The Legend of the Three Gods The Legend of the 3 Gods is mentioned in the Kojiki 680 AD and the Nihon Shoki 720 AD. It Is said that Amaterasu is the Sun Goddess, sister of Tsukoyomi, the Moon God, and Susanoo the Storm and Sea God. The three of them were the last three gods born when the Izanagi, who created the island of Japan, performed a self-cleaning ritual after a failed attempt to save his wife, Izanami, from Yomi (the underworld). Amaterasu was born when Izanag/ washed his left eye, Tsukoyomi was born when |zanagi washed his right eye, and Susanoo was born when Izanagi washed his nose. Because Izanag/ was still grieving over the fate that befell his wife, he then gave the power to Amaterasu to rule the universe. Amaterasu later became the ruler of the sun and Takamagahara (heaven) with her sister and husband, Tsukoyomi. Initially, the two of them shared the sky, but after an Incident where Tsukoyomi who was sent to represent Amaterasu at a party killed Uke-Mochi, the goddess of food, because of Uke-Mochi’s way of creating disgusting food, Amaterasu was angry and branded Tsukoyomi as an evil god and distanced himself as far from Tsukoyomi, it was for this reason that day and night never appeared together. When Izanagi ordered Susanoo to leave Takamagahara to earth, Susanoo intended to say goodbye to Amaterasu. Recognizing his deceitful and ruthless nature, Amaterasu was suspicious, but she agreed fo her sister's challenge to prove her honesty. The two gods would exchange goods and give birth to gods from it. Amaterasu gave birth to three goddesses from Susanoo’s sword, while Susanoo gave birth to five gods from Amaterasu’s necklace. Amaterasu claimed five gods were her children and three goddesses were Susanoo’s children, she decided she won because Susanoo’s sword gave birth to women. The two gods calmed down for a while until Susanoo, in his agitation, went on a rampage and destroyed Amaterasu’s rice field and threw a pany. in her skin into her sister’s loom, cing one of Amaterasu’s minions. Enraged, Amaterasu hid in a cave called Ama-no-lwato, hiding the sun for a long time. The gods’ inducement to leave went unheeded by Amaterasu until the gods devised a trick: Yata-no-Kagami‘s mirror would hang on a tree outside the cave while the goddess Ama-no-Uzume would perform a dance naked nearby. Hearing the laughter of a god who saw Ama-no-Uzume caught Amaterasu’s attention, and as she came out she saw her reflection in the mirror. To Amaterasu’s surprise, the god Ame-no-Kajitarawo immediately closed Ama-no-l|wato so that Amaterasu could no longer enter. Amaterasu’s release made the sun shine again on the universe. Even though Amaterasu wos coaxed out again, Susanoo was sfill banished to Earth because of what he did. After killing the snake Yamata-no-Orochi, Susanoo gave peace to Amaterasu with the Kusanagi sword he found in the snoke’s tail. Amaterasu then had a grandson named Ninigi, son of Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto. Amaterasu commissioned Ninigi to come down to earth and plant rice there and gave him three of his possessions: the Kusanagi sword, the Yata no Kagami mirror, and the Yasakani no Magatama jewel. Ninigi was the great-grandfather of the first Emperor of Japan Emperor Jimmu, making Amaterasu the ancestor of the Emperors of Japan, while the other three he gave became the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan.The Story of Izanagi and Izanami In the very beginning, that is, before the beginning of beginning, Heaven and Earth were one and undivided. Together, they were Tike an egg, but an without limit. The finer matter was diffused and eventually became Heaven, while fhe coarser matter settled down to become Earth. The finer matter easily came together to give shape to Heaven, but the coarser matter was sluggish and consolidated itself with difficulty. Thus, Heaven was formed before Earth. When Heaven and Earth were divided, the divine beings were produced between them. Among the divine beings were the seven generations of Gods, of whom the last, the seventh generation, were Izanagj, the Male-Who-Invites, and Izanami, the Female-Who-Invites. When they had come into being, all the other heavenly deities commanded them to give rise to the drifting land. They were aver a jewelled spear and, standing upon the Floating Bridge of Heaven, the two deities thrust down the spear and stirred the brine until It curdled. Then they drew up the spear and the brine that dripped down from It formed the Island of Onogoro. On Onogoro-jima, Izanami and |zanagi built themselves a magnificent palace, with a huge central pillar that reached to heaven. Then the Male-Who-Invites said to his spouse, “How is thy body formed?” The FemaleWho-Invites answered, ey body’ is completely formed, except that one part is incomplete.” Her spouse replied, “My body too is completely formed, except that one part is superfluous. Let us supplement that which is incomplete in thee with that which is superfluous in me, and thereby create the world.” Izanami replied, “It is well.” Then Izanagj said, “Let us proceed around the heavenly pillar and, meeting on the other side, let us become united in wedlock. Go thou around the left, and | shall go round from the right.” This they did, and when they met on the other side, Izanami said, “How delighfful! | have met a lovely youth!” And |zanagj said, “How delightful! | have met a lovely maiden,” but he thought to bine, *It was inauspicious for the woman to speak first. From the union of Izanagi, the Male-Who-Invites, and Izanami, the Female-Who-Invites, came the islands of Japan, the first part of the world to be created. From them also came the gods, including the God of Fire. From that birth, lzanami did not recover, but was morfally burned. She therefore descended Into the underworld, and Izanagi was forced to seek her there. In darkness they met, and |zanami begged her husband to be patient and wait at the door of the underworld, and upon no circumstances to brin ight into the world of darkness. But Izanagi grew impatient waiting for his wife, an So lit the tooth of his comb. Then, bearing his torch, he entered the palace, seeking Izanami. At last he found her, but to his horror, he beheld her undergoing the process of decomposition. Panic-stricken, he fled, pursued by his wife, and finally emerged into the upper world. Firmly he Placed astone over the aperture to the underworld and recited the chant of separation. Then were ihey’ parted forever, Izanagi and |zanami, he to dwell among the gods in heaven, and she to reign in the land of the dead.