Encyclopedia of Shinto

Main Menu:   
Links:   

詳細表示 (Complete Article)

カテゴリー1： 2. Kami (Deities)
カテゴリー2： Kami in Classic Texts
Title
Kuraokami, Takaokami, Kuramitsuha
Text (Nihongi)
Other names: Kuraokami no kami, Takaokami no kami(Kojiki)



Kami produced from the blood that dripped from Izanagi's sword when he killed the kami of fire, Kagutsuchi. When Izanagi's consort Izanami gave birth to the kami of fire, she was burned and died. Enraged and saddened at the loss of his wife, Izanagi beheaded Kagutsuchi with his "ten-span sword," and numerous deities were produced from Kagutsuchi's blood. According to Kojiki, Kuraokami and Kuramitsuha were produced from the blood as it collected on the hilt of Izanagi's sword and dripped through his fingers. According to an "alternate writing" related by Nihongi, Izanagi killed Kagutsuchi by cutting him into three pieces, thus creating the three kami Ikazuchi no kami, Ōyamatsumi, and Takaokami. The word kura is said to mean a narrow gorge beneath a cliff, while okami refers to the dragon tutelary of water, and mitsuha suggests the water as it begins to emerge, or a water-spirit.

-Yumiyama Tatsuya

Pronunciation in Japanese/用語音声

No movie/映像なし