20 THE ANCIENT PERIOD THE ANCIENT PERIOD 21

to inscriptions on stone and metal (mirrors, swords), thereby serving a primarily Chinese court. As such, they were primarily literate texts. However, while writ­ symbolic function. It was not until the seventh century that Chinese writing ing represented a new medium that could be transmitted as a material object, began to be used widely for administrative, religious, and commercial purposes. it also created a new type of oral culture in which the written text was used as The oldest extant literary and historical texts date from the beginning of the the base and cue for oral and public performance. eighth century. The {Record of Ancient Matters, 712) and {Chronicles of , 720) were written in order to legitimize the new state Major Events in the Seventh and Eighth Centuries order by providing account of how the world came into being and by tracing the origins of the to the . In 713, an imperial order was 622 of Prince Shotoku (b. 574) issued to record the origins of the names of various places and products, and 645 Taika Reforms the result was the , or provincial gazetteers, which included reports by 667 Move of the capital to provincial governors from five different provinces; Hitachi, Harima (present- 671 Death of Emperor Tenchi (r. 662-671) day Hyogo Prefecture), Izumo, Bungo, and Hizen (the last two are in Kyushu). 672 Jinshin war Anthologies of began to be compiled in the late seventh cen- 686 Death of (r. 672-686) tury, and the Man yoshu {Collection of Myriad Leaves), an encyclopedic col­ 701 Taiho Code lection of poetry, was compiled throughout the eighth century. An anthology 702 Death of Empress Jito (r. 687-696). Beginning of the compilation of Chinese poetry, the Kaifuso, was completed in 751. of the Man'yoshu? Before the late seventh century, songs and narratives were transmitted orally 710 Move of the capital to (Heijo) in a variety of ways, sometimes as part of tales and at other times as part of 712 Completion of the Kojiki festivals and rituals. Traces of these oral narratives {katari) survive in the 713 Order to compile the fudoki and stories of the Kojiki and Nihon shoki, albeit in a different form. Ancient 720 Completion of the Nihon shoki poems {uta) of courtship and praise for the ruler also survive in these two texts 731 Death of Otomo no Tabito (665-731) and in the Man'yoshu. The fudoki contain examples of courtship songs known 733 Death of Yamanoue no Okura (66o?-733) as utagaki (literally, "fence songs") or kagai, which were sung to the accom­ 746 Compilation of the Man'yoshu, vols. 1-16? paniment of song and dance. 751 Compilation of Kaifuso The need to make Chinese writing accessible to non-Chinese speakers led 784 Move of the capital from Nara to Nagaoka scribes in the Yamato court from the archipelago and the continent to devise 785 Death of Otomo no Yakamochi (7177-785), final compiler of the methods of reading Chinese script in Japanese. This process gave rise to the Man'yoshu developrrient of new hybrid styles of writing that required a knowledge of both 794 Move of the capital to Heian (Kyoto) the Chinese script and the . For instance, in contrast to the Nihon shoki, which is written almost entirely in orthodox classical Chinese, the KOJIKI Kojiki, which places more emphasis on the spoken word and claims to be a (RECORD OF ANCIENT MATTERS, 712) record of oral transmissions, uses Chinese characters arranged with both Chi­ nese and Japanese syntax, with the addition, for clarity, of some characters According to its preface, the Kojiki {Record of Ancient Matters) was commis­ representing phonetic syllables. In the Man'yoshu, poems are written in a va­ sioned by Emperor Tenmu (r. 672-686) and was completed and presented to riety of ways, ranging from a style close to orthodox classical Chinese to one (r. 707-715) in 712 by a scribe named O no Yasumaro. It is a using Chinese characters as phonetic syllables. All these works, however, were mythology and history in three volumes, starting with the creation of Japan in read in the aristocratic Japanese dialect of the Yamato nobility. the age of the gods and the descent to earth of the ancestor of the imperial Under the influence of Chinese literature, genres of Japanese poetry {uta) family through the reign of the legendary first sovereign. Emperor Jinmu, and such as somon (exchange poems) and banka (laments) developed, and the - successive rulers up to the reign of the thirty-third sovereign, histories of the Yamato court were divided into emperor reigns (as in the (r. 592-618). Chinese dynastic histories) and chronologized according to the Chinese cos- The key concept of the creation myth, which describes the origin of Japan mological calendar (in th^ case of the Nihon shoki). These early written texts but not of the universe, is musuhi, or "creating force," a spontaneous power were compiled as the products of a court culture that would rival that of the through which the gods come into existence. After seven generations of gods 22 THE ANCIENT PERIOD THE ANCIENT PERIOD 23 are created by this force, the last generation, a male and a female god called and , create the islands of Japan. This creation begins with the Five heavenly gods present-day Shikoku (Tosa, lyo, Sanuki, Awa), then moves west to Kyushu (Tsu- 1 kushi), and finally to Honshu. Izanagi and Izanami also give birth to the gods Six generations of gods of various natural phenomena, including the gods of the sea and rivers, of the Izananu •" Izanagi mountains and plains, of the wind, and finally of fire, who causes the death of the female deity Izanami. The male deity Izanagi then gives birth by himself 1 I to the central figure in the Kojiki mythology, the Sun Goddess . It is Seas, rivers, Islands of Tsukuyomi Sun Goddess_ Amaterasu s descendant, the god Ninigi, who comes down from to earth mountains, Japan ' Susano-o^= Hair Comb Amaterasu and becomes the ancestor of the Yamato . wind, &e Fields The Kojiki is a bricolage of various myths woven together into a story of the Great Mountain divine ancestry of the Yamato emperors. According to the Kojiki cosmology, the Deity Various gods earth is dependent on heaven, and the Yamato emperors, as the descendants of and spirits Sea God the heavenly gods, are entitled to rule the earth. Although some of the myths Lady Tree Ninigi Great Land Master contained in the Kojiki may date from long before the eighth century, their BlossomT (Okuninushi) primary function in the narrative was to legitimate the world order of the early- r Lady ^ Luck of the Luck of eighth-century Japanese state. Within the various mythical accounts are expla­ Toyotama Mountain the Sea nations of the origin of place-names, of the hierarchical relationships between different clans, and of ritual ceremonies. Heavenly One key feature of the Kojiki is the importance it places on the power of Male Brave of speech. For example, conquests are often described in terms of a verbal pledging the Shore of subjection. In the Kojiki the word for subdue" {kotOTnuku) means literally to make (someone) speak his subjection." The magical power of words is also Emperor emphasized in the story of Luck of the Mountain and Luck of the Sea, as well Jinmu as in the tragic end of Prince . Successive Key Japanese Names and Places Yamato emperors Takama-no-hara Plain of High Heaven Ashihara no kuni Central Land of the Reed Plains Genealogy of the Gods Izanagi He Who Invites God Izanami She Who Invites God Book 1 Amaterasu Great Heaven-Shining Goddess Tsukuyomi Moon God (Moon-Counting God) THE BEGINNING Susarto-o Ferocious Virulent Male God When heaven and earth first appeared, there came into existence in the Plain Ho-derJ ^ Fire-Shine, Luck of the Sea of High Heaven a deity named Lord Midst-of-Heaven God; then High Creative Ho-ori Fire-Fade, Luck of the Mountain Force God; and then Divine Creative Force Cod. All these three deities came Okuni-nushi Great Land Master into existence as single deities, and their forms were not visible. Next, when Ninigi (descendant of Amaterasu) the land was young, resembling floating oil and drifting like jellyfish, a thing sprouted forth like reed shoots, and from this there came into existence a deity named Splendid Reed Shoot Cod and then Eternally Standing Heaven God. These two deities also came into existence as single deities, and their forms 1. In the ancient period, the correct pronunciation of the male god's name was "Izanaki," but were not visible. The five deities in the preceding section are the Separate in modern times the custorftaiy reading is "Izanagi." Heavenly Deities. 24 THE ANCIENT PERIOD THE ANCIENT PERIOD 25 Next there came into existence Eternally Standing Land God and then it again." Then they descended again and walked once more in a circle around Abundant Clouds Field Cod. These two deities also came into existence as the heavenly pillar as before. «ngle deities, and their forms were not visible. Next there came into existence Then Izanagi said first, "O, how good a maiden!" Afterward, his spouse Clay Male God and then his spouse. Silt Female God. Next, Emergent Form Izanami said, "O, how good a lad!" After they had finished saying this, they God and then his spouse. Living Form God. Next, Great Male Organ God and were united and bore, as a child, Awaji Island. then his spouse. Great Female Organ God. Next, Ample Face God and then Next they bore the double island of lyo. This island has one body and four his spouse. Awe-inspiring God. Next, Izanagi, He Who Invites God, and then countenances, each with a separate name. Thus, the land of lyo is named his spouse, Izanami, She Who Invites God. The deities in the preceding sec­ Darling Woman; the land of Sanuki is named Grain Spirit Possessed Man; the tion from Eternally Standing Land God through Izanami, are known collec­ land of Awa is called Great Food Woman; and the land of Tosa is called Fierce tively as the Seven Generations of the Age of the Gods. Spirit Possessed Man. Next they bore the triple island of Oki. . . . When they finished giving birth to countries, they began giving birth to SOLIDIFYING THE LAND deities anew. . . . Then they gave birth to the Swift Burning Fire Deity. As a result of giving birth to this child, Izanami's genitals were burned, and she lay At this time the heavenly deities, acting jointly, commanded the two deities down sick. In her vomit there came into existence the Metal Mountain God. Izanagi and Izanami: "Complete and solidify this drifting land." Giving them Next, in her feces, there came into existence the Clay Earth God and the Clay the Heavenly Jeweled Spear, they entrusted the mission to them. Thereupon, Earth Goddess. Next, in her urine, there came into existence the Goddess of the two deities stood on the Heavenly Floating Bridge and, lowering the jeweled Irrigation and the God of Agricultural Creation. The child of this deity was the spear, stirred, churning the brine with a resonating sound, and when they lifted Goddess of Food. Thus, at last, Izanami, because she had given birth to the fire It up the brine dripping down from the tip of the spear piled up and became deity, divinely passed away. an island. This was Onogoro, Self-Congealing Island. Descending from the to this island, they erected a heavenly pillar A grieving Izanagi buries his spouse and kills the fire deity, whose birth caused Izanami's and a spacious palace. At this time Izanagi asked his spouse Izanami "How is death. Still grieving, Izanagi decides to visit Izanami in the land ofYomi. your body formed?" She replied, "My body, formed though it be formed has one place that is formed insufficiently." Then Izanagi said, "My body formed though It be formed, has one place that is formed to excess. Therefore I would VISIT TO THE LAND OF ike to take that place m my body that is formed to excess and insert it into that At this time, Izanagi, wishing to meet again his spouse Izanami, went after her place in your body that is formed insufficiently and give birth to the land. How to the land of Yomi. WTien she came out of the door of the hall to greet him, ^uld this be?" Izanami replied, "This would be good." Then Izanagi said Izanagi said, "O, my beloved spouse, the lands that you and I were making Then let Us, you and me, walk in a circle around this heavenly pillar and meet have not yet been completed. You must come back." and have conjugal intercourse." Then Izanami replied, saying, "How I regret that you did not come sooner. Having thus agreed, Izanagi then said, "You walk around from the right and I-have eaten at the hearth of Yomi. But, O, my beloved husband, how honored I will walk around from the left and meet you." After having agreed to this,'they I am that you have come here! Therefore I will go and discuss for a while with circled around. Then Izanami said first, "O, how good a lad!" after which the deities of Yomi my desire to return. Pray do not look at me." Thus saying, Izanagi said, "O, how good a maiden!" After each had finished speaking, Izanagi she went back into the hall, but she was gone so long that Izanagi could no said to his spousex"It is not proper that the woman speak first." longer wait. So he broke off one of the large end-teeth of the comb he was Nevertheless, they commenced procreation and gave birth to a leech-child. wearing in his left hair bunch, lit a fire, and entered the hall to look. Maggots They placed this child into a boat made of reeds and floated it away. Next, they squirmed and rolled; on her head sat Great Thunder; on her breast sat Fire gave birth to an island of foam. This also is not reckoned as one of their children Thunder; on her belly sat Black Thunder; on her genitals sat Crack Thunder; Then the two deities consulted together and said, "The children that we have on her left hand sat Young Thunder; on her right hand sat Earth Thunder; on just borne are not good. It is best to report this matter to the heavenly deities " her left foot sat Sounding Thunder; and on her right foot sat Reclining Thun­ ^en they ascended together and sought the will of the heavenly deities. The der. All together, eight thunder deities were there. heavenly deities thereupon performed a grand divination and said, "Because Upon seeing this, Izanagi became afraid and turned and fled. Then his the woman spoke first, the outcome was not good. Descend once more and say spouse Izanami said, "He has shamed me." Right away she dispatched the hags 26 THE ANCIENT PERIOD THE ANCIENT PERIOD 27 of Yomi to pursue him. Then Izanagi undid the black vine securing his hair The fourteen deities in the preceding section, from the Many Afflictions and flung it down. Immediately it bore grapes. While the hags were picking Spirit through Susano-o, are deities bom from bathing his body. the grapes and eating them, he fled. Still they pursued him. Next Izanagi pulled At this time Izanagi, rejoicing greatly, said, "I have borne child after child, out the comb he was wearing in his right hair bunch and flung it down Im­ and finally in the last bearing I have obtained three noble children." Then he mediately shoots sprouted forth. While the hags were pulling the bam­ removed his necklace, shaking the beads on the string so that they jingled, and, boo shoots and eating them, he fled. Later, Izanami dispatched the eight thun­ giving it to the deity Amaterasu, he entrusted her with a mission, saying: "You der deities and a horde of warriors of Yomi to pursue him. Then Izanagi shall rule the Plain of High Heaven." . . . unsheathed the ten-hands-long sword that he wore at his side and waved it Next he said to the deity Tsukuyomi, entrusting him with this mission: "You behind him as he fled. The pursuit continued. When Izanagi reached the foot shall rule the realms of night." of the Steep Pass of Yomi, he took three peaches that were at the foot of the Next he said to the deity Susano-o, entrusting him with this mission: "You pass and ambushed his pursuers. They all turned and fled. Then Izanagi said shall rule the ocean." to the peaches, "Just as you have saved me, if in the Central Land of the Reed Plains, any of the race of mortal men should fall into painful straits and suffer Although Susano-o is given the rule of the ocean, he weeps and howls for his mother in anguish, please save them also." Saying this, he bestowed on the peaches the and neglects the realm entrusted to him. Angered by Susano-o's disobedience, Izanagi name Oho-kamu-zu-mi, Creat Divine Spirit Cod. expels Susano-o. Finally, his spouse Izanami herself came in pursuit of him. Then Izanagi picked up an enormous boulder, requiring the strength of a thousand men to move, and blocked the Steep Pass of Yomi. They stood facing each other, one SUSANO-O AND AMATERASU OT each side of the boulder, and broke their troth. At this time, Izanami said At the time, Susano-o said, "In that case, before I go I will take my leave of the O, my beloved husband, if you do thus, I will each day strangle to death one Great Deity Amaterasu." When he ascended to the heavens, all the mountains thousand of the populace of your land." To this Izanagi said, "O, my beloved and rivers roared, and all the land trembled. Amaterasu heard this, was startled, spouse, if you do thus, I will each day build fifteen hundred birthing huts." and said, "It is certainly not with any good intentions that my brother is coming This IS the reason why one thousand people inevitably die and fifteen hundred up. He must wish to usurp my lands." So, undoing her hair, she wrapped it in peo^e inevitably are bom every day. Therefore, the deity Izanami is also called hair bunches. She wrapped long strings of myriad beads^ in the hair the Great Deity of Yomi. Also, because she joined in the pursuit, she is called bunches on the left and right of her head, on the vine securing her hair, as well the Great Deity Who Lays the Road. The boulder that closed the Steep Pass as on her left and right arms. On her back she bore a thousand-arrow quiver; of Yomi IS called the Great Deity Who Repels Enemies on the Road. It is also at her side she strapped a five-hundred-arrow quiver and also put on a magnifi­ called the Great Deity Who Blocks the Door of Yomi. This Steep Pass of Yomi cent bamboo arm-cover. Shaking the upper tip of her bow, stamping her legs IS said to be-now the Ifuya Pass in the land of Izumo. up to her very thighs into the hard earth, and kicking the earth about as if it At this point Izanagi said, "I have been to a most unpleasant land, a horrible, were light snow, she let out a tremendous war cry and stamped her feet with unclean land. Therefore I shall purify myself." Arriving at the plain of Awaki fury. Thus waiting for him, she asked, "Why have you come?" by the river mouth of Tachibana in Himuka in Tsukushi, he purified and ex­ Then Susano-o replied, "I have no evil intentions. It is merely that the Creat orcised himself. Deity Izanagi divinely inquired about my weeping and howling, so I said that When he flung down his stick, there came into existence a deity named I was weeping because I wished to go to the land of my mother. Then the Great Cane in the Road "Bend. Deity said, 'You may not live in this land' and expelled me with a divine ex­ pulsion. Whereupon I came up intending to take leave upon my departure. I As Izanagi cleanses himself, many deities are bom. have no other intentions." Then Amaterasu said, "If that is so, how am I to know that your intentions are pure and clear?" Then Susano-o replied, "Let us Then when he washed his left eye, there came into existence a deity named swear oaths and bear children." Aniaterasu, the Great Heaven Shining Goddess. Next, when he washed his right eye, there came into existence a deity named Tsukuyomi, the Moon- Counting God. Next, when he washed his nose, there came into existence a deity named Susano-o, Ferocious Virulent Male God. 2. Magatama are curved beads, usually with a hole bored through them in order to use in a necklace, made of semiprecious stones. 28 THE ANCIENT PERIOD THE ANCIENT PERIOD 29

Then they each stood on opposite sides of the Serene River of Heaven and Heaven was completely dark, and the Central Land of the Reed Plains was swore their oaths. At this time, Amaterasu first asked for the ten-hands-long entirely dark. Because of this, constant night reigned, and the cries of the myriad sword that Susano-o wore at his side. Breaking the sword in three pieces, she deities filled the air like flies in the summer, and all manners of calamities rinsed them in the heavenly well, the jewel-like ringing resonating clearly, arose. chewed them to pieces, and spat them out. In the misty spray there came into Then the eight hundred myriad deities assembled in a divine assembly on existence a deity named Lady Mist, also named Lady of Oki Island. Next, Lady the banks of the Serene River of Heaven. They called upon the deity Profound of Ichiki Island, also named Lady Sayori. Next, Lady Gushing Water. Thinker, child of the deity High Creative Force, to think. They gathered to­ Susano-o, asking for the long strand of myriad magatama beads wrapped on gether the long-crying birds of Tokoyo, the Everlasting Realm, and caused them Amaterasu's left hair bunch, rinsed them in the heavenly well, the jewels' ring­ to cry. They took the heavenly hard rock from the upper streams of the Serene ing resonating clearly, chewed them to pieces, and spat them out. In the misty River of Heaven, took iron from the Fragrant Mountain of Heaven, sought the spray there came into existence a deity named Truly-I-Have-Won Victorious- smith Heavenly Mara, and commissioned Stone-Cutting Woman to make a Virulent-Spirit-Heavenly-Majestic-Grain-Force. Again, he asked for the beads mirror. They commissioned Forefather of Jewel Workers to make long strings wrapped on her right hair bunch, chewed them to pieces, and spat them out. of myriad magatama beads. They summoned Heavenly Koyane and Futo-tama, In the misty spray there came into existence a deity named Heavenly Grain the Magnificent Jewel God, to remove whole the shoulder bone of a male deer Spirit. Again, he asked for the beads wrapped on the vine securing her hair, of the Fragrant Mountain of Heaven and take heavenly hahaka wood from the chewed them to pieces, and spat them out. In the misty spray there came into Fragrant Mountain of Heaven and perform divination. They uprooted by the existence a deity named Heavenly Male Ghild. Again, he asked for the beads very roots the flourishing masakaki tree of the Fragrant Mountain of Heaven. wrapped on her left arm, chewed them to pieces, and spat them out. In the To the upper branches they affixed long strings of myriad magatama beads; in misty spray there came into existence a deity named Vibrant Male Ghild. Again, the middle branches they hung a mirror many spans wide; and in the lower he asked for the beads wrapped on her right arm, chewed them to pieces, and branches they suspended white strips of nikite cloth and blue strips of nikite spat them out. In the misty spray there came into existence a deity named cloth. Magnificent Jewel carried these various objects as solemn offerings; Heav­ Wondrous Spirit of Kumano. All together there were five deities. enly Koyane intoned a solemn liturgy; the deity Heavenly Powerful-Handed At this time, Amaterasu said to Susano-o, "The latter-born five male children Male stood concealed beside the door; and Uzume, the Heavenly Woman- came into existence from my possessions and are therefore naturally my chil­ with-Hair-Piece Goddess, bound up her sleeves with a cord of the heavenly dren. The firstborn three female children came into existence from your pos­ hikage vine, tied around her head a head band of the heavenly masaki vine, sessions and are therefore your children." Thus, she determined the allotment and bound together bundles of sasa leaves to hold in her hands. Overturning of the offspring. . . . a bucket before the door of the Heavenly Rock-Cave, she stamped thunderously Then Susano-o said to Amaterasu, "It was because my intentions were pure and, becoming divinely possessed, exposed her breasts and pushed her skirt and clear that in the children I begot I obtained graceful maidens. By this it is band down to her genitals. Then the Plain of High Heaven shook as the eight obvious that I have won." Thus saying, he raged with victory, breaking down hundred myriad deities laughed at once. the ridges of Amaterasu's rice paddies and filling up the ditches. Also he defe­ At this time, Amaterasu, thinking this strange, opened a crack in the door of cated and strewed his feces about in the hall where the first fruits were tasted. the Heavenly Rock-Cave and said from within, "Because I have shut myself in, Even though he did this, Amaterasu did not reprove him but said, "What ap­ I thought that the Plain of High Heaven would be dark and the Central Land pears to be feces rpust be what my brother has vomited and strewn about while of the Reed Plains would be completely dark. Why is it that Uzume, Heavenly drunk. Also, as to his breaking down the ridges of the rice paddies and filling Woman-with-Hair-Piece, sings and dances and all the eight hundred myriad up the ditches, my brother must have done so because he felt land was being deities laugh?" wasted." Even though she spoke thus in remedy, his misdeeds did not cease Then Uzume, Heavenly Woman-with-Hair-Piece, said, "We rejoice and but became even more flagrant. When Amaterasu was inside the sacred weaving dance because there is here a deity superior to you." While she was saying this. hall, seeing to the weaving of the divine garments, he opened a hole in the roof Heavenly Koyane and Magnificent Jewel brought out the mirror and showed of the weaving hall and dropped into it the heavenly dappled horse, which he it to Amaterasu. Then Amaterasu, thinking this more and more strange, grad­ had skinned backward. The heavenly weaving maiden, shocked at the sight, ually came out of the door and approached the mirror. Then the deity Heavenly struck her genitals against the shuttle and died. Powerfiil-Handed Male, who had hidden himself, grasped her hand and pulled Now Amaterasu, seemg this, became afraid, and opening the door of the her out. Immediately Magnificent Jewel extended a sacred rope behind her, Heavenly Rock-Gave, went in and shut herself inside. Then the Plain of High and said, "You may not go back behind this." When Amaterasu came forth, the 30 THE ANCIENT PERIOD THE ANCIENT PERIOD 31

Plain of High Heaven and the Central Land of the Reed Plains naturally be­ extraordinary thing, presented it to the great deity Amaterasu. This is the sword came light. At this time the eight hundred myriad deities deliberated together Kusanagi, Grass Feller. and imposed on Susano-o a fine of a thousand platters of restitutive goods. In Thereupon Susano-o sought a place in the land of Izumo to build his palace. addition, they cut off his beard and the nails of his hands and feet, had him Arriving at Suga he said, "Coming here, my heart is refireshed [sugashi]," and exorcised, and expelled him with a divine expulsion. in that place he built his palace and dwelled. Therefore that place is still called Suga. When this great deity first built the palace of Suga, clouds rose from that place. He SUSANO-O SLAYS THE EIGHT-TAILED SERPENT composed a song, which said:

Therefore Susano-o was expelled and descended to the upper reaches of the yakumo tatsu In eight-cloud-rising Hi River in the land of Izumo, to a place called Torikami. At that time a Izumo yaegaki Izumo an eightfold fence chopstick came flowing down the river. Thinking that there were people up­ tsumagomi ni to enclose my wife stream, Susano-o set out in search of them. He came upon an old man and an yaegaki tsukuni an eightfold fence I build, old woman, with a maiden between them, crying. He asked them, "Who are sono yaegaki o and, oh, that eightfold fence! you?" The old man replied, "I am a child of an earthly deity, the Creat Deity of the Mountains. My name is Rubbing Feet; my wife's name is Rubbing Hands; Then he summoned Rubbing Feet and said, "Be the headman of my palace." and our daughter's name is Hair Comb Fields." He also bestowed upon him the name Palace-Master of Inada, Deity of Suga Susano-o asked further, "Why are you crying?" with Manifold Spiritual Powers. Then he commenced procreation with Hair Rubbing Feet replied, "We originally had eight daughters, but the eight- Comb Fields. . . . tailed serpent of Koshi has come every year and eaten them. We are crying because it is now time for him to come again." Susano-o asked, "What is his THE HEAVENLY DESCENT appearance? Rubbing Feet replied, "His eyes are like red ground cherries, and his body has eight heads and eight tails. On his body grow moss and cypress Then Amaterasu and the High Creative Force Deity commanded the heir ap­ and cryptomeria trees. His length is such that he spans eight valleys and eight parent Heavenly Grain, saying: "Now it is reported that the pacification of the mountain peaks. If you look at his belly, you see that blood is oozing out all Central Land of the Reed Plains has been finished. Therefore descend and rule over it." it, as you have been entrusted with it." Then the heir apparent Heavenly Grain Then Susano-o said to the old man, "Will you give me your daughter?" replied, saying: "As I was preparing to descend, a child was born; his name is Rubbing Feet answered, "Awed as I am, I do not know your name." Susano-o Ninigi. This child should descend." This child was born of his union with the replied, "I am the brother of the great deity Amaterasu and have just descended daughter of the High Creative Force Deity Thereupon, in accordance with fi-om heaven." Then Rubbing Feet and Rubbing Hand said, "If that is so, we his words, they imposed the command on Ninigi: "The Land of the Plentiful reverently present her to you." Reed Plains has been entrusted to you as the land you are to rule. In accordance Then Susano-o transformed the maiden into a hair comb, which he put in with the command, descend from the heavens!" his hair. He said to Rubbing Feet and Rubbing Hand, "Distill thick wine of Then, as Ninigi was about to descend from the heavens, there appeared in eightfold brewings, build a fence, and make eight doors in the fence. At each the myriad heavenly crossroads a deity whose radiance shone above through door, set up eight^woven platforms, and on each of these platforms place a wine the Plain of High Heaven and below through the Central Land of the Reed barrel. Fill each bVrel with the thick wine of eightfold brewings, and wait." Plains. Amaterasu and the High Creative Force Deity commanded Heavenly They made the preparations as he had instructed, and as they waited, the Woman-with-Hair-Piece, saying: "Although you are a graceful maiden, you are eight-tailed serpent came indeed, as the old man had said. Putting one head the type of deity who can face and overwhelm others. Therefore go alone and into each of the barrels, the serpent drank the wine, then becoming drunk, he inquire: 'Who is here on the path of my offspring descending from the heav­ lay down and slept. Then Susano-o unsheathed the ten-hands-long sword that ens?'" he was wearing at his side and hacked the serpent to pieces. The Hi River ran When she inquired, the reply was: "I am an earthly deity named Saruta- with blood. When he cut the serpent's middle tail, the blade of his sword biko. I have come out because I have heard that the offspring of the heavenly chipped. Thinking this strange, he thrust deeper with the stump of his sword, deities is to descend from the heavens, and I have come forth to wait so that I until a great sharp swor\i appeared. He took out this sword and, thinking it an might serve as his guide." 32 THE ANCIENT PERIOD THE ANCIENT PERIOD 33 Then assigning roles to Heavenly Koyane, Magnificent Jewel, Heavenly Later, Tree Blossom Princess came forth and said: "I am with child, and Woman-with-Hair-Piece, Stone-Cutting Woman, and Forefather of Jewel- now the time of my delivery is near. I say this because it would not be fitting Workers, all together five clan heads, they had them descend from the heavens. for the child of the heavenly deities to be born in secret." Amaterasu gave to Ninigi the myriad magatama curved beads, the mirror that Then Ninigi said: "Can Tree Blossom have become pregnant after only one had been used to lure her, as well as the sword Kusanagi, Crass Feller; and also night? This is not my child; surely it must be the child of an earthly deity." sent along the Profound Thinker Deity, the Heavenly Powerful-Handed Male Then Tree Blossom replied: "If the child I bear be the child of an earthly deity, Deity, and the Heavenly Rock Door Youth Deity. . . . then it shall not be born safely; if it be the child of the heavenly deities, then Then Ninigi was commanded to leave the Heavenly Rock Seat. Pushing it shall be safe." through the myriad layers of the heavens' trailing clouds, pushing his way with Then she built a palace many yards long without a door; entering this palace, an awesome might, he stood on a flat floating island by the Heavenly Floating she spread clay to close it up; and when she was about to deliver the child, she Bridge and descended from the heavens to the peak Kujifurutake of Mount set fire to the palace and gave birth. Takachiho of Himuka in Tsukushi. . . . The child born as the flames were burning furiously was named Ho-deri, Ninigi said; "This place is opposite the land of Kara; it is a land where the Fire-Shine Lord. The child born next was named Ho-suseri, Fire-Raging Lord. morning sun shines directly, a land where the rays of the evening sun are The child born next was named Ho-ori, Fire-Fade Lord. brilliant. This is a most excellent place." Thus saying, he rooted his palace posts firmly in the bedrock below, raised LUCK OF THE SEA AND LUCK OF THE MOUNTAIN high the crossbeams unto the Plain of High Heaven itself, and dwelled there. . . . Thereupon Fire-Shine Lord, as Luck of the Sea, hunted the wide-finned and Ninigi met a lovely maiden at the Cape of Kasasa. He asked: "Whose daugh­ the narrow-finned fish, and Fire-Fade Lord, as Luck of the Mountain, hunted ter are you?" She replied: "I am the daughter of the Great Mountain Cod, and the coarse-furred and the soft-furred game. Then Luck of the Mountain said to my name is Lady Divine Ata. I am also called Lady Tree Blossom." Again Ninigi his elder brother Luck of the Sea, "Let us exchange our luck." Although he asked: "Do you have any brothers and sisters?" She replied: "I have an elder repeated this request three times, his elder brother refused. Finally, however, sister. Lady Rock-Eternal." Then he said: "I wish to marry you. What is your he was able to get his brother to consent to the exchange. Then, when Luck of wish?" She replied: "I cannot say. My father the Great Mountain Deity will the Mountain was fishing with the luck of the sea, he was unable to catch even say." a single fish, and he lost his fishhook in the sea. When he sent for permission to her father the Great Mountain Deity, her Then his elder brother Luck of the Sea asked to have the fishhook back, father rejoiced greatly and gave in addition the elder sister Rock-Eternal Princess saying, "The luck of the mountain is your own luck-luck, the luck of the sea is and had hqndreds of tables laden with gifts and presented to Ninigi. my own luck-luck, let us now give each back his own luck." Then the younger But when Ninigi saw the elder sister, he was afraid because of her exceeding brother Luck of the Mountain replied, "When I fished with your fishhook, I ugliness and sent her back; he kept only the younger sister Tree Blossom Prin­ caught not a single fish, and I finally lost it in the sea." However, his elder cess and had conjugal intercourse with her for one night. brother stubbornly insisted. Even when the younger brother broke up a ten- Then thcxCreat Mountain Deity, shamed because Rock-Eternal Princess hands-long sword and made it into five hundred hooks as compensation, he had been sent-back, sent word: "The reason I offered both my daughters to­ would not accept them. Again, he made a thousand hooks as compensation, gether was this: I,presented them swearing an oath that if he should take Rock- but he still would not accept them, saying, "I still want my original hook." Eternal Princess, tlje life of the child of the heavenly deities, even though the Then when the younger brother was weeping and lamenting by the seashore, snow should fall and the wind should blow, would be ever like a rock and would the Tide Path God came and asked, 'Why are you weeping and lamenting. He continue eternally, firmly, without being moved; and also that if he should take Who Is High as the Sun in the Sky?" Luck of the Mountain replied, "I borrowed Tree Blossom Princess, the child would flourish, just as the blossoms of the my elder brother's fishhook, and I lost it. Since he asked for his hook, I repaid trees flourish. However, now that he has returned Rock-Eternal Princess and him with many hooks, but he will not receive them, saying, 'I still want my kept only Tree Blossom Princess, the life of the child of the heavenly deities original hook.' That is why I am weeping and lamenting." shall continue only for the interval of the blossoming of the trees." Then the Tide Path God said, "I will give you good counsel." He then made For this reason, until this day, the emperors have not been long-lived. a small boat of closely woven bamboo, put Luck of the Mountain into this boat. 34 the ancient period the ancient period 35 and instructed, "When I push this boat free, continue to sail for a little while. myriad fish said, "Recently the sea bream has complained that a bone is caught Then there will be a very good path of tide in the sea. Continue going on this in its throat and it cannot eat anything. Certainly this fish has taken it." At this path, and you will come to a palace made as if with the scales of fish, the palace time they looked in the sea bream's throat and found the fishhook. Therefore of , the sea god. When you reach the gate of this deity, there will be they took it out, washed it, and presented it to Luck of the Mountain. At this a luxuriant katsura tree next to a well at its side. If you climb to the top of this time the great sea god Watatsumi instructed, "When you give this hook to your tree, the daughter of the sea deity will see you and will give you counsel." elder brother, you should say, 'This hook is a gloomy hook, an uneasy hook, a Thereupon Luck of the Mountain went as he was instructed, and everything poor hook, a dull hook.' So saying, hand it to him behind your back. Then if was exactly as he had been told. He climbed up the katsura tree and waited. your elder brother makes rice paddies on high ground, make yours on low Then the serving maid of Toyotama, Lady Precious Soul, daughter of the sea ground. If your elder brother makes rice paddies on low ground, make yours god, brought out a fine jar to draw water, at which time she noticed a light in on high ground. If you do this, since I control the water, within three years the well. Looking up, she saw a lovely young man. She thought this exceedingly your brother will be poverty stricken. If he becomes bitter and angry and attacks strange. At this point Luck of the Mountain, seeing the serving maid, asked her you, take the tide-raising pearl and cause him to drown. If he pleads for mercy, to give him some water. The maid drew water, put it into the fine jar, and take the tide-ebbing pearl and cause him to live. So cause him anguish and offered it to him. Then, instead of drinking the water, he unfastened a jewel suffering." Saying so, the sea god gave Luck of the Mountain the tide-raising from his neck, put it into his mouth, and spat it into the fine jar. Thereupon pearl and the tide-ebbing pearl. the jewel stuck fast to the jar, and the maid could not remove it. Therefore she Then he summoned together all the crocodiles and asked, "Now, He Who presented it to Lady Toyotama with the jewel attached inside. Is High as the Sun in the Sky, son of He Who Is High as the Sun in Heaven, Seeing this jewel, she asked the maid, "Is there perhaps someone outside the is about to journey to the upper land. Which one of you will escort him and gate?" The maid replied, "There is a person in the katsura tree next to the well. return to report, in how many days?" Then each of them answered, numbering He is an exceedingly lovely young man, much nobler than our master. He asked the days in accordance with their length. Among them, the one-length crocodile for water, and when I offered water to him, he did not drink but spat this jewel said, "I will escort him and return in one day." Then the sea god said to the into the jar. Since I was unable to remove it, I brought it with the jewel attached one-length crocodile, "In that case, escort him. Do not give him cause for fright inside to present to you.'^Then Lady Toyotama, thinking this strange, went out­ while crossing the sea." Thus, the sea god put Luck of the Mountain on the side to take a look. Quite taken at the sight, they gazed at each other. crocodile's neck and sent him off. As had been promised, the crocodile escorted To her father she said, "There is a noble person at our gate." Then the sea him home in a day. When the crocodile was about to start back. Luck of the god went out himself to take a look and said, "This is He Who Is High as the Mountain removed the dagger he had been wearing and fastened it around the Sun in the Sky, son of He Who Is High as the Sun in Heaven." Then he brought crocodile's neck before sending it off. Therefore this one-length crocodile is him-inside, spread out eightfold layers of sealskin carpets, then spread out eight­ now called the God Who Holds a Dagger. fold layers of silk carpets above them, seated Luck of the Mountain on top of Then Luck of the Mountain returned the hook to his brother exactly as he these, set out a hundred tables laden with gifts, prepared a banquet, and gave had been instructed by the sea deity. From that time onward, his elder brother him his daughter Toyotama in marriage. Therefore he lived in this land for became poorer and poorer. His disposition became more violent, and he came three years. to attack Luck of the Mountain. Whenever he was attacked. Luck of the Moun­ At this tirrie. Luck of the Mountain remembered the things of the past and tain took out the tide-raising pearl and caused his elder brother to drown. Then sighed deeply. Toyotama heard this sigh and said to her father, "In the three when the elder brother pleaded for mercy, he took out the tide-ebbing pearl years he has live4 here, he has never sighed, yet last night he sighed deeply. and saved him. So he caused his elder brother anguish and suffering. At the What could be the reason?" Then her father, the great god, asked his son-in- time the elder brother prostrated himself and said, 'From now on, I shall serve law, "According to what my daughter said this morning, in the three years that you day and night as your guard." Thus, to this day the elder brother s descen­ you have lived here, you have never sighed, yet last night you sighed deeply. dants (the Hayato) still serve the emperor by performing these drowning mo­ What is the reason? Also, what is the reason for your coming here?" Then Luck tions. of the Mountain told the great god in detail about how his elder brother de­ At this time, the daughter of the sea god, Toyotama, came forth and said: "I manded the fishhook that had been lost. have been with child for some time, and now the time of my delivery is near. Thereupon, the s^a deity summoned together all the large and small fish of I thought that it would not be fitting for the child of the heavenly deities to be the sea and asked them whether any fish had taken the fishhook. Then the born in the ocean. Therefore I have come forth." Then, by the edge of the 36 the ancient period the ancient period 37 beach, a parturition hut was built, thatched with cormorant feathers. But before Book 2 the parturition hut had been completely thatched, the urgency of her womb became unendurable, and she entered into the parturition hut. As she was about to be delivered of her child, she said to her husband: "All persons of other lands, During the reign of , there was a great epidemic, and the people when they bear their young, revert to the form of their original land and give seemed to be on the verge of extinction. The emperor sorrowed and grieved birth. Therefore, I too am going to revert to my original form and give birth. and slept on a divine bed in order to receive an oracle. That night, the great Pray do not look at me!" deity Omono-nushi, Great Lord of Spirits, appeared to the emperor in a dream Then thinking her words strange, he watched in secret as she was about to and said, "This epidemic is my will. If, however, you persuade Otataneko to give birth; she turned into a giant crocodile and went crawling and slithering worship before me, the divine wrath will be averted and the land will be peace­ around. Seeing this, he was astonished and ran away. Then Toyotama, learning ful and at ease." Thus messengers were dispatched urgently in all directions to that he had been watching, felt extremely shamed and, leaving behind the child find this person called Otataneko. He was found in the village of Mino in she had borne, said: "I had always intended to go back and forth across the Kawachi and was presented to the emperor. pathways of the sea; however, now that my form has been seen, I am exceedingly The emperor asked, "Whose child are you?" Otataneko replied that he was ashamed." Then, closing the sea border, she went back into the sea. For this a descendant of the deity Great Lord of Spirits and Ikutama-yori-bime, the Lady reason, the child whom she bore is called Heavenly Male Brave of the Shore. Living Spirit Medium. Then the emperor rejoiced greatly, saying, "The realm Nevertheless, although she was angry with him for having looked at her, she Will be peaceful, and the people will flourish." was still unable to subdue her yearning and sent her younger sister Lady Ta- Hence, with Otataneko serving as the chief priest, he worshiped the great mayori to nurse the child, entrusting her with a song, which said: deity of Great Miwa at the sacred mountain. Furthermore, the emperor com­ manded the making of many heavenly flat pots and designated the worship of akadama Beautiful are red jewels; the shrines of heavenly deities and earthly deities. To the deity of Sumi Pass in 0 sae hikaredo even their cord seems to sparkle. Uda he offered red shields and spears, and to the deity of the , the Great shiratama no But I prefer pearls Pass, he offered black shields and spears. To all the deities of the hillsides and ga yosoishi for the awesome beauty the deities of river rapids, he presented ceremonial offerings without fail. Be­ toutoku arikeri of your pearl-like form. cause of this, the wrath of the epidemic ceased completely, and the country was peaceful and at ease. Then her husband replied with the song: The reason why this man called Otataneko is known to be a descendant of a deity is this: the aforementioned Lady Living Spirit Medium was a beauty. Once, a young man, whose form and dignity were without equal, came sud­ bki tsu tori As long as I have life, denly in the middle of night. They fell in love with each other and lived together kamo doku shima ni I shall never forget as husband and wife. Before long, the lady became pregnant. Then her father waga ineshi my beloved, with whom I slept and mother, thinking it strange that she should be pregnant, asked their daugh­ imo wa wasureji on an island where wild ducks, ter, "How is it that you became pregnant by yourself, without a husband?" She yo no kotogoto ni birds of the offing, came to land. replied, "There is a lovely young man, whose name I do not know, who comes

\ every evening. Living together with him, I naturally became pregnant." Luck of the Moiiptain dwelled in the palace of Takachi-ho for 580 years. His At this, her father and mother, wishing to know who this man was, told their tomb is west of Mount Takachi-ho. daughter, "Take red clay and scatter it by your bed, and thread a needle with a roll of yarn, and sew it onto the hem of his clothing." So she did as she After this, Heavenly Male Brave of the Shore takes his aunt Lady Tamayori as his wife, was told, and when they looked the next morning, the yarn attached to the needle and she gives birth to three children: the eldest crosses over to the Eternal Land (Tokoyo); had passed outside through the keyhole of the door, leaving only three loops (mi­ the second enters the ocean to follow his mother; and the third (Kamu Yamato Iware wa). Having discovered how the man had left through the keyhole, they followed Hiko no Mikoto, Divine Yamato Iware Male Lord) becomes the first emperor of Yamato, the yarn, which led to Mount Miwa and ended at the shrine of the deity. This Jinmu. From here oh, the Kojiki is divided into chapters of the succeeding imperial is how it is known that Otataneko is a descendant of a deity. Hence, because of reigns. the three loops of yarn left, the place is called Miwa (Three Loops).