Izanagi

The God-Father of the Shinto Pantheon (Art from Green willow and other Japanese fairy tales)

### Aliases

Izanaki
 Izanagi-no-Kami
 Izanagi-no-Ōkami
 Kumano-Hayatama-no-Ōkami
Male-who-invites
Kami-Sama
 Shinto God of Creation
 Father of Japan
 Former King of Takamagahara
 Shinto All-Father
The War Soldier
 The Lord of Creation
 The One Who Brings Life
 Leader of the Shinto Deities
 God of Japan
 King of All
King of Everything
 Forefather of the Gods
 King of the Japanese Gods

### Affiliation

Takamagahara, Kamiyonanayo, Japan (Creation)

## Physical Description

### Spirit of

Creation, Destruction, Light, Masculinity

## Relatives

### Offspring

Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, Ebisu, Kagu-tsuchi, Raijin, Fujin

**Izanagi-no-Mikoto**, simply known as **Izanagi**, is the deific co-creator of Japan. He is the brother and husband of the underworld goddess Izanami along with being the father of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, and countless other gods.

## Overview

As the parent of the principal deities of Heaven, Izanagi initially held the position of ruler in Heaven and mentored his daughter Amaterasu for her eventual ascent to the throne. Although he retains some authority, Izanagi has largely conferred his power upon Amaterasu, who now assumes the role of the rightful sovereign in Heaven.

He, along with his wife Izanami, is the Demiurge of creation, the creator god venerated in Shintoism.

Izanagi safeguards against the forces of Yomi, striving to maintain a balance where births exceed deaths each day to preserve his creation. He frequently brandishes Ame-no-nuboko, the celestial jeweled spear that once stirred the primordial seas.

He is also the progenitor of numerous Shinto rituals, including those for marriage and Misogi. The latter ceremony holds significant importance in Shinto beliefs, utilizing water to cleanse away impurities, reminiscent of the death and decay Izanagi encountered during his journey in the underworld.

## Powers and Abilities

* **Embodiment Creation:** it is the embodiment of creation and the opposite of Izanami the embodiment of darkness and death. It can bring anything into existence and represents Light, time, space, matter, energy. all that is in creation. can create organic or inorganic matter from nothing, either as finished objects or simply unfinished elements. Higher level He can create anything they can think of, whether conceptual or sentient. This includes the creation of energy, souls and life of any complexity, dimensions or realities, stars, etc.
* **Destruction:** (also known with power/energy of destruction) Izanagi can make anything anything without limits with the power of destruction can create spheres of destructive energy (even small spheres like pearls that enter the bodies of opponents that make them nothing) capable of engulfing Human, Deity, Primordial (even second generation), Angels, Demons, Titans, Yokai and entire planets. he used this power to kill the son who caused Izanami's death Kagutsuchi.
* **Godly Strength:** izanagi has a strength that surpasses the human one, he always shows his strength on many occasions he always tests his masculinity, when izanami was alive izanagi always showed his masculinity for rare blow on the goddess, izanagi in friendly with his children does sumo fights.

## History

### Birth of the Lands

Izanagi and his sister-wife Izanami belong to the seventh generation of Kamiyonanayo, born to Omodaru and Ayakashikone. In the beginning, only Heaven existed, and Earth lay untouched. Observing this, the primordial deities bestowed their blessings upon Izanagi and Izanami, entrusting them with the task of bringing life to Earth. Together, as the Female Who Invites, they were tasked with the creation of the world.

Standing by the pillars of heaven, the siblings employed the heavenly jeweled spear known as Ame-no-nuboko to stir the sea. From this stirring emerged the first islands of Japan. Through this achievement, they realized their compatibility, and Izanagi proposed to Izanami to initiate procreation. She agreed, and they began preparations for their marriage.

Upon Ama-no-Ukihashi, the floating bridge of the heavens, they thrust a jewel-crested spear into the ocean. As they withdrew it, the droplets that fell from the spear solidified, forming the initial island of the Japanese archipelago.

Izanagi and Izanami conducted the first marriage ceremony by circling the pillars of heaven and meeting at the center. In the initial ceremony, Izanami spoke first, which was considered improper, leading to the marriage being inadequately sealed. As a consequence, the offspring of this union were deemed illegitimate and bore deformities. They repeated the marriage ceremony, with Izanagi speaking first this time. Properly sealed, their union brought forth not only the remaining Japanese islands but also a multitude of gods, marking the birth of the first legitimate kami.

### Descent into Yomi

They raised the islands of Japan from the sea, effectively giving birth to these lands, which are regarded as their offspring, chiefly consisting of Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu, along with the smaller surrounding islands. Subsequently, Izanagi fathered the first generation of kami, culminating in the birth of Kagutsuchi, the fire god, who tragically took Izanami's life.

This land marked the birthplace of the first gods and humans. After Kagutsuchi's birth resulted in Izanami's severe burns and death, Izanagi ventured into the underworld to retrieve her. However, she refused to return, and they parted ways forever. In his desperation, Izanagi embarked on a journey to Yomi-no-Kuni, the Land of the Dead, a place teeming with demons and monsters. During his attempt to bring Izanami back, he inadvertently looked upon her monstrous, decaying form, which shamed her, leading to her aggressive pursuit to kill him.

Recognizing the catastrophic consequences of Izanami's escape from Yomi, which would lead to the world's destruction, Izanagi placed a massive boulder at the entrance to the underworld to prevent her return. In her fury, Izanami cursed the world, vowing to take a thousand lives daily. In response, Izanagi vowed that one thousand five hundred new lives would be born each day.

### Misogi

After his return from the underworld, Izanagi initiated the first purification rituals. By washing his left eye, he gave rise to the radiant sun goddess Amaterasu. His right eye's cleansing brought forth the moon god Tsukuyomi, and from his nose emerged Susanoo, the god of seas and storms. Izanagi became the father of numerous kami, overseeing the celestial bureaucracy, which his daughter Amaterasu now governs.

### Rescue of Izanami

After much guilt and repentance, Izanagi decided that he had to bring Izanami back from Yomi. However, for that, he would need to confront Izanami, who he knew at that moment hated him more than all things in creation and even being more strong as she was, Izanagi couldn't hit her sister, and "has already hurt her too much". So, he decided he needed help, and for that, he prayed to the Creator, something that was seen as rare, a Shinto god praying to an Abrahamic entity, but he knew that God was the one who guides both humans and other entities to the path of forgiveness and repentance.

The Holy Spirit then appeared, sent by God Himself, and said it was going to help him to reconcile with his wife, but for that Izanagi must also do his part. Finally, the Holy Spirit removed the rock that impeded Yomi's exit, and the god entered the infernal paradise again. After meeting, Izanagi asked for Izanami's forgiveness, the two finally reconciled and returned together to Earth, the Holy Spirit on the other side healed Izanami's appearance causing her to regain her former appearance.

## Trivia

* Theologians have equated Izanagi with Orpheus.