Eroticism in Japanese Mythorogy

Amaterasu Omikami & Susanoo no Mikoto

I went to Hikiwa Shrine for making a wish on the 2nd of January 2014. While I looked into Hikawa Shrine, I found an amusing article by Association of Kanagawa Shito Shrines.
It’s about a part of Japanese mythology. Here is a summary.


Hikawa Shrine enshrines Susanoo-no-Mikoto(スサノヲノミコト/素戔男尊/建速須佐之男命/神須佐能袁命) who is a deity in myth. People in former days deeply have a faith in Susanoo-no-Mikoto as hope to eradicate epidemic. On the other hand, Susanoo-no-Mikoto has a fierce temper and acts on impulse. He is revered as a terrifying deity. Although he committed acts of violence, he attained a pure heart throughout trials and tribulations. For this reason, Susanoo-no-Mikoto is revered as a deity to purge one’s sins. He expiated his sins throughout beneficence. Most notable good deed is that he wiped out a giant snake with 8 heads and 8 tails
Yamata-no-Orochi(ヤマタノオロチ/八岐大蛇).Yamata-no-Orochi was a spirit of water. Susanoo-no-Mikoto acquired ability to control water by wiping out Yamata-no-Orochi. In addition, he acquired ability for farming by marriage to Kushinada-Hime(クシナダヒメ/奇稲田姫) who is a female deity to bring bumper crop of rice. Susanoo-no-Mikoto was the first deity who composed Waka(和歌): a classic poetry in Japan. Susanoo-no-Mikoto went to Shinra(新羅)/Silla which was situated in Korea to plant trees with his son named Isotakeru(イソタケル/五十猛神). From this deed, he is revered as a deity of mountain forest.

When a father of Susanoo-no-Mikoto named Izanagi-no-Mikoto(イザナギ/伊邪那岐命) ordered Susanoo-no-Mikoto to control the sea, Susanoo-no-Mikoto asked if he could go to Yomi-no-Kuni(黄泉の国) which is for the land of the dead. Susanoo-no-Mikoto wanted to see his mother named Izanami-no-Mikoto(イザナミ/伊邪那美命)Susanoo-no-Mikoto whined and devastated sky and land. Izanagi-no-Mikoto went mad and exiled his son from his country. Before going to Yomi-no-KuniSusanoo-no-Mikoto went up to Takama-ga-hara(たかまがはら/高天原) to see his sister named Amaterasu-Omikami(アマテラスオオミカミ/天照大神). Just then, the whole land  rumbled in Takama-ga-haraAmaterasu-Omikami thought Susanoo-no-Mikoto invaded her land. She shoot arrows at him. He swore he didn’t have an evil heart to intrude into her land. Susanoo-no-Mikoto handed his sword to Amaterasu-Omikami. She crunched his sword into bits. She blew those fractions which turned into 3 girl babies. After that,  Susanoo-no-Mikoto received 500 comma-shaped jewels with its length of more than 2.5m from Amaterasu-Omikami. He crunched her gems into bits. He blew those fractions which turned into 5 boy babies.
Here is a family tree of deities in Japanese mythology.

Family Tree of deities in Japanese Mythology

Family Tree of deities in Japanese Mythology

The above story says by far in roundabout ways. Amaterasu-Omikami and Susanoo-no-Mikotowere a sister and brother relationship. Nevertheless, they gave birth to 3 girl and 5 boy babies. In short, they had an affair. More to say, they got involved in incest.

There are 2 major books about Japanese mythology. The one is  “Kojiki(古事記)” and the other is “Nihon-Shoki(日本書紀)“.
Both were compiled in early 700s.

As for erotic description, the above is not the only thing.
No wonder it is said that Japanese mythology is an ancient porn book.

Here is a site in where Japanese history manias cannot contain themselves and  spend a lot of time chatting about eroticism in Japanese mythology.
I hope your translator works well.
http://totalmatomedia.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-845.html


I find some paperbacks about Japanese mythology on Google.
I’ve never read before. Must-read book!!

It's so much a fun that Kojiki never get you to sleep.

Title: Nemurenai hodo Omoshiroi “Kojiki”  (眠れないほど面白い『古事記』)  – which means  it’s so much a fun that Kojiki never get you to sleep.
Author: Yura Yayoi(由良 弥生)
Publisher: Mikasa Shobo(三笠書房)
Price: 630 yen

2 responses to “Eroticism in Japanese Mythorogy

  1. Fascinating stories. But I do need to read more stories to convince me that Japanese mythology is viewed as ancient porn book. Even other mythologies and histories, it can’t be helped but include or have sexual connotations to those stories, real or myth,

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