog from her mouth turned into three women gods.
Next,Susanoo received her jewel and did the same thing.
Jewel turned into five men gods.
"See? My good gods were born because my mind is beautiful"
Susanoo said and carried away.
He became more violent in Amaterasu's world.
He crashed rice fields,destroyed ditches and scattered his poo around god's dining area.
"I think Susanoo just wanted to re-create my world's fields..."
"Or maybe he was drunk..."
Amaterasu tried to take him under her wing.
One day,Susanoo did the worst thing.
When he threw skin-peeled horse into a weaving house from its roof,
a weaver woman tumbled because of the shock and died.
"I don't know what should I do"
Finally,Amaterasu shut herself up in a rock cave beside of the river
and all of worlds became dark completely.
Note
Hiding means a depression or mental problem in our time.
To tell the truth,Susanoo was innocent indeed.
What he did ＝ False charge/accusation made by a few of staff gods of Amaterasu
This fact indicates a typical sin of human.
Some people are always making innocent someone ruin by false charge
and then,public believe it.
(Innocent Jesus was killed too)
Some good gods had a meeting in the Amanoyasukawa river.
"What should we do to get bright world back again?"
Thinking for a while,a god of wisdom Omoigane said
"Let's have a party in front of the cave"
Other gods began preparing for it immediately.
"Cock-a-doodle-doo!"
It was a starting signal of the party.
Hutodama the god of sacred festival is holding a mirror and magatama jewel.
Amenokoyane the god of sacred words is reading out congratulatory words.
and Amenouzume the goddess of dance,is dancing on a wooden tub
with almost no clothes.
The party got really lively with howls of laughter.
Note
This was the origin of all festivals in the world.
Originally,a festival was not just for fun.
It was a ritual to "heal" something,"thank" something.
Japanese Shinto's festival is called Matsuri.
Japanese basic spirit / Matsuri & Matsuru / Shinto song about Matsuri
Chicken is an important animal.
Japanese Shinto's festival is called Matsuri.
Japanese basic spirit / Matsuri & Matsuru / Shinto song about Matsuri
Chicken is an important animal.
Amaterasu opened the entrance of the cave slightly and asked.
"What is so funny?"
Futodama said
"We are so glad to meet a new god greater than you"
"Please look"
Futodama showed a mirror towards her.
She wondered about it and opened the entrance more.
Powerful god Amenotadikarao dragged her out at once.
And finally,bright sunshine came back to the worlds.
The cave was closed with a sacred rope so that Amaterasu
can never enter.
Note
The cave was closed with a sacred rope so that Amaterasu
can never enter.
This scene is very famous and popular in Japanese mythology.
Laughter is very important when human is in sad situation.
It makes all things good.Even though it is a fake laugh.
It makes all things good.Even though it is a fake laugh.
The sacred rope is called Shimenawa.
It means many things.
One thing is
"There is a hidden/buried/secret god inside of the rope".
So there is no Shimenawa in the Grand shrine of ISE and other Amaterasu group shrines.
Because Amaterasu is not to be hidden or secret god.
After the event,Susanoo was exiled from the world of gods.
Note
He was okay because he was totally innocent and has strong sacred power than
gods who punished Susanoo.
Amaterasu knew his innocent but she was not able to do anything for him.
He landed at Izumo province.
When he was wandering with hunger,He found chopstick floating a river.
He thought there must be a village and went to upstream.
There were old man and woman and their daughter Kushinadahime
and they were crying.
"Why are you crying?"
"We had 7 more girls but an evil sneak monster YamatanoOrochi ate our girls once every year”
"The monster will come soon this year and the last daughter will be eaten"
"Hmmｍ.What the serpent looks like?"
"Eyes are red like a ground cherry,8 heads,8 tails
huge like a mountain and scary"
"If I destroy it,could I get married to your daughter?"
"Of course!"
Kushinadahime's parent gladly agreed.
"I need very strong Sake(rice wine) to ruin the monster"
Susanoo said.
"And a fence with 8 entrances.
Please put 8 pots filled with Sake in each entrance"
Note
Japan is islands country.
YamatanoOrochi meant the Orushe people from the continent next to Japan.
They destroyed Japan and killed many people with military power to get land of Japan.
This symbolic incidents about invasions have been repeated many times in long history of Japan.
The serpent meant a heavy flooding of the big river too.
Sake rice wine is sacred Shinto item.
YamatanoOrochi came.
Each head drank Sake and fell asleep.
”Now is my chance to kill it"
Susanoo cut the body in pieces.
When he cut the tail of serpent,he found a sword and his own sword got nicked.
Susanoo decided to send the sword from the monster to his sister Amaterasu.
Note
Secret imperial regalia of Japan called "SanshuNoJingi" is consist of a mirror,6 shaped jewel and the sword sent by Susanoo.
Sample image from wikipedia
The mirror and jewel were used by Futodama when he and other gods
tried to make Amaterasu come back to the outside of the cave.
It is said that who inherit the three treasure is a top of priest of the Earth.
Pope in Vatican,UK,US and Israel already know about it.
It is said that who inherit the three treasure is a top of priest of the Earth.
Pope in Vatican,UK,US and Israel already know about it.
Susanoo got married to Kushinadahime and searched a new place to live.
They found a refreshing place in Izumo and built a big palace.
Then,he made the first Waka the Japanese traditional poetry.
"Yakumo tatsu Izumo yaegaki Tsumagomini
Yaegaki tsukuru Sono Yaegaki wo"
(In the place of many layers of clouds.I'll make many fences to protect my wife)
It was his resolution.
To be continued