JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY
Before I became interested in Blue Seed, I knew absolutely nothing about Japanese mythology. Since then, I have become interested in it and have learned enough to put me in the "dangerous" category. In this section I will try to impart some of what I have learned for those of you interested enough to have point and clicked your way here. But beware; you are learning from a novice, so read on with caution!
Introduction
In the Shinto religion, the are eight million kami, kami being the spirits of everything, from rocks and plants to men and gods. Most of the gods and the mythological tapestry of Japan are laid out in one of two books: the Kojiki - Records of Ancient Matters and the Nihongo - Chronicles of Japan.
For more info on the legend of
Susano-oh's birth and the legend of the Kushinada, follow the link below:
Legend of the
Kushinada/Tale of Susano-oh's Birth
Gods and Monsters Compendium
Susano-oh no Mikoto - the Brave, Swift, Impetuous Male; God of Storms and of the Sea. He married the Princess Kushinada
Amaterasu - Sun goddess, sister to Susano-oh and
grandmother to the first ruler of Japan
Izanagi - the central god of the creation myth of
Japan; father to Susano-oh and Amaterasu
Izanami - the central goddess of the creation myth;
wife and sister to Izanagi, mother to Susano-oh and Amaterasu
Ashi nadzuchi - Princess Kushinada's father and
Earth Spirit; his name: Foot Stroking Elder.
Te nadzuchi - Princess Kushinada's mother; her
name: Hand Stroking Elder
Kushinada Hime - the Princess Kushinada; her
name: Mistress Head Comb
Yamata no Orochi/Orochi no Orochi - a Serpent with
one body, eight heads eight tails with eyes that glow like winter
cherries. On his body grows moss and conifers, the length of which extends
over eight valleys and eight hills. His belly is constantly bloody and
inflamed.
Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi - the Sword that
Susano-oh pulled from Orochi's tail; the name means Sword of Billowing Clouds
Kusanagi no Tsurugi - (Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi)
the Grass Cutter; the sword that Susano-oh pulled from the tail of Orochi and
presented to his sister as a gift. Amaterasu, in turn, presented it to the
first Emperor of Japan.
Reiko - a great Japanese hero responsible for
slaying giant spiders known as Kumo.
Izumo - small country town around which many
Japanese myths center. There is a great temple in Izumo in which the gods
meet annually in October to discuss the fate of humanity and the love affairs of
individuals; the assemblage is known as the Assembly of the Gods.
Willow Tree - in Japan certain trees (cherry trees,
chestnut trees plum trees and willow trees) are often endowed with spirits that
can speak and show themselves.
Giant Crow/Raicho - the Japanese Thunder Bird that
looks like a giant rook (crow); it can make a terrifying noise and lives in a
pine tree.
Centipede - a terrifying, man-eating, gigantic
monster that lived in the mountains of Japan. The famous hero Hidesato is
responsible for slaying it.
Kappa - a water monster with long hair, the body of
a tortoise, scaly limbs and an ape face. They attack children and
travellors. They pull them under the water as they are wading through a
river and suck their blood. They have also been known to attack animals
such as horses. A kappa travels on a cucumber, its preferred food.
These cucumbers can fly like dragonflies. Kappas may have been at one
time, wise monkeys and can be befriended by wise men and taught useful skills
such as the art of setting bones.
Cat - in Japanese mythology, cats have supernatural
powers with the ability to shape shift and control the mind. Spectral cats
can grow to gigantic size and terrorize whole villages, even though they are
barely visible. Cats are also considered to have power over the spirits of
the dead
Spider/Kumo - spiders bigger than a man with eyes
as big as saucers, sharp teeth and long legs that suck the blood of
humans. They were hunted and killed by the great hero Reiko.
Mermaids/Ninyo - Japanese mermaids are said to
grant longevity to those that eat them; living as long as eight hundred years
Hidesato -
the Japanese hero responsible for slaying the giant Centipede.
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