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Izanagi

 

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Izanagi



 
 
is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology

Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon alone consists of an uncountable number of kami ....
 and Shintoism, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male-who-invites" or Izanagi-no-mikoto.

He and his spouse Izanami
Izanami

In Japanese mythology, is a goddess of both creation and death, as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi. She is also referred to as Izana-mi, Izanami-no-mikoto or Izanami-no-kami....
 bore many islands, deities and forefathers of Japan. When Izanami died in childbirth, Izanagi tried (but failed) to retrieve her from Yomi
Yomi

, the Japanese language word for the underworld in which horrible creatures guard the exits; according to Shinto mythology as related in Kojiki, this is where the dead go to dwell and apparently rot indefinitely....
 (the underworld
Underworld

In the study of mythology and religion, the underworld is a generic term approximately equivalent to the lay term afterlife, referring to any place to which newly the dead souls go....
). In the cleansing rite after his return, he begot Amaterasu
Amaterasu

, or is in Japanese mythology a Solar deity and perhaps the most important Shinto . Her name, Amaterasu, means literally " illuminates Heaven"....
 (the sun
Sun

The Sun , a G V star, is the star at the center of the Solar System. The Earth and other matter orbit the Sun, which by itself accounts for about 98.6% of the Solar System's mass....
 goddess) from his left eye, Tsukuyomi (the moon
Moon

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite and the List of natural satellites by diameter satellite in the Solar System. The average centre-to-centre distance from the Earth to the Moon is km, about thirty times the diameter of the Earth....
 god) from his right eye and Susanoo
Susanoo

is the Shinto god of the sea and storms....
 (tempest or storm
Storm

A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's Celestial body atmosphere, especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather....
 god) from his nose.

The story of Izanagi and Izanami has close parallels to the Greek myth of Orpheus
Orpheus

Orpheus was a legendary figure, probably from Thracian origin, venerated by the Greeks and Thracians of the Classical age as a chief among poets and musicians, and the perfector of the lyre invented by Hermes....
 and Eurydice
Eurydice

In Greek mythology, Eurydice was an oak nymph or a sweet maiden. She was the wife of Orpheus. Orpheus loved her dearly; on their wedding day, Orpheus played songs filled with happiness as his bride danced through the meadow....
, but it also has a major difference.






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is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology

Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon alone consists of an uncountable number of kami ....
 and Shintoism, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male-who-invites" or Izanagi-no-mikoto.

He and his spouse Izanami
Izanami

In Japanese mythology, is a goddess of both creation and death, as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi. She is also referred to as Izana-mi, Izanami-no-mikoto or Izanami-no-kami....
 bore many islands, deities and forefathers of Japan. When Izanami died in childbirth, Izanagi tried (but failed) to retrieve her from Yomi
Yomi

, the Japanese language word for the underworld in which horrible creatures guard the exits; according to Shinto mythology as related in Kojiki, this is where the dead go to dwell and apparently rot indefinitely....
 (the underworld
Underworld

In the study of mythology and religion, the underworld is a generic term approximately equivalent to the lay term afterlife, referring to any place to which newly the dead souls go....
). In the cleansing rite after his return, he begot Amaterasu
Amaterasu

, or is in Japanese mythology a Solar deity and perhaps the most important Shinto . Her name, Amaterasu, means literally " illuminates Heaven"....
 (the sun
Sun

The Sun , a G V star, is the star at the center of the Solar System. The Earth and other matter orbit the Sun, which by itself accounts for about 98.6% of the Solar System's mass....
 goddess) from his left eye, Tsukuyomi (the moon
Moon

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite and the List of natural satellites by diameter satellite in the Solar System. The average centre-to-centre distance from the Earth to the Moon is km, about thirty times the diameter of the Earth....
 god) from his right eye and Susanoo
Susanoo

is the Shinto god of the sea and storms....
 (tempest or storm
Storm

A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's Celestial body atmosphere, especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather....
 god) from his nose.

The story of Izanagi and Izanami has close parallels to the Greek myth of Orpheus
Orpheus

Orpheus was a legendary figure, probably from Thracian origin, venerated by the Greeks and Thracians of the Classical age as a chief among poets and musicians, and the perfector of the lyre invented by Hermes....
 and Eurydice
Eurydice

In Greek mythology, Eurydice was an oak nymph or a sweet maiden. She was the wife of Orpheus. Orpheus loved her dearly; on their wedding day, Orpheus played songs filled with happiness as his bride danced through the meadow....
, but it also has a major difference. When Izanagi looks prematurely at his wife, he beholds her monstrous and hellish state and she is shamed and enraged. She pursues him in order to kill him. She fails to do so, but promises to kill a thousand of his people every day. Izanagi retorts that a thousand and five hundred will be born every day.