Japanese Creation Myth - Anisa

As the story goes, all the elements were mixed together in a seed. In this seed, the heavier part sank and the lighter part rose, as a result, a muddy sea covered the earth. From this grew a green shoot that kissed the skies and turned into a god. The lonely god then created other gods, the last two being Izanagi and Izanami.

One day Izanagi prodded the waters with his staff. When he pulled it back, clumps of mud fell. As they fell into the sea, they began to harden and grow, thus forming the islands of Japan.

Izanagi and Izanami then get married and have three children, two daughters and a son. One daughter became the sun, the other the moon and the unruly son was sentenced to the sea where he created storms.

Later, their first child, Amaterasu had a son who became the emperor of Japan. All emperors have descended from him ever since.

Folklore has always been a reflection of the way of life in any country. Agriculture and forestry have dominated the Japanese economy since the 1800s. Also, plants have always been an important part of the physical and spiritual life of the Japanese people. It is no wonder; the creation myth begins with a seed, where even the first god comes from a seed.

Another common feature of most stories from the east is the very strong belief in balance, and the power of two that complement each other. Hence, Izanagi and Izanami, then come two daughters, the sun and the moon. However, the third child is a boy and unruly. I think this may also come from how boys and girls are perceived in their culture. Girls are expected to have a certain kind of discipline and grace of their own, while men are more often seen losing their tempers or being comparatively intolerant.

Amaterasu is a sun goddess worshipped in Japan, who gives birth to the emperor of Japan. The word for emperor in Japanese is ‘tenno’ which literally translates to ‘heavenly sovereign’. This talks about how highly respected the throne is, almost with a sanctity of its own. The emperor is almost perceived as being super human, a son of the gods, in fact one of the most powerful, the sun goddess.

Also known as the ‘land of the rising sun’, Japan has perceived the sun to be a symbol of great power for centuries. Even the red disc on the flag is a symbol of the sun.

In my opinion, one needs to develop a ‘taste’ for ancient myths like these. It is very easy for such ancient folklore to come across as vague and even strange when read in modern times. One needs to be aware of the various symbols and metaphors used and read between the lines.