Kuniumi - wikipedia Kuniumi In Japanese mythology, the creation of Japan ( 国産 み, Kuniumi, literally `` birth or formation of the country '' ) is the traditional and legendary history of the emergence of the Japanese archipelago, of islands, as narrated in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. According to this legend, after the creation of Heaven and Earth, the gods Izanagi and Izanami were given the task of forming a series of islands that would become what is now Japan. In Japanese mythology these islands make up the known world. The creation of Japan is followed by the creation of the gods ( kamiumi ) Contents 1 Creation story 1.1 According to the Kojiki 1.1. 1 Birth of the islands 1.2 According to the Nihon Shoki 2 Notes 3 References 3.1 Bibliography Creation story Izanagi ( right ) and Izanami ( left ) consolidating the earth with the spear Ama - no - Nuboko. Painting by Eitaku Kobayashi ( Meiji period ) According to the Kojiki After the formation, the Heaven was above and Earth was still a drifting soft mush. The first five gods named Kotoamatsukami ( 別 天津 神, `` Separate Heavenly Deities '' ) were lone deities without gender and did not procreate. Then came the Kamiyonanayo ( 神 世 七 代, `` The Seven Divine Generations '' ), consisting of two lone deities followed by five couples. It was the last couple, Izanagi and Izanami that gave earth its solid form and first procreated other gods. The elder gods delegated the youngest couple Izanagi and Izanami to carry out their venerable mandate : to reach down from heaven and give solid form to the earth. This they did with the use of a precious stone - covered spear named Ame - no - nuboko ( 天沼 矛, `` heavenly jewelled spear '' ), given to them by the elders. Standing over the Ame - no - ukihashi ( 天 浮橋, `` floating bridge of heaven '' ), they churned the chaotic mass with the spear. When drops of salty water fell from the tip, they formed into the first island, Onogoroshima. In forming this island, both gods came down from heaven, and spontaneously built a central support column called the Ame - no - mihashira ( 天 御 柱, `` heavenly pillar '' ) which upheld the `` hall measuring eight fathoms '' that the gods caused to appear afterwards. Then they initiated conversation inquiring of each other 's bodily anatomy, leading to a mutual decision to mate and procreate : IZANAGI : How has your body been made ? IZANAMI : My body is fully formed, except for a part which has not quite grown. IZANAGI : My body is fully formed, except I have a part that has grown too much. If I place the part of my body that has grown too much, and plug the part of your body not yet grown, we will procreate lands and dominions. What say you to this ? Izanami accepted the offer and Izanagi proposed that both should circle around the column Ame - no - mihashira in opposite directions, Izanami going right and Izanagi left and on meeting each other would perform sexual intercourse ( maguwai ( 麻 具 波 比 ) ). However, when they met on the other side of the pillar, Izanami was the first to speak, saying : `` Oh, indeed you are beautiful and kind youth ! '', to which Izanagi replied : `` Oh, what a most beautiful and kind youth ! ''. Izanagi then rebukes Izanami saying : `` It is wrong for the wife to speak first. ''. However they mated anyway and later fathered a child Hiruko ( lit. `` leech child ), who was placed in a reed boat dragged by the current. Afterwards they gave birth to Awashima ( 淡島, lit. `` island of foam '' ). Neither Hiruko and Awashima were considered legitimate children of Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi and Izanami decided to ascend to heaven and consult the primordial gods at Takamagahara about the ill - formed children that resulted from their union. The gods through divination determined that the woman speaking first during the ceremony was the cause. So the couple returned to Onogoroshima island and repeated the ritual encircling column, only making sure the male - god was the first to speak out greeting. When finished they performed the union successfully and lands began to be born. Birth of the islands According to the legend, the formation of Japan started with the procreation of eight large islands by Izanagi and Izanami. In order of birth these islands are the following : Awaji - no - ho - no - sawake - no - shima ( 淡 道 之 穂 之 狭 別 島 ) : currently, Awaji Island ; Iyo - no - futana - no - shima ( 伊予 之 二名 島 ) : currently, Shikoku. This island had a body and four faces. The names of the faces are as follows : Ehime ( 愛 比 売 ) : Iyo Province ; Ihiyorihiko ( 飯 依 比 古 ) : Sanuki Province ; Ohogetsuhime ( 大 宣 都 比 売 ) : Awa Province ; Takeyoriwake ( 建 依 別 ) : Tosa Province. Oki - no - mitsugo - no - shima ( 隠 伎 之 三 子 島 ) : today, Oki Islands. Dubbed Ame - no - oshikorowake ( 天 之 忍 許 呂 別 ) ; Tsukushi - no - shima ( 筑紫 島 ) : today, Kyūshū. This island had a body and four faces. The names of the faces are as follows : Shirahiwake ( 白 日 別 ) : Tsukushi Province ; Toyohiwake ( 豊 日 別 ) : Toyo Province ; Takehimukahitoyojihinewake ( 建 日向 日 豊久 士 比 泥 別 ) : Hi Province ; Takehiwake ( 建 日 別 ) : Kumaso. Iki - no - shima ( 伊 伎 島 ) : today, Iki Island. Dubbed Amehitotsubashira ( 天 比 登 都 柱 ) ; Tsu - shima ( 津島 ) : today, Tsushima Island. Dubbed Ame - no - sadeyorihime ( 天 之 狭 手 依 比 売 ) ; Sado - no - shima ( 佐 度 島 ) : today, Sado Island ; Ohoyamatotoyoakitsu - shima ( 大倭 豊秋 津島 ) : today, Honshu. Dubbed Amatsumisoratoyoakitsunewake ( 天 御 虚空 豊秋 津根 別 ). Traditionally these islands are known as Ōyashima ( lit. eight large islands ) and as a whole are what is currently known as Japan. In the myth neither Hokkaidō nor the Ryukyu Islands are mentioned as these were not known to the Japanese at the time of compiling the Kojiki. Additionally, Izanagi and Izanami then gave birth to six islands : Kibi - no - kojima ( 吉備 児島 ) : Kojima Peninsula ( ja ) of Kibi ( now in Okayama ). Dubbed Takehikatawake ( 建 日 方 別 ) ; Azuki - jima ( 小豆島 ) : Shōdoshima. Dubbed Ohonodehime ( 大 野手 比 売 ) ; Oho - shima ( 大島 ) : Suō - ōshima. Dubbed Ohotamaruwake ( 大多 麻 流 別 ) ; Hime - jima ( 女 島 ) : Himeshima. Dubbed Amehitotsune ( 天 一 根 ) ; Chika - no - shima ( 知 訶 島 ) : Gotō Islands. Dubbed Ame - no - oshio ( 天 之 忍 男 ) ; Futago - no - shima ( 両 児島 ) : Danjo Archipelago. Dubbed Amefutaya ( 天 両 屋 ). According to the nihon shoki The story of this book only differs in that Izanagi and Izanami volunteered to consolidate the Earth. In addition the two deities are described as `` god of yang '' ( 陽 神 youshin, male deity ) and `` goddess of yin '' ( 陰 神 inshin, female deity ) influenced by the ideas of Yin and yang. The rest of the story is identical, except that the other celestial gods ( Kotoamatsukami ) do not appear, nor are the last six smaller islands mentioned that were born through Izanagi and Izanami. Notes Jump up ^ 「 汝 身 者 如何 成 也 」 ( in Old Japanese ) ; 「 あなた の 体 は どの よう に でき てい ます か 」 ( transcription in modern Japanese ). Kojiki. Jump up ^ 「 妾 身 層 層 鑄 成 然 未成 處 有一 處 在 」 ( in Old Japanese ) ; 「 私 の 体 に は 、 成長 し て 、 成長 し てい ない ところが 1 ヶ所 あります 」 ( transcription in modern Japanese ). Kojiki. Jump up ^ 「 吾 身 亦 層 層 鑄 也 尚 有 凸 餘 處 一 故 以 此 吾 身 之 餘 處 刺 塞 汝 身 之 未成 處 為 完美 態 而 生 國土 奈何 」 ( in Old Japanese ) ; 「 私 の 体 に は 、 成長 し て 、 成長 し 過ぎ た ところが 1 ヶ所 あります. そこで 、 この 私 の 成長 し 過ぎ た ところで 、 あなた の 成長 し てい ない ところ を 刺し て 塞い で 、 国土 を 生 みたい と 思い ます. 生む の は どうですか. 」 ( transcription in modern Japanese ). Kojiki. Jump up ^ Later popular legends say he became the Japanese god Ebisu. It does not say so in the Kojiki References ^ Jump up to : 小 向, 正司 ( 1992 ). 神道 の 本. Books Esoterica. 2. 学研. p. 27. ( zasshi code 66951 - 07 ; kyōtsu zasshi code T10 - 66951 - 07 - 1000 ) Jump up ^ Takeda ( 武田 1996, p. 22 n6 ) Jump up ^ Chamberlain 2008, p. 73 ^ Jump up to : Chamberlain 2008, p. 74 Jump up ^ 武田, 祐吉 ( Yūkichi Takeda ) ( 1996 ) ( 1977 ). 中村 啓 信, ed. 新 訂 古事記. 講談社. pp. 21 -- 25. ISBN 4 - 04 - 400101 - 4. ^ Jump up to : Chamberlain 2008, p. 75 Jump up ^ Chamberlain 2008, p. 76 Bibliography Chamberlain, Basil Hall ( 2008 ). The Kojiki : Japanese Records of Ancient Matters. Forgotten Books. ISBN 978 - 1 - 60506 - 938 - 8. Retrieved 9 February 2011. `` Génesis del mundo y aparición de los primeros dioses '' ( Genesis of the world and appearance of the first gods ) ( PDF ) ( in Spanish ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2007 - 11 - 10. Japanese mythology Mythic texts Kojiki Nihon Shoki Fudoki Kujiki Kogo Shūi Hotsuma Tsutae Nihon Ryōiki Konjaku Monogatarishū Shintōshū Butsuzōzui Japanese creation myth Kotoamatsukami Kamiyo ( Kamiyonanayo ) Kuniumi Kamiumi Izanami Izanagi Kagutsuchi Watatsumi Shinigami Takamagahara mythology Amaterasu Susanoo Tsukuyomi Ame - no - Uzume Izumo mythology Yamata no Orochi Hare of Inaba Ōkuninushi Kuni - yuzuri Kotoshironushi Takeminakata Hyūga mythology Tenson kōrin Ninigi Konohanasakuya - hime Hoderi Hoori Toyotama - hime Ugayafukiaezu Human age Emperor Jimmu Tagishimimi Kesshi Hachidai Mythical locations Ashihara no Nakatsukuni Amano - Iwato Ne - no - kuni Ryūgū - jō Takama - ga - hara Yomi Major Buddhist figures Amida Nyorai Daruma Five Tathagatas Seven Lucky Gods Benzaiten Bishamonten Daikokuten Ebisu Fukurokuju Hotei Jurōjin Kisshōten Yōkai and Yūrei with divine aspects List of creatures Dragon Kappa Kitsune Oni Tengu Other Ryukyuan religion Amamikyu Ainu mythology Kamuy Kamuy - huci Hasinaw - uk - kamuy Shinto deities Japanese deities Sacred objects Japanese religions Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kuniumi&oldid=857984252 '' Categories : Japanese mythology Creation myths Hidden categories : Articles containing Japanese - language text Interlanguage link template link number CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español 日本 語 Polski Tagalog 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 4 September 2018, at 09 : 10 ( UTC ). 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Question: who created the island of japan by stirring the water with a spear
Answer: Izanagi