Susano’s life in exile

After being exiled, Susano came down from Heaven to Earth in the vicinity of the river Hi, Shimane prefecture. The river’s surroundings are strongly related to Japanese mythology, as several events of the Japanese myths are taking place there. The river itself measures 153 km, flows from the Sentsu Mountain, and ends its run in Lake Shinji. Also, in this […]

American Indian Myths – introduction

Before turning my attention to specific myths, I will explain few things as a short introduction. Indians for a long time did not have writing. Therefore, their folk tales were passed from mouth to mouth. All myths have been collected and preserved in writing thanks to the hard work of American anthropologists and indigenous translators. Because the myths were passed […]

Food Goddess’ hospitality

The Food Goddess in Japanese mythology may be referred to by few different names: Ukemochi-no-kami, Ogetsu-no-hime, Ōgetsuhime or Toyouke-hime-no-kami. The myth associated with her, about the appearance on Earth of all basic foods available to the Japanese, also has two slightly different versions depending on their source (Kojiki or Nihonshoki). Either way, her death was not a waste. In the […]

Divine Crisis’ Solution

After Susano’s deeds, Amaterasu hid in the “Heavenly Rock Cave” (Ama-no-iwato). Due to this, Earth and High Plains of Heaven plunged into darkness – this resulted in the rice fields laying fallow, and the Earth being plagued by various disasters. Seeing what was happening, eight hundred gods met by the Celestial River to devise a plan to lure Amaterasu out […]

Amaterasu – The Goddess of the Sun

Thanks to many “adjustments” made due to political motives, past mythology experts, by drawing graceful genealogical trees (and, in some cases, very far-fetched), proved that bloodlines of imperial families originated from the Sun Goddess. The emperor was not without reasons holding the name of “the child of the Sun.” For a long time Amaterasu was worshiped in palace temples, until […]