The Eight Thunder Kami

22/01/2019| Eli| 0 Comment| 12:00 pm

- Affiliation: Shinto
- Kami of: Thunder
- Family: None

The Eight Thunder Kami

The Eight Thunder Kami are the Thunder kami in Shinto Mythology which dwell in the land of Yomi.

In the kojiki they are seen crawling on the body of Izanami when her husband looks upon her dead body in Yomi. Each kami is seen on a different part of her body (see below). Later in the text of the kojiki; Izanami enraged that her husband Izanagi looked upon her dead body and fled from her, sends the Thunder kami and an army of 1500 after him.¹

The nihongi is very silmilar in its story saying they were upon the body of Izanami, though some in different place.²

However, Izanagi eventually scares them away by striking an imposing stance in the kojiki¹ and by throwing down peaches in the nihongi.²

The Eight kami and where they are found of Izanami’s body are as follows:

	Japanese	Kojiki	Nihongi	Notes
Ōikazuchi	大雷 - Grown Thunder	Head	Head
Honoikazuchi	火雷 - Blazing Thunder	Breasts	Breasts	The Engi Rites say this kami has shrines in Yamato, Izumi, and Yamashiro.
Kuroikazuchi	黒雷 - Darkening Thunder	Stomach	Bottom
Sakuikazuchi	折雷 - Splitting Thunder	Privates	Privates
Wakaikazuchi	若雷 - Young Thunder	Left Hand	Back
Tsuchiikazuchi	土雷 - Earthen Thunder	Right Hand	Stomach
Nariikazuchi	鳴雷 - Booming Thunder	Left Foot	Hands
Fusuikazuchi	伏雷 - Bowing Thunder	Right Foot	Feet

Footnotes

1. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
2. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.

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