Sacred Stories of Japan
Explore the foundational myths of Shinto tradition, recorded in the ancient chronicles Kojiki and Nihon Shoki - tales of creation, divine beings, and the sacred origins of Japan.
Creation and the Underworld
Izanagi's Journey to Yomi
After his wife Izanami dies giving birth to the fire god, Izanagi descends to Yomi, the underworld, to retrieve her. His failed rescue establishes the permanent boundary between life and death, and his subsequent purification gives birth to the sun, moon, and storm deities.
Related Content
Cross-Cultural Parallels
- Orpheus & Eurydice - Greek underworld journey to rescue a loved one
- Inanna's Descent - Sumerian journey to the underworld
- Chinese Creation Myths - Pan Gu and cosmic origins
- Korean Creation - Dangun and Korean origins
- Polynesian Creation - Pacific island origin stories
Related Archetypes
- Underworld Journey - The descent and return motif
- Creation Myth - Divine origins of the world
- Divine Couple - Primordial male-female creators
- Death & Rebirth - Cycles of ending and renewal
See Also
- Izanagi - The male creator deity
- Izanami - The female creator who became death goddess
- Amaterasu - Sun goddess born from Izanagi's purification
- Samsara - Buddhist cycle of death and rebirth
- Japanese Mythology Overview - Return to main Japanese section