Izanagi facts for kids
Izanagi (イザナギ) is a very important god in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. His name means "male who invites." He was one of the first gods to appear in the world. His story is told in ancient Japanese books like the Kojiki.
Izanagi and his wife, Izanami, worked together to create many of the islands that make up Japan. They also gave birth to many other gods and goddesses. These two gods are seen as the ancestors of the Japanese people.
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Creating the Japanese Islands
Izanagi and Izanami stood on a floating bridge in the sky. They used a special spear called Amenonuhoko. They dipped the spear into the swirling, chaotic waters below. When they lifted the spear, drops of water fell from its tip. These drops formed the first island, Onogoro.
After that, Izanagi and Izanami descended to this new island. They built a palace there and decided to marry. Through their union, they created many more islands, which became the main islands of Japan. They also created many gods and goddesses who would rule over different parts of the world.
A Journey to the Underworld
Sadly, Izanami died while giving birth to the fire god. Izanagi was heartbroken and missed her terribly. He decided to follow her to Yomi, which is the underworld or land of the dead. He hoped to bring her back to the living world.
When Izanagi found Izanami in Yomi, she told him not to look at her. But Izanagi couldn't resist. He lit a torch and saw her. Her body had changed and looked scary, like a decaying corpse. Izanami was very ashamed and angry that he had seen her in such a state.
The Chase and the Promise
Because of his betrayal, Izanami became furious. She sent scary spirits and monsters to chase Izanagi out of Yomi. Izanagi ran as fast as he could, throwing objects behind him to slow down his pursuers. He managed to escape from the underworld.
As he left, Izanami stood at the entrance to Yomi. She shouted a terrible promise: she would kill a thousand people in the living world every day. Izanagi replied that he would create one thousand five hundred new lives every day. This story explains why there is both death and birth in the world.
Birth of Important Gods
After escaping the underworld, Izanagi felt unclean from his journey. He went to a river to perform a special cleaning ritual called misogi. As he washed himself, new gods were born from his body.
From his left eye, the sun goddess Amaterasu was born. She became the ruler of the heavens. From his right eye, the moon god Tsukuyomi was born. From his nose, the powerful storm god Susanoo was born. These three gods are known as the "Three Noble Children" and are very important in Japanese mythology.
Images for kids
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The 'Eight Great Islands' (大八洲 Ōyashima) of Japan created by Izanami and Izanagi.
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Izanagi purifying himself (misogi) by immersing in a river.
See also
In Spanish: Izanagi para niños
