Chapter 677.: 677.
「 Tsukuyomi Kami . Usually, it’s written as “月を読む(Counting the months),” and is expressed as “月読i(The nickname of the moon),” however, If I recall, it’s also has a notation as “月に夜を見る(Viewing the moon at night),” 」
Misuzu said .
In short, Tsukiko and Yomiko’s name is “Tsukuyomi” when you add them together .
It’s the name of the God of the Moon .
「 Counting the months and viewing the moon are the same thing . It means to see the phases of the moon and know the flow of time 」
Time? Moon?
「 It was for the Lunar calendar in the past . The moon was the calendar alternative . Identifying the change of season and agricultural schedule is made by looking up at the moon 」
I see . That means looking at the moon at night was crucial .
「 However, “Tsukiyomi-Kami” is a strange god1 」
Misuzu said .
「 Danna-sama, you do know about Amaterasu-no-Mikoto, right? 」
「 Well, I know at least that much . It’s the greatest God in Japan . The Goddess of Sun 」
「 Tsukuyomi is Amaterasu’s younger brother 」
The Sun God and Moon God are siblings . I know that much .
「 Then as for the other brother, Susanoo-no-Mikoto 」
Hmm?
「 Susanoo, that’s the one who took down Yamato-no-Orochi, isn’t it? 」
I asked .
「 Yes indeed . He’s not a human but a God 」
Misuzu replied .
「 Wait, if Amaterasu’s the Sun God, Tsukuyomi is the Moon God, then what God is Susanoo? 」
If there’s already a sun and moon, what’s the other? 2
If he’s a God, then what kind of God?
I mean, what I only know about Susanoo is that he defeated Yamata-no-Orochi .
「 That’s the problem 」
Misuzu said .
「 Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, these were the three pillars of God born from Izanagi-no-Mikoto at the same time . Did you know? 」
「 Izanagi and Izanami, isn’t it? 」
I do remember their names at least .
「 Yes . In Japan mythology, Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto gave birth to “Land” itself . It’s the myth of “birth of the country” 」
Yeah .
I remember reading that in a library book as a child .
「 Izanagi is a male god and Izanami is the female . Then, the female God said “something is lacking in me,” so the male god said “I will fill what’s lacking in you,” thus he filled her and the country was born 」
「 In short, they had sex and made a child! 」
Nei shortens .
Oh, the “lacking” is the female genital, and the “filling’ is the male genital . I see .
「 Afterwards, Izanami burned to death after the birth of the fire god Kagutsuchi . Thus, Izanagi went to Yomi(the dead world) to meet the dead Izanami 」
Misuzu said .
「 I know that . In the end, the husband came back from hell alone, didn’t he? 」
「 It’s not Hell . It’s the land of the dead 」
Michi?
「 It must be the same in Master’s image, but Hell and the land of the dead are different things 」
「 There are different views of life and death depending on the religion . In Buddhism and Christianity, Hell is a place where you’re punished for your since when you were alive 」
「 Izanami-san just gave birth to the God of Fire and died because of it, it’s not like she did something wrong and taken to hell, did she? I mean, Japan myths have no concept of heaven and hell . Anyway, everyone who dies goes to Yomi, whether they’re a good or bad person . That’s the idea 」
Michi, Misuzu, and Nei relay with each other on teaching me .
Everyone knows a lot .
「 Well, putting that aside, Izanagi who came back from the land of the dead did a purification ceremony to go back to the surface . He washed his body with water . A lot of Gods were born at that time 」
「 The first child, Amaterasu, was born from Izanagi washing his left eye . Tsukuyomi was born when he washed his right eye . And Susanoo is supposedly born from washing his nose 」
Michi follows up with Nei .
Oh, I see .
I didn’t remember the details that much .
「 And so, Yo-chan . Don’t you think that it’s strange? 」
Huh? What is?
「 At first, the country was born from the male and female god having sex . After that, Izanagi and Izanami created many other gods 」
Y-Yeah .
「 However, since Izanami separated and went to the land of the dead, Izanagi alone made gods one after another 」
Oh, wait .
Yeah, the rules deviated .
「 In fact, from the time Izanami was burned down by the fire god, Gods having sex and giving birth to other Gods have stopped 」
Misuzu said .
「 That’s right, talk about Izanami getting ill that she gave birth to the god of vomit, piss, and shit! What’s the name of the urine god again? 」
Nei asks .
「 Mitsuhanome-no-Kami and Wakumusubi-no-kami 」
As expected of Misuzu, she knows a lot when it comes to peeing .
「 Well, so far, it’s the female god giving birth, but after Izanami’s death, new gods are born even from the tears of the sad Izanagi . In short, it’s when male gods start giving birth to gods 」
A male god produces gods alone .
Yeah, that’s some major rule change .
「 In the myths, it seems that the male and female god giving birth to a new one is a late occurrence . The Japanese mythology has returned to their old types since Izanagi’s death 」
「 And so! Well, after purifying the dirt from the land of the dead, Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo were born! 」
Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are from the eyes .
Susanoo is from the nose .
「 And so, Yo-chan, have you heard of Tsukuyomi’s name before? Did you know about them? 」
「 No, I don’t know a lot 」
「 Yeah . Of course . It’s not that common after all . After all, he never appeared in other myths after his birth 」
No appearances?
「 The only written myth on Tsukuyomi is that he killed Uke Mochi no Kami, the Hainuwele God in Japan . That’s why Amaterasu moved her away 」
「 Really, that’s the only description about him 」
Somehow, I don’t get it but, they’re saying that there’s not much written about Tsukuyomi?
「 Yo-chan, don’t you think that’s strange? The moon’s so crucial to Japan, you see? But the God of the moon has hardly anything written about him 」
Yeah, that’s strange .
Everyone knows about the sun god, Amaterasu but they don’t talk about the moon God 」
「 Then, there’s Susanoo . Their father, Izanagi made Amaterasu, the Sun God, govern the “Takamagahara(heaven)” And Tsukuyomi, the Moon God, rules the “Yoru no Osu Kuni(the country that eats at night)” At that time, there are books that tell that Susanoo was ordered to rule over the ocean, but it’s not much known . However, Susanoo is supposed to have refused the order of his father and went to Yomi, where his mother is 」
「 Then, before going to Yomi, he would like to see his sister, so he came to the Takamagahara, but the elder sister doubted that Susanoo might’ve come to attack 」
「 To clear that doubt, Amaterasu and Susanoo made a written vow . As a result, a god was born . The first is “Munakata-sanjojin,” and five gods were born afterward . They were all good gods, so Susanoo’s innocence is proved, however
「 That’s sex between two Gods, isn’t it? 」
Misuzu?
「 That’s right . The female god Amaterasu, and the male god, Susanoo had sex and gave birth to Gods . In short, it’s back with the rules of Izanagi and Izanami 」
I-I see .
No, wait .
「 Amaterasu and Susanoo are siblings, isn’t it? Was that okay back then? 」
I asked just in case .
「 I think they’re not siblings 」
Nei said .
「 Let’s see, what I mean is this; myths are hybrids . It isn’t a single story told over time, but a bundle of different stories combined, patched, or sometimes cut out, to make some jumble 」
「 Each of the clans had their own myths . It’s often rewritten to the myth of the conquering clans . However, it doesn’t mean that the winning clan myths always remain 」
「 If it was an exciting story, then the losing clan’s myth is also incorporated into the winning clan’s myth . Basically how the Roman empire taking over the Green myths 」
「 Sometimes, it’s just a part . For example, the stories of King Arthur, then Tristan and Isolde were separate, but before anyone noticed, Tristan has become one of the knights in King Arthur’s round table 」
Nei and Misuzu continue their talk .
Does anyone understand what these two are talking about?
Yeah, Ruriko, Michi, Mana, and the Takakura sisters know what’s going on .
Those who are dumbfounded are Megu, Agnes, and me .
「 Oh, I get it now! That means that Susanoo was just inserted later in the Japanese myth, is he? 」
Edie?
You understood that?!!!
「 I think so 」
Misuzu said .
「 There is a shrine for a God which is believed to be the ancient name of Amaterasu, which is Amateru shrine in Tsushima . Tsukuyomi’s shrine is in the Sanuki . However, there’s no shrine revering Susanoo . These two shrines are ancient . In short, there have initially been faith in the Sun God, Amaterasu, and Moon God, Tsukuyomi 」
I see .
Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi existed as Gods first .
「 Susanoo’s nature is of a Hero God . In short, he was someone who acted heroically that the people deified him . Therefore he became a God 」
Hero God .
「 And so, Yo-chan also knows about Susanoo’s legend . He has shown his innocence in Ukei(Shinto divination ritual) about coming to Takamagahara but, in the end, he went berserk, that it caused Amaterasu to withdraw to Ama-no-Iwato . Thus, Susanoo was kicked out of Takamagahara 」
「 Then, he went down to the land of Izumo and defeated Yamata-no-Orochi Thus, the land of Izumo has become indigenous and reigned the country 」
Oh, I know that one .
「 IN short, Susanoo became a hero because he defeated Yamata-no-Orochi, and so the story of the hero who defeated Orochi and the tale of Amaterasu of Takamagahara are united . 」
「 Yeah, well, it’s almost correct Yo-chan, but there’s one thing 」
Nei?
「 In Kojiki, Nihon-Shoki, the legend of Yamata-no-Orochi is an event in Izumo 」
Misuzu said .
「 It’s not written in Izumo Fudoki 」
Nei continues .
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login