The founding of Japan
Core stories of Shinto
These texts set out the traditional story of the foundation of Japan and its people, and demonstrate the very close relationship between the gods and the people of Japan. The stories also demonstrate many parallels between human beings and the kami.
The foundation of Japan
This part of the story makes the following points:
- Japan was the first land to be created
- Sexual union is a holy creative process
- If certain rituals are not properly followed bad things may happen
- If the natural order of things is disturbed bad things may happen
- The female should be subordinate to the male
- Kami are created by the same process as human beings
- Imperfect children can be abandoned
Izanami and Izanagi, by Kobayashi Eitaku c.1885 ©
In the beginning, when the universe was created from the pre-existing chaos a number of kami ('gods' in this context) appeared spontaneously. Their relationships gave rise to a brother and sister; Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi means 'he who invites' and Izanami means 'she who invites'.
Izanagi and Izanami thrust a jewelled spear into the ocean, and the first land formed where the spear touched the water. This was the central island of Japan.
Izanagi and Izanami married and discovered sexual intercourse.
Their first child, Hiruko, was born deformed and later abandoned by his parents; legend says the deformity was caused because Izanami had spoken first in the sexual ritual.
The couple had sexual intercourse on several other occasions and their other offspring included the other islands of Japan and some of the kami.