The Ancient World Recorded in the Izumo no Kuni Fudoki
Compiled during the Nara period, the Izumo no Kuni Fudoki is an exceptionally valuable historical document. Among the regional records compiled throughout Japan, it is one of the few that has survived in almost complete form.
Fudoki were records describing the geography, natural environment, products, traditions, and legends of individual regions. The Izumo no Kuni Fudoki is particularly fascinating because its descriptions of the land are closely intertwined with mythology.
In Izumo, mountains, rivers, coastlines, rocks, and forests are all associated with stories of the gods. For this reason, traveling around Izumo can also be understood as a journey through the landscape of Japanese mythology.
Susanoo and the Defeat of the Yamata no Orochi
The Stormy God Exiled from Heaven
One of the central figures in Izumo mythology is Susanoo-no-Mikoto. He is traditionally described as the younger brother of Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess.
Susanoo was known for his violent and unruly behavior. After causing disturbances in Takamagahara, the heavenly realm, he was eventually banished from the world of the gods. He descended to the upper reaches of the Hii River in the land of Izumo.
The Battle with the Eight-Headed Serpent
After arriving in Izumo, Susanoo encountered an elderly couple who were mourning the fate of their beautiful daughter, Kushinada-hime. They explained that a gigantic monster known as the Yamata no Orochi came every year to devour one of their daughters. Kushinada-hime was the last daughter remaining.
Susanoo agreed to defeat the serpent on the condition that Kushinada-hime would become his wife.
He prepared eight large containers filled with strong sake. When the Yamata no Orochi drank the sake from each container and became intoxicated, Susanoo attacked the monster with his sword and defeated it.
When he cut open the serpent’s tail, he discovered a magnificent sword inside. This sword became known as the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan.
The Birthplace of Japan’s Oldest Waka Poem
After defeating the Yamata no Orochi, Susanoo built a palace at Suga together with Kushinada-hime. A poem he composed at that time is traditionally regarded as Japan’s oldest waka poem.
“Ya-kumo tatsu Izumo yaegaki tsuma-gome ni yaegaki tsukuru sono yaegaki wo”
The poem expresses Susanoo’s joy at building a home to protect his beloved wife. The phrase “Ya-kumo tatsu”, meaning “where eight clouds rise,” remains closely associated with Izumo today.
Okuninushi and the White Rabbit of Inaba
The Story of a Compassionate God
Okuninushi-no-Kami, the principal deity of Izumo Taisha, is one of the most important figures in Izumo mythology.
One of the stories that made his character widely known is the famous tale of the White Rabbit of Inaba.
Okuninushi was traveling with his many elder brothers to the land of Inaba to seek the hand of Yagami-hime. As the youngest brother, however, he was treated poorly and forced to carry his brothers’ belongings.
Along the way, they encountered a white rabbit whose skin had been painfully stripped away. The elder brothers cruelly told the rabbit to bathe in seawater and expose itself to the wind, causing its injuries to become even worse.
Okuninushi was the only one who showed compassion. He told the rabbit to wash its body in fresh water and rest on the fluffy flowers of the cattail plant. The rabbit soon recovered and, in gratitude, foretold that Yagami-hime would choose Okuninushi rather than his elder brothers.
Just as the rabbit predicted, Yagami-hime chose Okuninushi as her husband.
A God Who Overcame Repeated Trials
The elder brothers became jealous and plotted to kill Okuninushi. At one point, they deceived him with a heated boulder that they had made to resemble a wild boar, causing his death.
At his mother’s request, however, divine beings were sent to revive him. Even after his resurrection, the persecution continued. Eventually, Okuninushi sought help from his ancestor, Susanoo, and traveled to Ne-no-Katasu-Kuni, the land of roots.
Ne-no-Katasu-Kuni and Suseri-bime
In Ne-no-Katasu-Kuni, Okuninushi fell in love with Suseri-bime, the daughter of Susanoo.
Susanoo, however, subjected Okuninushi to a series of dangerous trials. He made him sleep in a room filled with snakes and later sent him into a field engulfed in flames.
With Suseri-bime’s help, Okuninushi survived these life-threatening challenges. Susanoo eventually gave him a sword, a bow, and a koto, treasures that would help him build and govern a prosperous land.
Susanoo blessed the couple and sent them away with an instruction to build a great and prosperous nation.
Nation Building and the Transfer of the Land
Okuninushi Builds a Prosperous Land
After returning to the earthly realm, Okuninushi brought his elder brothers under his control and developed Izumo into a prosperous land.
He is traditionally said to have worked for the development of agriculture, medicine, industry, and other aspects of society, creating a land where people could live in peace and security. The prosperous realm was celebrated as Toyoaashihara no Mizuho no Kuni.
The Transfer of the Land and the Birth of Izumo Taisha
Eventually, the gods of Takamagahara decided that this prosperous earthly land should be ruled by the descendants of Amaterasu.
After several envoys were sent, Takemikazuchi-no-Kami descended at Inasa Beach and asked Okuninushi to surrender his realm.
After discussions, Okuninushi agreed to give up the land on the condition that a magnificent grand sanctuary would be built to enshrine him.
This legendary agreement is traditionally connected with the establishment of Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine, one of the most important religious sites in Japan.
The Journey to Yomi, the Land of the Dead
Izumo mythology also includes a powerful story about Yomi, the realm of the dead.
Izanagi-no-Kami and Izanami-no-Kami created the land of Japan and gave birth to numerous deities. However, Izanami was fatally injured while giving birth to the fire deity and died.
Overcome with grief, Izanagi traveled to Yomi in an attempt to bring his wife back.
Izanami told him not to look at her, but Izanagi eventually lit a flame because he could no longer wait. He saw Izanami transformed into a frightening figure of the underworld.
Terrified, Izanagi fled while the forces of Yomi pursued him. He eventually reached Yomotsu Hirasaka, the legendary boundary between the world of the living and the dead.
He blocked the entrance to Yomi with a huge boulder, bringing the relationship between the two deities to an eternal end.
The Myth of Kunibiki
The Legendary Creation of Izumo’s Landscape
Izumo is also home to the spectacular Kunibiki Myth, or “Land-Pulling Myth.”
According to the legend, the deity Yatsukamizu Omizunu-no-Mikoto looked at Izumo and decided that the land was too small. He therefore pulled pieces of distant lands toward Izumo with enormous ropes and joined them to expand the country.
The lands are said to have been drawn from places including Silla, the Oki Islands, and the Noto Peninsula. In the legend, the ropes became the Yumigahama Peninsula, while the stakes used to secure them became mountains such as Mount Daisen and Mount Sanbe.
The story is also interpreted as a mythological expression of Izumo’s dramatic natural geography, transforming the region’s distinctive landscape into a story of divine creation.
Places Connected with Izumo Mythology
Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine
Izumo Taisha is one of the central destinations for sightseeing in Izumo. Dedicated to Okuninushi, it is particularly famous throughout Japan as a sacred place associated with enmusubi, the formation of meaningful relationships and connections.
Susa Shrine
Susa Shrine is a historic shrine dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto. Its grounds are home to a magnificent Japanese cedar said to be more than 1,200 years old, creating an especially atmospheric setting.
Yaegaki Shrine
Yaegaki Shrine is dedicated to Susanoo and Kushinada-hime and is known as a shrine associated with relationships and marriage. Its Mirror Pond is famous for traditional fortune-telling related to love and marriage.
Kumano Taisha
Kumano Taisha is an ancient shrine traditionally regarded as the Ichinomiya, or highest-ranking shrine, of Izumo Province. It also has a close connection with mythology concerning the origin of fire.
Kamosu Shrine
Kamosu Shrine is an ancient shrine whose main sanctuary is designated as a National Treasure of Japan. It is considered one of the oldest surviving examples of the Taisha-zukuri architectural style.
Tachikue Gorge
Tachikue Gorge is a dramatic natural landscape where towering rock formations rise to around 100 meters. Its mysterious cliffs and rugged scenery offer another way to experience the powerful relationship between nature and mythology in the Izumo region.
Tamatsukuri Onsen
Tamatsukuri Onsen is a historic hot spring that has long been known as the “Hot Spring of the Gods.” Traditional lore says that bathing once will make you beautiful and bathing twice will cure illness, adding a distinctive mythical character to this famous hot spring destination.
Where Mythology and Modern Life Coexist
In the Izumo region, mythology is not simply something confined to the distant past. It continues to live naturally within local religious traditions, festivals, everyday life, and people’s relationship with the surrounding landscape.
Prayer at shrines, traditional festivals, reverence for nature, and the importance placed on human connections are all deeply intertwined with the region’s ancient stories.
As you travel through Izumo, you may begin to sense how the gratitude for nature and reverence for the divine held by ancient people continue to be passed down from generation to generation.
A Journey Through the World of Japanese Mythology
Izumo is a special destination for travelers who want to experience a sense of Japan’s ancient origins.
The heroic battle of Susanoo, the kindness and hardships of Okuninushi, and the dramatic story of the transfer of the land are not simply stories preserved in old books. They remain connected to Izumo’s mountains, rivers, coastline, and sacred shrines.
By visiting the places associated with these legends and experiencing their atmosphere firsthand, travelers can discover another dimension of Japanese culture and history.
In Izumo, where ancient myths continue to live on, visitors can enjoy a journey filled with the romance, mystery, and timeless stories of Japan’s distant past.