The Celestial Brush: Amaterasu and the Mythological Creation of Japan

Disclaimer: This article explores a traditional myth from Japanese folklore. The story and the figures within it are part of a cultural and historical narrative. They are presented here for educational understanding and are not intended to be regarded as factual or as objects of worship.

Introduction

From the mists of antiquity, long before the age of science and written history, cultures across the globe wove intricate tapestries of stories to explain the world around them. Among the most enduring and imaginative of these are the creation myths of Japan, recorded primarily in the 8th-century texts, the Kojiki ("Record of Ancient Matters") and the Nihon Shoki ("Chronicles of Japan"). These traditional stories, told by ancient people to make sense of their volcanic, sea-swept homeland, narrate a dramatic journey from primordial chaos to the formation of the islands and the establishment of cosmic order, culminating in the emergence of the celestial figure Amaterasu Omikami.

Origins and Cultural Background

These myths took shape in an era when the people of ancient Japan lived in profound intimacy with nature. Their world was one of towering mountains, dense forests, unpredictable seas, and the ever-present threat of earthquakes and typhoons. To them, the world was not an inanimate collection of resources but a vibrant, living entity filled with countless spirits or deities known as kami. Every rock, river, tree, and storm was believed to possess a spiritual essence. This worldview, which would later be articulated as Shinto, saw the natural and the supernatural as deeply intertwined. The creation myths were not just fanciful tales; they were a foundational framework for understanding the very character of the land and the powerful, often volatile, forces that governed their lives.

Character Descriptions

The central figures in this creation epic are a primordial pair and their most significant offspring:

• Read moreAmaterasu and the Journey of Setsubun

  Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto: Often translated as "He-Who-Invites" and "She-Who-Invites," this male and female pair represents the fundamental principle of duality and cooperation needed for creation. They are not all-powerful creators in the monotheistic sense, but rather celestial architects tasked with giving shape and substance to a formless world. Their story is one of trial, error, love, and tragedy, mirroring the complexities of the natural world itself.

• Amaterasu Omikami: Her name translates to "the great divinity illuminating heaven." As a key figure, or kami, in this mythological system, she is the personification of the sun. Symbolically, Amaterasu represents light, order, purity, agriculture, and life itself. Her story arc is not about the physical creation of land but about the establishment of cosmic and social harmony after the world has been formed. She is a symbol of benevolent leadership and the life-giving energy that banishes darkness.

The Main Story: A Narrative Retelling

In a time before time, the universe was a formless, silent ocean of chaos, thick and oily like a raw egg. From this ethereal soup, several generations of kami emerged, but it was the final pair, the youthful Izanagi and his sister Izanami, who were given a monumental task. Standing on the Ama-no-ukihashi, the Floating Bridge of Heaven, they were handed a jeweled spear and commanded to solidify the drifting world below.

Izanagi and Izanami peered down at the murky expanse. Dipping the spear into the brine, they stirred it, and as they lifted the weapon, drops of salty water fell from its tip. These drops coagulated and hardened, forming the first island, Onogoro ("self-forming"). Descending to this new land, they erected a heavenly pillar and began a courtship ritual to bring forth more of the world. Their first attempt at procreation failed, resulting in a misshapen "leech-child," because Izanami, the female, had spoken first during the ritual—a narrative detail emphasizing the importance of proper order.

Learning from their mistake, they performed the ritual again, with Izanagi speaking first. This time, their union was fruitful. One by one, they gave birth to the islands that would form the Japanese archipelago: Awaji, Shikoku, Kyushu, Honshu, and the others, collectively known as the Oyashima, the Eight Great Islands. After forming the land, they continued to bring forth the kami who would inhabit it—the spirits of the wind, the mountains, the trees, and the rivers, populating the world with life and energy.

Their creative journey, however, turned to tragedy. The birth of their final child, Kagutsuchi, the personification of fire, was catastrophic. The searing heat of the fire kami fatally burned Izanami. In his overwhelming grief and rage, Izanagi struck down the newborn Kagutsuchi, and from the fire-child’s remains, still more kami of volcanoes and mountains were born.

Distraught, Izanagi could not accept the loss of his beloved partner. He embarked on a desperate journey to Yomi-no-kuni, the Land of the Dead, a shadowy, polluted realm, to bring her back. He found her in the darkness, but she warned him not to look at her, for she had already eaten the food of the underworld and could not leave. Consumed by impatience, Izanagi lit a torch. In the flickering light, he saw not the beautiful figure he remembered, but a decaying, monstrous form. Horrified, he fled. A furious and shamed Izanami sent the hags of the underworld after him, but Izanagi managed to escape, finally rolling a massive boulder to seal the entrance between the land of the living and the dead forever. This act established the permanent separation between life and death.

Tainted by his contact with the underworld, Izanagi performed a purification ritual, or misogi, in a river. As he washed the filth of Yomi from his body, a miraculous event occurred. When he washed his left eye, the most brilliant and radiant kami of all was born: Amaterasu Omikami, the personification of the sun. From his right eye emerged Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, the spirit of the moon, and from his nose came the tempestuous Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the spirit of storms and the sea.

Izanagi, his great work complete, bestowed upon his children their domains. To Amaterasu, he gave the heavens, making her the ruler of the Takama-no-hara (the Plain of High Heaven). Her emergence symbolized the dawn of a new era of light, clarity, and order, concluding the chaotic and often violent initial phase of creation.

Symbolism and Meaning

For the ancient people who told this story, it was rich with symbolic meaning:

• Order from Chaos: The narrative provides a classic example of a creation myth where a structured, habitable world is painstakingly formed from a formless void.
• The Nature of Japan: The birth of the islands from the sea and the subsequent creation of kami for fire, wind, and mountains directly reflected the Japanese landscape—an archipelago born of volcanic activity and constantly shaped by the forces of nature.
• Purity and Pollution: Izanagi’s journey to Yomi and his subsequent cleansing ritual are central to the Shinto concepts of kegare (pollution, especially from death) and misogi (purification). The story provided a mythological basis for purification practices.
• Political Legitimacy: In later periods, the Japanese imperial family traced its lineage directly back to Amaterasu, using this myth to establish a divine right to rule and a sense of unbroken national identity.

Modern Perspective

Today, these mythological figures have transcended their ancient origins and are deeply woven into the fabric of modern Japanese culture and, indeed, global popular culture. Amaterasu, Izanagi, Izanami, and Susanoo are frequently re-imagined in:

• Anime and Manga: Series like Naruto famously name powerful techniques after these kami (Amaterasu, Susanoo, Tsukuyomi).
• Video Games: The critically acclaimed game Okami features Amaterasu as the protagonist in the form of a white wolf on a quest to restore beauty to the land. They also appear as powerful beings or summons in franchises like Final Fantasy and Persona.
• Cultural Studies: Scholars and historians study these myths to understand the values, social structures, and political ideologies of ancient Japan. They are seen as a window into a nation’s foundational consciousness.

Conclusion

The story of the creation of the Japanese islands and the birth of Amaterasu is a testament to the power of human imagination. As a narrative from folklore, it is a product of its time, an ancient people’s poetic attempt to explain their existence and the world they inhabited. It is a cultural treasure, offering profound insights into the origins of Japanese culture, art, and spirituality.

As Muslims, we recognize that the true and only Creator and Sustainer of the heavens, the earth, and all that exists is Allah. The study of myths like this one serves not as an affirmation of other beliefs, but as an exploration of human history and the diverse ways in which different cultures have sought to understand the great mysteries of life and creation through the timeless tradition of storytelling. These tales remain a vital part of our shared global heritage, reminding us of the enduring power of narrative to shape identity and culture across centuries.