They’re also known as “Izanagi-no-Mikoto” and “Izanami-no-Mikoto.” The use of the term “pair” here is a little flexible. Yes, they were a spousal couple, but also a sibling couple. In ancient mythology, incest doesn’t tend to be an issue, and there will be more of it. Let’s move on and not let that bother us–after all, kami aren’t human.
Unlike other many other myths about how the world was created, the Kojiki (and its counterpart, the Nihonshoki) only focus on Japan. The rest of the world is impure and full of barbarians, and frankly not worth considering (or so the exclusion would imply). Ancient Japan was not simply known as “The Land of the Rising Sun,” but as “The Land of the Gods”.
It was a rather complicated process, and at some points so graphic that in one of the first English translations, parts of the dialogue were translated into Latin instead!
September 30, 2012 at 12:54 am
lol I don’t think I’ve ever laughed at a creation myth before! :D
October 1, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Soon it will be a destructive creation myth to laugh at!
October 10, 2012 at 5:59 am
[…] Continued from Part 1 […]
December 17, 2012 at 9:12 am
[…] finished re-telling the story of Izanagi and Izanami, introducing some places associated with them should now make more sense. Some of places have not […]
October 15, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Hi Wafuru, I sent you a note on DeviantArt but as you wrote you’re more active on your blog than on DA I’ll try to catch you here. I love the first drawing of the Izanami & Izanagi story and would like to use it in my thesis… Is there any chance in doing so? Hope to hear from you!
October 16, 2014 at 9:03 am
Hi! Thanks, I’m flattered–I’ll follow up with you on DA when I get home tonight. In the meantime, feel free to send more details. : )
March 24, 2018 at 10:27 am
Hi Bri-chan, your drawings are so pretty and very nice story telling from the ancient myth! I teach Japanese in the U.S., and I would love to use your creation.
June 28, 2018 at 10:37 pm
Hello! Sorry for the late reply since I no longer update this blog. I’m glad you’re enjoying the series, and you’re welcome to use them! You can download a zip file of all the illustrations here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1p21R8NlurABfGRSZAtu4pUAyDuUEzQ-d