Misogi and the birth of the Mihashira-no-uzu-no-miko

Misogi

After escaping from Yomi, Izanagi-no-mikoto did a misogi at Awakihara, in Odo in Tachibana in Himuka in Tsukushi, to wash off the kegare of Yomi.

First, when he took of what he was wearing, 12 gods were born from the clothing. Tsukitatsufunato-no-kami was born from his cane, Michinonagachiha-no-kami was born from his belt, Tokihakashi-no-kami was born from his bag, Wazurahinoushi-no-kami was born from his gown, Chimata-no-kami was born from his hakama, Akiguinoushi-no-kami was born from his crown, Okizakaru-no-kami, Okitsunagisabiko-no-kami and Okitsukaibera-no-kami was born from the tamaki of his left hand and Hezakaru-no-kami, Hetsunagisabiko-no-kami and Hetsukaibera-no-kami was born from the tamaki of his right hand.

Then Izanagi-no-mikoto said that the upstream of the river is flowing too fast but the downstream is too slow, and bathed in the midstream of the river. When he bathed in the water, two gods of calamity, Yasomagatsuhi-no-kami and Ōmagatsuhi-no-kami emerged from the kegare, and also, three gods correcting calamity, Kaminaobi-no-kami, Ōnaobi-no-kami and Izunome were born too. Then, when he purified himself at the bottom of the river, Sokotsutsunō-no-kami and Sokotsuwatatsumi-no-kami were born. When he purified himself at the middle of the river, Nakatsutsunō-no-kami and Nakatsuwatatsumi-no-kami were born, and at the surface, Uwatsutsunō-no-kami and Uwatsuwatatsumi-no-kami were born.

The three gods, Watatsumi-no-kami are worshipped as an ancestral god by Azumi-no-muraji, who are the descendants of Utsushihikanasaku-no-mikoto a child of Watatsumi-no-kami. Sokotsutsunō-no-kami, Nakatsutsunō-no-kami and Uwatsutsunō-no-kami are the Suminoe-no-mimae-no-ōkami

The birth of the Mihashira-no-uzu-no-miko

At the last, when Izanagi-no-mikoto washed his left eye, Amaterasu-ōmikami was born, and Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto when he washed his right eye, Susanō-no-mikoto when he washed his nose, were born too. These three gods are called Mihashira-no-uzu-no-miko, meaning the three precious children. This is the end of Kami-umi, and Izanagi-no-mikoto gave Amaterasu-ōmikami his neck ornament, Mikuratana-no-kami, and told her to rule Takamagahara. Also, he told Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto to rule Yoru-no-osukuni, and Susanō-no-mikoto was to rule Unahara.

Amaterasu-ōmikami and Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto did as Izanagi-no-mikoto. However, Susanō-no-mikoto refused to go rule Unahara and cried until he grew up and his beard reached his chest.

This caused storms to rage, trees to die, and evil spirits to fill the world, so Izanagi-no-mikoto questioned Susanō-no-mikoto. But since he answered that he wanted to go to Ne-no-katasukuni, where his mother Izanami-no-mikoto is, the angry Izanagi-no-mikoto said that he cannot stay here, and purged Susanō-no-mikoto.

Afterwards, Izanagi-no-mikoto is enshrined in Taga in Ōmi.

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.

Izanami-no-mikoto (伊邪那岐命)

Izanagi-no-mikoto's sister. Dies and became the presiding god of Yomi.

The gods born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's clothes

Tsukitatsufunato-no-kami (衝立船戸神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's cane. The traveler's guardian god, preventing evil spirits.

Michinonagachiha-no-kami (道之長乳歯神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's belt. The traveler's guardian god, and god of stone.

Tokihakashi-no-kami (時量師神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's bag. The god of time.

Wazurahinoushi-no-kami (和豆良比能宇斯能神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's gown. The god of annoyance.

Chimata-no-kami (道俣神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's hakama. The god of branch roads.

Akiguinoushi-no-kami (飽咋之宇斯能神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's crown. The god eating impurity.

Okizakaru-no-kami (奥疎神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's tamaki of the left hand. The god of offshore.

Okitsunagisabiko-no-kami (奥津那芸佐毘古神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's tamaki of the left hand. The god of inshore.

Okitsukaibera-no-kami (奥津甲斐弁羅神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's tamaki of the left hand. The god of shore.

Hezakaru-no-kami (辺疎神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's tamaki of the right hand. The god of offshore.

Hetsunagisabiko-no-kami (辺津那芸佐毘古神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's tamaki of the right hand. The god of inshore.

Hetsukaibera-no-kami (辺津甲斐弁羅神)

The god born from Izanagi-no-mikoto's tamaki of the right hand. The god of shore.

Gods born in the river

Sumiyoshi-sanshin

Sokotsutsunō-no-kami (底筒之男神)

The god born at the the bottom of the river. The god of safe sailing.

Nakatsutsunō-no-kami (中筒之男神)

The god born at the middle of the river. The god of safe sailing.

Uwatsutsunō-no-kami (上筒之男神)

The god born at the surface of the river. The god of safe sailing.

Watatsumi-sanshin

Sokotsuwatatsumi-no-kami (底津綿津見神)

The god born at the the bottom of the river. The god of the seas.

Nakatsuwatatsumi-no-kami (中津綿津見神)

The god born at the middle of the river. The god of the seas.

Uwatsuwatatsumi-no-kami (上津綿津見神)

The god born at the surface of the river. The god of the seas.

Other gods

Yasomagatsuhi-no-kami (八十禍津日神)

The god born from the impurity of Yomi. The god of calamity.

Ōmagatsuhi-no-kami (大禍津日神)

The god born from the impurity of Yomi. The god of calamity.

Kaminaobi-no-kami (神直毘神)

A god correcting calamity.

Ōnaobi-no-kami (大直毘神)

A god correcting calamity.

Izunome (伊豆能売)

A god correcting calamity. A god of purification.

Utsushihikanasaku-no-mikoto (宇都志日金析命)

A child of Watatsumi-no-kami. The god of the seas.

Mikuratata-no-kami (御倉板拳之神)

The neck ornament Izanagi-no-mikoto gave Amaterasu-ōmikami.

Mihashira-no-uzu-no-miko

Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大御神)

One of the three precious children. The god of the sun. The presiding god of the heavens.

Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto (月読命)

One of the three precious children. The god of the moon.

Susanō-no-mikoto (須佐之男命)

One of the three precious children. A savage god.

Places

Yomi (黄泉)

The land of the dead.

Awakihara in Odo in Tachibana in Himuka in Tsukushi (竺紫の日向の橘の小門の阿波岐原)

The place Izanagi-no-mikoto performed a misogi. Legends remain in Miyazaki city.

Takamagahara (高天原)

The heavens, where the gods are.

Yoru-no-osukuni (夜の食国)

The world of the night. Other theories says that it is the same as Yomi.

Unahara (海原)

The world in the seas.

Ne-no-katasukuni (根之堅洲国)

A world said to be underground, like Yomi. Connected to the earthly world by Yomotsu-hirasaka.

Ōmi (淡海)

Said to be a literal error of "Awaji (淡路)". But some theories says it is "Ōmi (近江)".

Tools

Tamaki (手纏)

A bracelet made of strings of beads.

Other terms

Kegare (穢れ)

Impurity. Believed to be brought upon when coming in touch with death.

Misogi (禊)

A ritual to wash off impurity.

Watatsumi-no-kami (綿津見神)

The three Watatsumi gods, Sokotsuwatatsumi-no-kami, Nakatsuwatatsumi-no-kami and Uwatsuwatatsumi-no-kami. Also called Watatsumi-sanshin (綿津見三神).

Azumi-no-muraji (阿曇連)

The Azumi clan, those home ground were northern Kyūshū.

Suminoe-no-mimae-no-ōkami (墨江之三前大神)

The three Sumiyoshi gods, Sokotsutsunō-no-kami, Nakatsutsunō-no-kami and Uwatsutsunō-no-kami. Enshrined in Sumiyoshi Taisha. Where Sumiyoshi Taisha is used to be called Suminoe.

Kami-umi (神生み)

Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto, giving birth various gods.