Separation

Izanagi and Izanami

Separation

Primitive Japan consisted of a lot of islands delivered by Izanami. She was confident about their new country. However Izanagi got frustrated because they didn't need to have sex as much as before.

Then one day...

Izanami

Izanami

Izanagi, Look!

Izanami was running to Izanagi with carrying a lot of fish and beans.

Izanagi

Izanagi

Oh, how did you get these fish?

Izanami

Izanami

A man came here a few minutes ago and gave them as a token of his appreciation. He thanked us for making the island.

Izanagi

Izanagi

What? A man? A human being? Did they live here before we knew it?

To be honest, Japanese myths never tell us the origin of human beings. Though a problem of the context still remains, I guess that people were born out of nowhere as well or they were the kids of those gods. They said in the latter half of Japanese myth that the kids of gods had lived on the earth as ordinary people.

Izanami

Izanami

You don't have to care about the details!

Izanami smiled brightly.

Izanagi

Izanagi

...Fair enough.

Izanami

Izanami

By the way, I want to make the people happier.

Izanagi

Izanagi

Why?

Izanami

Izanami

Just because they live on our island!!

Izanagi

Izanagi

Oh...that means....

Izanami

Izanami

?

Izanagi

Izanagi

Tha...that's a super good idea!! I also want to make them happy!

He seemed to come up with something and agreed with her enthusiastically.

Izanami

Izanami

Really? I'm glad to hear that! You looked a little bit depressed these days.

Izanagi

Izanagi

Not at all! It's just your imagination. So, let's get down to business!

Izanami

Izanami

?

Izanagi

Izanagi

People need more gods who make them happier, don't they?

Izanagi grinned.

line

They started to generate the series of gods. Since the first god's name sounded like “Attaboy,” they were encouraged and gave birth to gods one after another.
They first delivered gods related to houses in order to protect people.

Izanami

Izanami

Gods of ground, gods of doors, gods of roofs, gods of buildings, and gods of insulation.

Then...

Izanagi

Izanagi

Gods related to the sea such as Ohwatatumi!

Izanami

Izanami

Gods who divide the sea and the river, and gods related to the river!

Izanagi

Izanagi

Water oriented gods!

Izanami

Izanami

Wind oriented gods! Wood oriented gods!

Izanagi

Izanagi

Mountain oriented gods such as Ohyamatumi!

Izanami

Izanami

(Gasping)

Izanagi

Izanagi

And gods of fields!

While those kids also generated their offspring, Izanagi and Izanami didn't get old at all.

Izanami

Izanami

Just because we are gods!

When kids were grown up, they left Onogoro island and spread out all over Japan. Ianagi and Izanami had mixed feelings while they can see Japanese islands start to flourish.

line

However their happy life ended suddenly.
A tragedy happened while Izanami was delivering gods of creativity.

Boom!!!

Izanagi heard something exploded and Izanami screamed.
He ran into the delivery room in a hurry.

Izanagi

Izanagi

Oh my god!

Izanami had passed out while lower part of her body was covered with ash. She got burnt terribly when she gave birth to a god of fire.

Though she managed to escape death, she agonised over a high fever. Izanagi nursed her as much as he could, but she didn't seem to recover. Izanami was still thinking only about reproducing.

Izanami

Izanami

I think there aren't enough gods yet...our work hasn't been finished....

Izanagi

Izanagi

Take it easy. We can resume that after you get better.

Izanagi soothed her, but she writhed in agony, vomited and ended up excreting. From her excrement, gods of mine, gods of mud and gods of creation were born. Izanagi didn't want to see her suffer like that anymore.

Izanagi

Izanagi

Izanami, we don't need new gods now. Please just take a rest.

Izanagi couldn't believe their situation.

Izanagi

Izanagi

She was quite powerful just a while ago...

He thought as if their happy life had been a dream. It drove him crazy to see her become worse day by day.

line

One day, Izanami looked extremely ill. She knew that she didn't have much time left.

Izanami

Izanami

I have to say goodbye to Izanagi.

She had already become too weak to get up. Izanagi held her round the shoulders. She was incredibly thin.

Izanami

Izanami

Sorry...I won't complete my work...

Izanagi

Izanagi

What are you talking about? No need to apologise. You have to recover from your illness first.

Izanami

Izanami

...Thank you. I think you and our kids will be able to make a good country...without me.

Izanagi

Izanagi

It sounds like a goodbye. Stop it.

Izanami

Izanami

......

Izanagi

Izanagi

It's nonsense. That's no point in making a country without you. I mean...I need you.

He burst out in tears. Izanami said with an apologetic smile,

Izanami

Izanami

Sorry...I wish......I could take care of the country...more.

Izanagi

Izanagi

No...Please...What am I supposed to do?

Izanami

Izanami

.......I trust you.

Her voice dwindled.

Izanagi

Izanagi

No......No! No! Izanami, please don't go!

Izanami

Izanami

.....na...gi.......Than...yo......

Izanagi

Izanagi

Izanami!! No! Don't leave me alone! Please...please...

Izanami

Izanami

......

Izanami went away quietly.

He kept on holding her body and talking to her.

Izanagi

Izanagi

Izanami...Izanami...I love you. I love you so much. Please don't go.

Though he called her again and again, she didn't answer anymore.

Izanagi

Izanagi

Damn it! I love you! I need you! Why the hell do I have to lose you just because of one son!

He cried out desperately and shed so many tears that a god of fountain was born from it.
No matter how hard and whenever he cried, she didn't move anymore.

In the end, he decided to bury her at Mt.Hiba.

line

Izanagi was numb and stood still in front of her grave for a long time. After he lost his sense of time, someone called him from behind.

Hinokagutuchi

Hinokagutuchi

Dad...I owe it....I owe Mom's death to you.

It was Hinokagutuchi the god of fire who made Izanami get burned.

Izanagi

Izanagi

......

Hinokagutuchi

Hinokagutuchi

......

There was a long period of silence.
Hinokagutuchi couldn't say anything, and at last Izanagi turned around to him resentfully.

Izanagi

Izanagi

Yes.

Izanagi

Izanagi

......That's true.

Since Izanagi glared at Hinokagutuchi, he stepped back in fear. Yet, he was also tormented terribly by Izanami's death.
Izanagi got close to him bit by bit.

Izanagi

Izanagi

That's true. If only you hadn't been born...she woudn't have die.

Izanagi

Izanagi

If only......If only you hadn't been born!!

Izanagi tried to stab Hinokagutuchi with the Sword of Totsuka.

Hinokagutuchi

Hinokagutuchi

......!

Hinokagutuchi gave up and just closed his eyes.

Whomp!!

Hinokagutuchi's head danced in the air. Izanagi couldn't control himself and killed his own son. Moreover he kept on chopping Hinokagutuchi's body with frenzied anger.

Izanagi

Izanagi

If only...! If only...!!

Everything was covered with blood. Eight gods were born from the blood, and another eight gods were born from the dead body. They all had powers of controlling fire.
Only after Hinokagutuchi was laying without moving a single muscle, Izanagi looked up at the sky.

Then, he sobbed again.

Izanagi

You can purchase "THE JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY KOJIKI" from U-NEXT.


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