Japanese Creation Story

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The Japanese Creation Story The Japanese mythology as recorded in ancient records such as the Kojiki, narrate the creation story of Japan and enlightens about its deities, the culture and its people. Among the Heavenly deities are Izanagi and his spouse Izanami, the two are jointly given the duty to create islands and commanded to “complete and solidify this drifting land”. Upon her death, Izanami descends to the underworld, known as Yomitsu Kuni. This prompts Izanagi to visit this land of darkness, known as the land of Yomi, in his attempt to meet her again. The short stories, “Solidifying the Land” and “Visit to the Land of Yomi” try to explain about Japan, its history and its culture. “Solidifying the Land” is about the land in which the Japanese people settled in while “Visit to the Land of Yomi” influenced the traditions of the people and expounds on the existing customs. According to legend, the gods Izanagi (He who invites God) and Izanami (She who invites God) descended from heaven. They were on a mission to create the land of the earth and give life. The two gods in their creationist endeavor stood on a floating bridge of heaven, stirring and churning with a special jewel-ordained spear, the brine which made up the prehistoric ocean. The piling up of drops of brine driping from the spear head formed the first land, an island christened Onogoro. When they descended to the island, Izanagi and Izanami became husband and wife. The two gods, were beckoned and commanded to descend to earth to rule over creation. This is a description of how islands that form Japan on which people settled were created. The first child Izanami and Izanagi bore was malformed. The other gods alleged that the child deformed because during the marriage ceremony, Izanami spoke before Izanagi her husband. During ancient times, in Japanese culture, women were treated as the submissive

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