Yomi

## 黄泉 (Yomi)

**Yomi** or **Yomi-no-kuni** (黄泉, 黄泉の国, or 黄泉ノ国, *****Yomi** or **Yomi-no-kuni*****β) is the Japanese word for the land of the dead (World of Darkness). According to Shinto mythology as related in *Kojiki*, this is where the dead go in the afterlife. Once one has eaten at the hearth of Yomi it is (mostly) impossible to return to the land of the living. Yomi in Japanese mythology is comparable to Hades or Sheol and is most commonly known for Izanami's retreat to that place after her death. Izanagi followed her there and upon his return he washed himself, creating Amaterasu, Susanoo, and Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto in the process.

This realm of the dead seems to have geographical continuity with this world and certainly cannot be thought of as a paradise to which one would aspire, nor can it appropriately be described as a hell in which one suffers retribution for past deeds; rather, all deceased carry on a gloomy and shadowy existence in perpetuity, regardless of their behavior in life. Many scholars believe that the image of Yomi was derived from ancient Japanese tombs in which corpses were left for some time to decompose.

The kanji that are sometimes used to transcribe *Yomi* actually refer to the mythological Chinese realm of the dead called Diyu or Huángquán (黄泉, lit. "Yellow Springs"), which appears in Chinese texts as early as the eighth century BCE. This dark and vaguely defined realm was believed to be located beneath the earth, but it was not until the Han dynasty that the Chinese had a clearly articulated conception of an underworld below in contrast with a heavenly realm above. The characters are *jukujikun*, i.e. were used without regard to the actual meaning of the word Yomi, which is unknown. With regard to Japanese mythology, Yomi is generally taken by commentators to lie beneath the earth and is part of a triad of locations discussed in Kojiki: *Takamahara* (高天原, ****Takamahara****β lit. "high heavenly plane", located in the sky), *Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni* (葦原の中つ国, ****Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni****β lit. "central land of reed plane") located on earth, and *Yomo-tsu-kuni* (黄泉国, ****Yomo-tsu-kuni****β) or *Yomi-no-Kuni* (黄泉の国, ****Yomi-no-Kuni****β lit. "Land of Yomi") located underground. Yomi has also often been associated with the mythological realm of *Ne-no-kuni* (根の国, ****Ne-no-kuni****β lit. "Root Land / Land of Origin"), also known as *Ne-no-Katasukuni* (根の堅洲国, ****Ne-no-Katasukuni****β lit. "firm/hard-packed shoal land of origin").

According to Kojiki, the entrance to Yomi lies in Izumo province and was sealed off by Izanagi upon his flight from Yomi, at which time he permanently blocked the entrance by placing a massive boulder (*Chigaeshi no ōkami* 道反の大神) at the base of the slope that leads to Yomi (*Yomotsu Hirasaka* 黄泉平坂 or 黄泉比良坂). Upon his return to Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni, Izanagi noted that Yomi is a "polluted land" (*kegareki kuni*). This opinion reflects the traditional Shinto association between death and pollution. However, during Lag's outbreak, Chigaeshi no ōkami was destroyed, which opened Yomi (realm) and released Yomi (being).

## Christian uses

Some Japanese Christian texts use 黄泉 to refer to what is called Hell in the English versions, which corrupted the original meaning. For example, Revelation 6:8, "そこで見ていると、見よ、青白い馬が出てきた。そして、それに乗っている者の名は「死」と言い、それに'''黄泉'''が従っていた。"(En. "*And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.*") Sometime 黄泉 means Hades or Sheol, whereas 地獄 means Gehenna.

## Family

### Consorts

Due to the fact that Yomi (being) originally was born from nothing and created by herself (Yomi [realm]) with her former existence being that of a realm and not a person, it makes her a virgin goddess.

### Siblings

Being her own creation, Yomi does not have siblings or even parents.

## Dialect

Yomi often uses an old form of Japanese dialect to form her sentences with a noble accent, a reminiscence of her godliness into a **Classical Japanese** dialect.

## Appearance

Yomi appears as a tall and beautiful young woman with an incredibly pale complexion and a curvy figure. She appears donning a black blindfold over her eyes at all times. On top of her head are sex horns of different sizes and appearances; with the first being situated above her forehead and being long and rock-like while pointing at the sky, the second being situated on the right side of her head and appearing antler-like, the third being situated on the back left side of her head and appearing branch-like, and the three others being situated on top of her head and appearing small. Yomi's hair is waist-length and beautiful although it is fairly messy, falling down her back and partially covering her already-covered eyes while appearing a grayish-blue in color. As for clothing, Yomi wears a long tight dress acting as an armor in white and black with gold finishings alongside long sleeves and a large ruby on the collar. On the back of her dress are nine large curving spikes similar to her first horn, with two other spikes that face her hands, protruding from the top of her dress' sleeves. Although she mostly wears her dress, Yomi can sometimes wear her back spikes and a light white armor that covers her breasts, sides, and genitals.