A visit to Yomi

A visit to Yomi

Izanagi-no-mikoto went through Yomotsu-hirasaka to Yomi to bring back Izanami-no-mikoto. In Yomi, Izanagi-no-mikoto called Izanami-no-mikoto, who is in the palace of Yomi, from outside the doors. Izanami-no-mikoto said that she had ate the food of Yomi and that made her a resident of Yomi, so she cannot go back. But she also said that she would have a talk with Yomotsu-kami, so he must not look at her.

However, Izanagi-no-mikoto lost his patience, lit a fire on a part of his comb and went after her. What he saw inside was the ugly looks of Izanami-no-mikoto, wrotten and clung to by 8 thunder gods, Hō-ikazuchi, Hono-ikazuchi, Kuro-ikazuchi, Saku-ikazuchi, Waka-ikazuchi, Tsuchi-ikazuchi, Naru-ikazuchi and Fusu-ikazuchi.

In fear, Izanagi-no-mikoto ran away, making Izanami-no-mikoto angry. She sent Yomotsu-shikome to chase after him. When Izanagi-no-mikoto threw his hair ornament made of Kuromikazura, grapes grew from it, making the Yomotsu-shikome obsessed with it. But this couldn't stop the Yomotsu-shikome, so he threw the Yutsutsuna-kushi in his right mizura. Bamboo shoots grew from it, making the Yomotsu-shikome obsessed with it again.

Then, Izanami-no-mikoto sent the 8 thunder gods clinging to her body and the 1500 warriors of Yomotsu-ikusa to chase after him. Izanagi-no-mikoto ran to the foot of Yomotsu-hirasaka, brandishing the Totsuka-no-tsurugi. He took some peaches from a tree nearby and threw them to his pursuers, making them retreat. Izanagi-no-mikoto told the peach to help people who are suffering like him, and named the peach Ōkamuzumi-no-mikoto.

At the end, Izanami-no-mikoto came after him in person, but Izanagi-no-mikoto blocked the entrance of Yomi with a chibiki-no-iwa. In anger, Izanami-no-mikoto said she would kill 1000 humans in a day. Izanagi-no-mikoto answered that, in that case, he would make people give birth to 1500 in a day, and divorced. This is why 1000 people die, and 1500 people are born in a day.

After that, Izanami-no-mikoto became, Yomotsu-ōkami, the ruler of Yomi. And since she caught up with Izanagi-no-mikoto, she is also called Michishiki-no-ōkami.

The boulder that blocked Yomotsu-hirasaka was named Michigaeshi-no-ōkami, and also Yomotsuto-no-ōkami. Yomotsu-hirasaka is Ifuyasaka in Izumo-no-kuni.

Gods

Izanagi-no-mikoto (伊邪那岐命)

The god that gave birth to the soil of Japan, with Izanami-no-mikoto. Izanami-no-mikoto's brother and husband.

Izanagi-no-mikoto (伊邪那岐命)

The god that gave birth to the soil of Japan, with Izanami-no-mikoto. Izanagi-no-mikoto's sister and wife.

The eight thunder gods

Hō-ikazuchi (大雷)

A thunder god clung to Izanami-no-mikoto's head.

Hono-ikazuchi (火雷)

A thunder god clung to Izanami-no-mikoto's thorax.

Kuro-ikazuchi (黒雷)

A thunder god clung to Izanami-no-mikoto's abdomen.

Saku-ikazuchi (折雷)

A thunder god clung to Izanami-no-mikoto's genitals.

Waka-ikazuchi (若雷)

A thunder god clung to Izanami-no-mikoto's left arm.

Tsuchi-ikazuchi (土雷)

A thunder god clung to Izanami-no-mikoto's right arm.

Naru-ikazuchi (鳴雷)

A thunder god clung to Izanami-no-mikoto's left leg.

Fusu-ikazuchi (伏雷)

A thunder god clung to Izanami-no-mikoto's right leg.

Other gods

Yomotsu-kami (黄泉神)

The god of Yomi. There are no details written about it, but it is said to be the original presiding god of Yomi.

Ōkamuzumi-no-mikoto (意富加牟豆美命)

The peach that drove off the Yomotsu-ikusa.

Michigaeshi-no-ōkami (道返之大神)

Also called Yomotsuto-no-ōkami (黄泉戸大神). The boulder that blocks Yomotsu-hirasaka.

Places

Yomi (黄泉)

The land of the dead.

Yomotsu-hirasaka (黄泉比良坂)

A slope that is the entrance to Yomi. It is said that the Ifuyasaka (伊賦夜坂) in Matsue city is the place.

Izumo-no-kuni (出雲国)

Izumo province. The eastern part of modern Shimane prefecture.

Tools

Yutsutsuna-kushi (湯津津間櫛)

A kind of comb used as a hair ornament. It is said to have powers to drive away evil spirits.

Totsuka-no-tsurugi (十拳剣)

Means a sword 10 tsukas long. A tsuka is the length of one fist. The sword Izanagi-no-mikoto has is named Ame-no-ohabari (天之尾羽張).

Other terms

Kuromikazura (黒御縵)

A kind of vine.

Mizura (角髪)

A hairstyle in ancient Japan, with buns on each side of the head.

Yomotsu-shikome (黄泉醜女)

The female demon of Yomi, said to be able to run 4000km in one jump.

Yomotsu-ikusa (黄泉軍)

The demon warriors of Yomi.

Peach

Peachs were believed to have powers to drive away evil spirits.

Chibiki-no-iwa (千引岩)

A huge boulder, needing 1000 people to move it.