05a The Age of the Gods [1] The Gods appeared in sequence, and eventually Izanagi no Mikoto (Male Deity Who Invites) and Izanami no Mikoto (Female Deity Who Invites) came forward with the mission from all the heavenly deities to "complete and solidify this drifting land." "Thereupon, the two deities stood on the Heavenly Floating Bridge and, lowering the jeweled spear, stirred with it. They stirred the brine with a churning-churning sound; and when they lifted up the spear again, the brine dripping down from the tip of the spear piled up and decame an island. This was the island of Onokoro." The two Gods descended onto this island, and gave birth to children (more islands). The order of the births is different depending on the legends, but the islands are: Island of Awaji, Island of Oh Yamato Toyo Akitsu (Honshuu), Island of Iyo no Futana (Shikoku), Island of Tsukushi (Kyuushuu), Island of Tsushima, Island of Iki, Island of Sado, and Island of Oki. Collectively, these came to be called the Country of the Great Eight Islands. Next they gave birth to: God of the Sea, God of the Rivers, God of the Mountains, God of the Wind, God of the Trees, and God of the Grass. Then it became necessary to give birth to the principal God who rules all, the land and its nature. Thus Amaterasu Ohmikami (the Sun Goddess) was born. They regarded her as exalted and not to be detained in the land for long; she was sent up to heaven. Next, Tsukiyomi no Mikoto (Moon Deity) was born; in splendor he came next to Amaterasu Ohmikami, so he was also sent up to heaven. Next came Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity). He had a dauntless character and often assaulted humans. He had a habit of roaring loudly when weeping, and at this even luscious green mountains went dry. The parent Gods, Izanagi no Mikoto (Male Deity Who Invites) and Izanami no Mikoto (Female Deity Who Invites) discussed the situation, and decided to send him away to the Root Land. At this Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) replied, "I will go down to the Root Land as decreed, but before that I wish to go up to the Plain of Hight Heaven to greet Amaterasu Ohmikami, my elder sister." He was given permission to do so. Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) went up to the Plain of Hight Heaven. Because of his violent temper, tidal waves came upon the sea, and great winds blew on the mountains. The entire land vibreted, and heaven and earth shook in resonance. Amaterasu Ohmikami heard the uproar, and judged that Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) must have evil intentions. She united her hair and collected it into two knots, armed herself thoroughly, with a bow and arrows in her hand, and waited. Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) explained that he had no evil heart. For proof, Amaterasu ohmikami first took the sword of the younger brother, broke it into three pieces, rinsed them in the Heavenly Well, crunched them with her teeth, and exhaled. Out of this vapor came the three Goddesses, who are enshrined at Munakata in Kyuushuu. Then Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) took the jade from a knot of Amaterasu Ohmikami's hair, rinsed it in the Heavenly Well, and crunched it with his teeth, and exhaled. Out of this vapor five Gods appeared: Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto (Heavenly Great August Deity), Ama no Hohi no Mikoto (Heavenly Great Sun Deity), and three others. Amaterasu Ohmikami determined that the first three Goddesses appeared from the sword, so they were the children of Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity). The subsequent five male Gods came from Amaterasu Ohmikami's jade, so they were her children. After this, Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity) became violent. He destroyed the rice paddies of the Gods and prevented farming, and opened a gaping hole in the sacred weaving hall and threw in a skinned horse. Amaterasu Ohmikami became distressed and sad, so she hid in the Heavenly Rock Cave. The entire Plain of Hight Heaven became dark, as did the Central Land of Reed Plains (meanig Japan). Record of Ancient Matters (Kojiki) describes this state: "The cries of the myriad deities were everywhere abundant, like summer flies; and all manner of calamities arose," Thus the Gods gathered at the river of Heavenly Tranquil River, and Omoikane no Kami (Thought-Combining Deity) made a plan. They prepared thoroughly, and started the prayer. Ama no Koyane no Mikoto (Heanenly Small-House Deity, the ancestor of the Nakatomi clan) and Futotama no Mikoto (Grand Jewel Deity, the ancestor of the Imube clan), pulled out the sacred Cleyera Japonica tree of Heavenly Mount Kagu with roots intact. On the upper branches; they hung long strings of sacred beads; on the middle branches a large mirror; and on the lower branches, blue sacred cloth and white sacred cloth. Futotama no Mikoto (Grand Jewel Deity) held the tree high, and Ama no Koyane no Mikoto (Heavenly Small-House Deity) offered the ritual prayer. Ama no Uzume no Mikoto (Heavely Crowned Female Deity) appeared in a delightfully hilarious attire, and danced in front of the Heavenly Rock Cave. At this sight the eight hundred myriad Cods all burst out laughing. The gay laughter was so loud that Amaterasu Ohmikami was mystified. She opened the door of the Heavenly Rock Cave slightly to look. Promptly Tajikarao no Kami (Heavenly Hand-Strength Male Deity) snatched her hand and pulled her out. Futotama no Mikoto (Grand Jewel Deity) hung a sacred rope at the entrance of the Cave, so that Amaterasu Ohmikami would never again lock herself in there. This is how light came to the Plain of High Heaven and the Central Land of the Reed Plains. The cause of this crisis was the violent of Susano-o no Mikoto (Valiant Intrepid Raging Male Deity). The Gods prosecuted him for this, and punished him by pulling out the nails from his hands and feet. Then he was sent out of the Plain of High Heaven into exile.

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