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Updated: July 23, 2025
As for the idea of blocking the "even pass of hades" with rocks, it appears to mean nothing more than that a military force was posted at Hirasaka now called Ifuyo-saka in Izumo to hold the defile against the insurgent troops under Izanami, who finally took the field against Izanagi. The story of Susanoo lends itself with equal facility to rationalization.
It does not appear that the marriage tie possessed any grave significance in ancient Japan, or that any wedding ceremony was performed; unless, indeed, the three circuits made by Izanagi and Izanami prior to cohabitation round a "heavenly august pillar" be interpreted as the circumambulatory rite observed in certain primitive societies.
To the land thus formed, they gave the name of "The Island of the Congealed Drop," because they intended to create a large archipelago and wished to distinguish this as the first island. They descended from Heaven on the floating bridge and landed on the island. Izanagi struck his tall spear in the ground making it the axis of the world. This done, they met together.
Izanami cried out, "What a lovely man!" But Izanagi rebuked her for speaking first, and said they must try it again. Then they walked round the island once more. When they met, Izanami held her tongue while Izanagi said, "What a lovely woman!" Being now both in good humor, they began the work of creating Japan. The first island brought up out of the water was Awaji; and then the main island.
So also, the worshipper to whom the lovely scenery of Japan was fresh from the hands of the kami who were so much like himself, turned naturally in preference, to the "gods many" of his own land. Succeeding centuries only made it worse for the imported devas or gods, while the kami, or the gods sprung from the soil created by Izanami and Izanagi steadily rose in honor.
*Takachiho-dake is often spoken of as the mountain thus celebrated, but Takachiho is only the eastern, and lower, of the two peaks of Kirishima-yama. It was, moreover, to a river of Tsukushi that Izanagi repaired to cleanse himself from the pollution of hades.
The same may be said of eleven among fourteen Kami thereafter born from the pollution which Izanagi washes off in a river. *At Himuka in Kyushu, then called Tsukushi. But the last three of these newly created beings act a prominent part in the sequel of the story.
By this pair, Izanagi and Izanami, were produced the islands of Japan, and the generations of the gods, and the deities of the Sun and Moon. Some went to dwell in the blue Plain of High Heaven; others remained on earth and became the ancestors of the Japanese race. Such is the mythology of the Ko-ji-ki and the Nihongi, stated in the briefest possible way.
Now, according to the Records, the first place "begotten" by Izanagi and Izanami was an island called Awa, supposed to be in the vicinity of Awaji.
The peaches are rewarded with the title of "divine fruit," and entrusted with the duty of thereafter helping all living people * in the central land of "reed plains" as they have helped Izanagi. *It is unnecessary to comment upon the identity of this incident with the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. It will be observed that we hear of these Kami now for the first time.
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