03. Amaterasu and Susanowo

The summary

Susanowo was banished, and so went up to the Takama-no-Hara (Plain-of-High-Heaven) in order to report to his sister Amaterasu. Then she looked out for him and had doubts him, so they performed the rite in order to prove purity. But, he won the rite and followed up a victory, and violated the Takama-no-Hara. So Amaterasu was terrified and concealed herself into the heavenly rock cavern. So the numerous heavely-deities worked together and took her back, and they banished Susanowo again.
So he went down to Idzumo Province, then he exterminated the monster serpent with eight heads and tails.

The Translation

1) The Quake of All the World

Thereupon, Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**1) said, "If so, I will tell Amaterasu-Ohomikami(**2), and then go away," and went up to Heaven at once. Then, all the mountains and rivers shook and the whole lands quaked. Hereupon Amaterasu-Ohomikami was astounded to hear the noise and said, "It is not be from good heart certainly that my younger brother come up. He must wish to plunder my land," and she untied her hair at once, and did up her hair into two bunches, and then she wound the long string of 500 (a-great-many) beads of Magatama(*1) around the right and left bunches of her hair, and around her august wreath, and around her right and left arms respectively, and she shouldered a quiver holding 1,000 arrows, and put a quiver holding 500 arrows on her side, and put on an elbow-pad which sounded the mighty and high-pitched tone [when shooting an arrow], and brandished and stood her bow, and stamped her legs on the hard ground to the extent that her thighs were buried [into the hard ground], and kicked soil away as if she kicked a light snow away, and stood taking a valiant attitude, and kept watch for him, and asked, "Why have you come up?"

Then Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto answered, "I don't have a wicked heart. To tell you the truth, the Great-August-Deity (Izanaki)(**3) asked me why I cried and blubbered, and I answered that I cried because I wished to go to the land of my mother. Then the Great-August-Deity said that I must not live in this land, and banished me. So that I have come up in order to tell you of the circumstances. I don't have a treasonable heart (intention)."

Hereupon Amaterasu-Ohomikami asked, "If so, how do you prove that your heart is pure and sincere?" Then Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto answered, "Let's perform Ukehi(*2) and give birth to children respectively," and they stood facing each other across the river of Ame-no-Yasukaha(*3) and performed Ukehi.

2) The Exchange to Prove Purity

Firstly, Amaterasu-Ohomikami(**1) was handed over the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi (ten-fists-length-sword) on which Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**2) girt, and broke it into three fragments, and sprinkled it with water of the Ame-no-Manawi (heavenly-holy-well) and rinsed it with jingling the string of beads of her arms, and crunched time after time, and breathed out a spray of breath.
The names of the deities who came into being from her then breath were Takiri-Bime-no-Mikoto(**3) whose another name was Okitsushima-Hime-no-Mikoto, next Ichikishima-Hime-no-Mikoto(**4) whose another name was Sayori-Bime-no-Mikoto, next Takitsu-Hime-no-Mikoto(**5). 3 deities.

Secondly, Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto was handed over the long string of 500 (a great many) beads of Magatama(*1) with which Amaterasu-Ohomikami wound around the left bunch of her hair, and sprinkled it with water of the Ame-no-Manawi and rinsed it with jingling the string of beads, and crunched time after time, and breathed out a spray of breath.
The name of the deity who came into being from his then breath was Masakatsu-Akatsu-Kachihayahi-Ame-no-Oshihomimi-no-Mikoto(**6).
Next, he was handed over the string of beads with which she wound around the right bunch of her hair, and crunched time after time, and breathed out a spray of breath. The name of the deity who came into being from his then breath was Ame-no-Hohi-no-Mikoto(**7).
Next, he was handed over the string of beads with which she wound around her august wreath, and crunched time after time, and breathed out a spray of breath. The name of the deity who came into being from his then breath was Ama-tsu-Hikone-no-Mikoto(**8).
Next, he was handed over the string of beads with which she wound around her left arm, and crunched time after time, and breathed out a spray of breath. The name of the deity who came into being from his then breath was Iku-tsu-Hikone-no-Mikoto.
Next, he was handed over the string of beads with which she wound around her right arm, and crunched time after time, and breathed out a spray of breath. The name of the deity who came into being from his then breath was Kumano-Kusubi-no-Mikoto(**9). 5 deities in all.

Hereupon Amaterasu-Ohomikami said to Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto, "These five boys who were born last came into being from the divine objects of mine, hence my children justly. The three girls who were born first came into being from the divine object of yours, namely, hence your children," and classified so.

Incidentally, the deities who were born first; Takiri-Bime-no-Mikoto dwells (is-enshrined) at Oki-tsu-Miya of Munakata(*2), next Ichikishima-Hime-no-Mikoto dwells at Naka-tsu-Miya of Munakata, next Takitsu-Hime-no-Mikoto dwells at He-tsu-Miya of Munakata. These three deities are the three great deities whom the clan of Munakata-no-Kimi and others worship.

And one of the deity who were born last, Ame-no-Hohi-no-Mikoto, his child was Takehiratori-no-Mikoto(**10). This is the ancestor of many clans: Idzumo-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Muzashi-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Kamitsu-Unakami-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Shimotsu-Unakami-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Ijimu-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Tsushima-no-Agatanoatahi, Tohotsuafumi-no-Kuninomiyatsuko and others(*3).
Besides, Ama-tsu-Hikone-no-Mikoto. This is the ancestor of many clans: Ofushikafuchi-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Nukatabe-no-Yuwe-no-Muraji, Ki-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Yamato-no-Tanaka-no-Atahi, Yamashiro-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Makuta-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Michi-no-Shirikihe-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Suha-no-Kuninomiyatsuko, Yamato-no-Amuchi-no-Miyatsuko, Takechi-no-Agatanushi, Kamafu-no-Inaki, Sakikusabe-no-Miyatsuko, and others(*3).

3) The Outrage by Susanowo

Thereupon Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**1) said to Amaterasu-Ohomikami(**2), "The children whom I begot are graceful maidens because my heart is pure and sincere. Judging from this result, I have naturally gained the victory," and followed up a victory, and broke down the divisions of the paddy-field on which Amaterasu-Ohomikami tilled, and filled up the ditches [with sand], and scattered his excrement over the inside of the palace where she tasted the great-divine-rice.
But, Amaterasu-Ohomikami did not rebuke him, and said, "I suppose, what looks like excrement must be something that he vomited over with drunkenness, and so my younger brother did so. And I suppose, what he broke down the divisions of the paddy-field and filled up the ditches must be because he feared that it was waste of [a piece of] land, and so my younger brother did so [in order to widen land]." Thus she said better in other words, but his wicked acts did not cease and it became more and more violently.

When Amaterasu-Ohomikami was in a heavenly textile-house and had a woman weave divine-august-clothes, he drilled a hole on the roof of the textile-house, and threw the heavenly-piebald-horse which had been flayed and flayed from its tail to its top [by him] in it. Then the heavenly-weaving-maiden was astounded at the sight, therefore she was killed by a shuttle sticking into her pubic region.
Hereupon, Amaterasu-Ohomikami was terrified at the sight, and so she opened the Ame-no-Ihaya-To (door-of-heavenly-rock-cavern)(*1) and concealed herself into it.
Therefore, the whole Takama-no-Hara (plain-of-high-heaven)(*2) got dark and the whole Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni (middle-land-of-reed-plain)(*3) became darkness. Wherefore eternal night held, and the noises of various deities abounded like flies of summer, and so all sorts of evils broke out.

4) The Sun-Goddess Concealed Herself
into the Cavern

Thereupon, a great many deities (eight millions deities) assembled in the dry-river-bed of the Ame-no-Yasukaha(*1) deity after deity,
and they had Omohikane-no-Kami(**1), the child of Takami-Musuhi-no-Kami(**2), consider a plan,
and gathered the Naganaki-Dori (long-crying-fowls) of Tokoyo (eternal-land)(*2) and made the fowls cry,
and gathered the heavenly-hard-rock from the upper part of the Ame-no-Yasukaha,
and gathered the iron from the heavenly-mine,
and looked for a blacksmith Ama-tsu-Mara(**3),
and commanded Ishikoridome-no-Mikoto(**4) to make a mirror,
and commanded Tama-no-Oya-no-Mikoto(**5) to make the long string of 500 (a great many) beads of Magatama(*3),
and called Ame-no-Koyone-no-Mikoto(**6) and Futodama-no-Mikoto(**7),
and pulled and pulled out the shoulder-bone of a stag at Mt.Ame-no-Kagu(*4),
and gathered the bark of a cherry tree from Mt.Ame-no-Kagu,
and had them (the two deities) perform divination(*5),
and dug and dug a sakaki tree(*6) with thick-foliage (500 leaves) root and all from Mt.Ame-no-Kagu,
and hung the long string of a great many beads of Maga-Tama on its upper branch,
and hung the Yaata-no-Kagami (large-mirror)(*7) on its middle branch,
and hung a white cloth and a blue cloth on its lower branch,
and Futodama-no-Mikoto lifted up these various things as the divine august offering,
and Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto recited Norito (Shintoism-prayers),
and Ame-no-Tadikarawo-no-Kami(**8) stood hiding himself on the side of the door.

And Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto(**9) girt up her sleeves with the heavenly hikage (vine of club-moss) of Mt.Ame-no-Kagu, and put the heavenly masaki (a sort of liana) on her head as a wreath, and held up a sheaf of bamboo leaves of Mt.Ame-no-Kagu, and set down a upended pail in front of the Ame-no-Ihaya-To (heavenly-rock-cavern-door)(*8), and stamped her foot on it, and was possessed by a deity, and revealed her bust and nipples, and pushed the string of her skirt down to her pubic region. Then, a great many deities laughed together to the extent that the Takama-no-Hara (plain-of-high-heaven)(*9) quaked.

Hereupon, Amaterasu-Ohomikami(**10) felt it strange, and opened the Ame-no-Ihaya-To slightly, and asked from the inside, "I suppose that heavenly-plain should be darkness naturally and theAshihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni (middle-land-of-reed-plain.)(*10) also should be darkness because I have concealed myself, but why has Ame-no-Uzume performed a dance and why have all the deities laughed?" Then Ame-no-Uzume answered, "We have laughed and danced with joy because there is a more honorable deity than you."
While she was saying so, Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto and Futodama-no-Mikoto held out the mirror, and showed it to Amaterasu-Ohomikami. Then Amaterasu-Ohomikami felt it more and more strange, and went out slowly from the door and tried to see it. Thereupon Ame-no-Tadikarawo-no-Kami who was standing hiding on the side grasped her arm and dragged her out, and Futodama-no-Mikoto stretched the sacred rope her back at once, and said, "You cannot return the inside from here." Wherefore Amaterasu-Ohomikami came out, and so Takama-no-Hara and Ashihara-Naka-tsu-Kuni became light naturally.

After that, a great many deities took counsel together, and imposed a great many things as penalty upon Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**11), and cut his beard and cut his fingernails and toenails to cleanse, and banished him.

5) The Origin of Five Cereals

After that, he requested food from Ohogetsu-Hime-no-Kami(**1). Thereupon Ohogetsu-Hime took out all sorts of delicious food from her nose, her mouth, and her anus, and she prepared various dishes with them, and offered to him. But, Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**2) stood witnessing the sight, and thought that she was offering filthy food, and so he killed Ohogetsu-Hime-no-Kami at once.

Then, the things were born from the body of the deity who had been killed.
In her head, a silkworm was born.
In her two eyes, rice-seed was born.
In her two ears, foxtail-millet was born.
In her nose, an adzuki-bean (red-bean) was born.
In her pubic region, barley was born.
In her anus, a soybean was born.

Therefore, Kamu-Musuhi-no-Mioya-no-Mikoto(**3) made them to be gathered, and treated them as seeds [of five cereals and others].

6) The Monster Serpent
with Eight Heads and Tails

Wherefore he was banished, and came down to Torikami which was the place-name at the upper part of the Hi-no-Kaha(*1) in Idzumo Province. Then, chopsticks came floating down the stream. Hereupon Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**1) thought that there must be someone at the upper part of the river, and went up to visit. There were an old man and an old woman, and they were weeping with a maiden between.

Hereupon he asked, "What are your names?" Then the old man answered, "I am a Kuni-tsu-Kami (earthly-deity)(*2), and I am a child of Oho-Yamatsumi-no-Kami(**2). My name is Ashi-Nadzuchi(**3), and my wife's name is Te-Nadzuchi, and our daughter's name is Kushinada-Hime(**4)."
In the next place, he asked, "Why are you weeping?" and he answered, "We had eight maiden daughters originally. But Yamata-no-Worochi (eight-forked-great-serpent)(**5) of Koshi(*3) has come here every year and devoured one by one. The time when the serpent comes has come in this year, and so we are weeping."
Hereupon he asked, "What is its form like?" and he answered, "Its eyes are red as aka-kagachi, it has one body with eight heads and eight tails. Moreover hikage (club-mosses), hi (Japanese-cypresses), and sugi (Japanese-cedars) grow thick on its body, and its length extends over eight ravines and eight ridges, and its all belly is constantly stained with blood."
Incidentally, aka-kagachi is now called a winter (ground) cherry.

Then Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto said to the old man, "Will you offer your daughter to me?" and he answered, "I feel graciously, but I don't know your name yet." Hereupon he answered, "I am a younger brother of Amaterasu-Ohomikami(**6). And now, I have descended onto here from Heaven." Then Ashi-Nadzuchi and Te-Nadzuchi said, "If so, we feel graciously. We will offer her to you."

Thereupon Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto changed the figure of the maiden into the divine nail-shaped comb at once, and put on it in a bunch of his hair, and commanded to Ashi-Nadzuchi and Te-Nadzuchi, "Make sake brewing time after time, and make a fence around, and make eight gates at the fence, and make eight platforms at each gate, and put casks of sake on each platform, and fill each cask with sake brewing time after time, and wait."

Wherefore, they prepared so and waited as they had been commanded, then Yamata-no-Worochi came with the form as they had said. At once, the serpent dipped the heads into each cask, and drunk sake. Therefore the serpent drunk itself lying-down and slept. Then Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto drew the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi (ten-fists-length-sword) on which he girt, and cut the serpent into pieces, so that the river of Hi-no-Kaha turned into the blood stream and flowed.
And, when he cut the middle tale, the edge of his sword was broken off. Hereupon he felt it strange, and split with the point of his sword to look, just then there was a great sword in it. Hereupon, he took this great sword, and felt it a strange thing, and informed Amaterasu-Ohomikami [and offered it]. This is a great sword of Kusanagi-no-Tachi(*4).

7) The Palace of Suga

After he had done so, Haya-Susanowo-no-Mikoto(**1) sought the place where he would build a palace (shrine) in Idzumo Province(*1). Then he arrived at the place of Suga(*2) and said, "I have come here, so that my heart is sugasugashii (I felt refreshed)."
And he built the palace in that place and dwelt. Therefore that place is now called Suga.

When this great deity first built the palace of Suga, clouds rose up from that place into the air. And he composed a poem.

Clouds rising up into the air surround as eightfold fence.
To keep for the wife, clouds surround as eightfold fence.
Oh, that eightfold fence!
[poem01]

Then, he called Ashi-Nadzuchi-no-Kami(**2) and said, "I appoint you to be the head of my palace," and presented him with the name of Inada-no-Miyanushi-Suga-no-Yatsumimi-no-Kami.

8) The Genealogy of Susanowo

Wherefore, Susanowo(**1) had intercourse with Kushinada-Hime(**2), and gave birth to Yashima-Jinumi-no-Kami(**3).
Besides, he married Kamu-Ohoichi-Hime(**4) who was the daughter of Oho-Yamatsumi-no-Kami(**5) and gave birth to Oho-Toshi-no-Kami(**6), next Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami(**7). 2 deities.

The elder brother, Yashima-Jinumi-no-Kami married Konohana-Chiru-Hime(**8) who was the daughter of Oho-Yamatsumi-no-Kami and gave birth to Fuha-no-Modikunusunu-no-Kami(**9).
This deity married Hikaha-Hime(**10) who was the daughter of Okami-no-Kami(**11) and gave birth to Fukafuchi-no-Midzuyarehana-no-Kami(**12).
This deity married Ame-no-Tsudohechine-no-Kami(**13) and gave birth to Omidzunu-no-Kami(**14).
This deity married Futemimi-no-Kami(**15) who was the daughter of Funodzuno-no-Kami(**16) and gave birth to Ame-no-Fuyukinu-no-Kami(**17).

This deity married Sashikuni-Wakahime(**18) who was the daughter of Sashikuni-Ohokami(**19) and gave birth to Oho-Kuni-Nushi-no-Kami(**20) whose other names were Oho-Namudi-no-Kami, Ashihara-Shikowo-no-Kami, Yachihoko-no-Kami, and Utsushi-Kunitama-no-Kami.
He had five names in all.