Kuni-umi~The creation of the Japan

Kuni-umi

Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto, born are the last of the Kamiyo-nanayo, was ordered by the Amatsukami to complete the forming of the earth, that is still like floating oil, using the Ame-no-nuboko. Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanagi-no-mikoto stood on the Ame-no-ukihashi and stirred the chaotic earth. What dripped from the spear pilled up and formed an island, the Onogorojima. The two descended to the island they formed, and built a yahirodono and the Ama-no-mihashira.

Izanagi-no-mikoto asked Izanami-no-mikoto, how her body is. Izanami-no-mikoto answered that a part of her body is incomplete. Then Izanagi-no-mikoto said that they should join his surplus part and her incomplete part to give birth to the country. Izanami-no-mikoto agreed. Izanagi-no-mikoto then said that they should go around the Ama-no-mihashira separately, and marry on the other side.

Then, Izanagi-no-mikoto went around the Ama-no-mihashira from the left and Izanami-no-mikoto from the right. When they met on the other side, Izanami-no-mikoto said, what a beautiful man, and praised Izanagi-no-mikoto, and then Izanagi-no-mikoto said, what a beautiful woman, and praised Izanami-no-mikoto, then they slept together. Izanagi-no-mikoto said that the woman speaking first, might not have been good, and their first child born was Hiruko. He was considered imperfect, and was set adrift on a ashibune.

Their second child, Awashima was not counted as their child. The troubled two visited the Amatsukami to asked why. As a result of fortune-telling by Futomani, the Amatsukami told the two that Izanagi-no-mikoto, the male god, should have spoken first. The two repeated the ritual, this time Izanagi-no-mikoto speaking first.

Shima-umi

Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto first gave birth to Awaji-no-sawake-no-shima.

The next island the two god gave birth, Iyo-no-futana-no-shima has 4 faces. Each of it's face has a name, Iyo-no-kuni is Ehime, Sanuki-no-kuni is Īyorihiko, Awa-no-kuni is Ōgetsuhime, and Tosa-no-kuni is Takeyoriwake.

Then they gave birth to Oki-no-mitsugo-no-shima, also called Amenōshikorowake, and then to Tsukushi-no-shima. Tsukushi-no-shima also has 4 faces, and each of them have names. Tsukushi-no-kuni is Shirahiwake, Toyo-no-kuni is Torohiwake, Hi-no-kuni is Takehimukahitoyokujihinewake and, Kumaso-no-kuni is Takehiwake.

Next, the two gave birth to Iki-no-shima, also called Amehitotsuhashira, Tsu-shima, also called Amenosadeyorihime, Sado-no-shima and Ōyamato-toyoakitsu-shima, also called Amemisoratoyoakitsunewake. These 8 islands are called "Ōyashima-no-kuni".

The two gods gave birth to another 6 islands, Kibi-no-kojima, also called Takehikatawake, Azukijima, also called Ōnodehime, Ōshima, also called Ōtamaruwake, Himejima, also called Amehitotsune, Chika-no-shima, also called Amenōshio, Futago-no-shima, also called Amenofutaya.

Gods

Izanagi-no-mikoto (伊邪那岐命)

Born as the last of the Kamiyo-nanayo, with Izanami-no-mikoto. Izanami-no-mikoto's brother.

Izanami-no-mikoto (伊邪那美命)

Born as the last of the Kamiyo-nanayo, with Izanagi-no-mikoto. Izanagi-no-mikoto's sister.

The gods born before the Shima-umi

Hiruko (水蛭子)

The first god Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto gave birth to. Considered imperfect, Hiruko is not counted among the two gods children.

Awashima (淡嶋)

The god Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto gave birth to, after Hiruko. Also considered imperfect, Awashima is not counted among the two gods children.

Ōyashima

Ehime (愛比売)

Deification of Iyo-no-kuni, of Iyo-no-futana-no-shima.

Īyorihiko (飯依比古)

Deification of Sanuki-no-kuni, of Iyo-no-futana-no-shima.

Ōgetsuhime (大宜都比売)

Deification of Awa-no-kuni, of Iyo-no-futana-no-shima.

Takeyoriwake (建依別)

Deification of Tosa-no-kuni, of Iyo-no-futana-no-shima.

Amenōshikorowake (天忍許呂別)

Deification of Oki-no-mitsugo-no-shima.

Shirahiwake (白日別)

Deification of Tsukushi-no-kuni, of Tsukushi-no-shima.

Takehimukahitoyokujihinewake (豊日別)

Deification of Toyo-no-kuni, of Tsukushi-no-shima.

Takehimukahitoyokujihinewake (建日向日豊久士比泥別)

Deification of Hi-no-kuni, of Tsukushi-no-shima.

Takehiwake (建日別)

Deification of Kumaso-no-kuni, of Tsukushi-no-shima.

Amehitotsuhashira (天比登都柱)

Deification of Iki-no-shima.

Amenosadeyorihime (天之狭手依比売)

Deification of Tsu-shima.

Amatsumisoratoyoakizunewake (天御虚空豊秋津根別)

Deification of Ōyamato-toyoakitsu-shima.

Other islands

Takehikatawake (建日方別)

Deification of Kibi-no-kojima.

Ōnodehime (大野手比売)

Deification of Azukijima.

Ōtamaruwake (大多麻流別)

Deification of Ōshima.

Amehitotsune (天一根)

Deification of Himejima.

Amenōshio (天之忍男)

Deification of Chika-no-shima.

Amenofutaya (天両屋)

Deification of Futago-no-shima.

Places

Places in mythology

Ame-no-ukihashi (天浮橋)

A bridge in the heavens, on the way to the earth. The world can be overlooked from the bridge.

Onogorojima (淤能碁呂嶋)

The island Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto formed using the Ame-no-nuboko. The theory of existence and nonexistence exist together, and legends remain in some places, such as the island of Nushima in Hyōgo prefecture.

The islands born in Shima-umi

The Ōyashima-no-kuni

Awaji-no-sawake-no-shima (淡道之穂之狭別嶋)

The island of Awajishima in Hyōgo prefecture.

Iyo-no-futana-no-shima (伊予之二名嶋)

Shikoku island.

Oki-no-mitsugo-no-shima (隠伎之三子嶋)

Oki islands in Shimane prefecture.

Tsukushi-no-shima (筑紫嶋)

Kyūshū island.

Iki-no-shima (伊伎嶋)

Iki island in Nagasaki prefecture.

Tsu-shima (津嶋)

The island of Tsushima in Nagasaki prefecture.

Sado-no-shima (佐度嶋)

Sado island in Nīgata prefecture.

Ōyamato-toyoakitsu-shima (大倭豊秋津嶋)

Honshū island.

Other islands

Kibi-no-kojima (吉備児嶋)

Kojima peninsula in Okayama prefecture. The peninsula used to be an island until the Edo period.

Azukijima (小豆嶋)

The island of Shōdoshima in Kagawa prefecture.

Ōshima (大嶋)

The island of Yashirojima (Suō Ōshima) in Yamaguchi prefecture.

Himejima (女嶋)

The island of Himejima in Ōita prefecture.

Chika-no-shima (知訶嶋)

Gotō Islands in Nagasaki prefecture.

Futago-no-shima (両児嶋)

Danjo Islands in Nagasaki prefecture.

Other places

Iyo-no-kuni (伊予国)

Iyo province. Modern Ehime prefecture.

Sanuki-no-kuni (讃岐国)

Sanuki province. Modern Kagawa prefecture.

Awa-no-kuni (粟国)

Awa province (阿波国). Modern Tokushima prefecture.

Tosa-no-kuni (土佐国)

Tosa province. Modern Kōchi prefecture.

Tsukushi-no-kuni (筑紫国)

Tsukushi province. Most of the modern Fukuoka prefecture.

Toyo-no-kuni (豊国)

Toyo province. Modern Ōita prefecture, and a part of Fukuoka prefecture.

Hi-no-kuni (肥国)

Hi province. Modern Nagasaki, Saga and Kumamoto prefectures.

Kumaso-no-kuni (熊襲国)

Also called So-no-kuni (襲国). The southern part of Kyūshū, where the Kumaso are said to have lived.

Tools

Ame-no-nuboko (天沼矛)

A spear that Amatsukami gave Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto.

Futomani (布斗麻迩)

A kind of divination, interpreting the pattern of cracks made by heating the shoulder bone of a stag.

Other terms

Kuni-umi (国生み)

Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto, giving birth to Japan.

Kamiyo-nanayo (神代七代)

The seven generations of the age of the gods. The two hitorigami are counted as one generation respectively, and each pair of the 5 male-female pairs are counted as one generation.

Amatsukami (天津神)

The gods in Takamagahara, and the gods that descended from Takamagahara.

Ame-no-mihashira (天の御柱)

Means, a pillar reaching the heavens. There are no details written about it.

Yahirodono (八尋殿)

Means, a buiding that is the size of 8 people holding each others hands. There are no details written about it, but it is said to be Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto's residence.

Ashibune (葦船)

A boat of reeds.

Ōyashima-no-kuni (大八嶋国)

The generic name of the 8 islands, Honshū, Kyūshu, Shikoku, Awaji, Iki, Tsushima, Oki and Sado. Also one of the old names of "Japan".

Shima-umi (島産み)

Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto, giving birth to the islands of Japan.