Kuninokuizamochi

Kuninokuizamochi (国之久比奢母智神 – Land’s Dipper Holder) is mentioned in the Kojiki as a child of Hayaakitsuhime and Hayaakitsuhiko, the Estuary kami. They were the eighth and last born to them with their name indicative of an area lower down than Amenokuizamochi (Heaven’s Dipper Holder).

Their siblings are Aha Nagi, Awa Nami, Tsuranagi, Tsuranami, Amenomikumari, Kuninomikumari and Amenokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not give a name to this kami, simply stating:

Izanagi and Izanami then produced the sea, the rivers, and then the mountains, after the Eightfold Isles.²

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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Amenokuizamochi

Amenokuizamochi (天之久比奢母智神 – Heaven’s Dipper Holder) is mentioned in the Kojiki as a child of Hayaakitsuhime and Hayaakitsuhiko, the Estuary kami. They were the seventh of eight born to them with their name associated with gourds used for water.

Their siblings are Aha Nagi, Awa Nami, Tsuranagi, Tsuranami, Amenomikumari, Kuninomikumari and Kuninokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not give a name to this kami, simply stating:

Izanagi and Izanami then produced the sea, the rivers, and then the mountains, after the Eightfold Isles.²

The name of this kami is a representation of gourds used for watet weilded by shrine dancers to summon kami.¹

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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• • Affiliation: Shinto
  • Kami of: –
  • Family: Hayaakitsuhiko (father) Hayaakitsuhime (mother) Aha Nagi (brother)  Awa Nami (sister) Tsuranagi (brother) Tsuranami (sister) Amenomikumari (sibling) Amenokuizamochi (sibling) Kuninokuizamochi (sibling)

Kuninomikumari

Kuninomikumari (国之水分神 – Land’s Watershed) is mentioned in the Kojiki as a child of Hayaakitsuhime and Hayaakitsuhiko, the Estuary kami. They were the sixth of eight born to them with their name representing a watershed below the mountain which eventually flows to form a river.

Their siblings are Aha Nagi, Awa Nami, Tsuranagi, Tsuranami, Amenomikumari, Amenokuizamochi and Kuninokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not give a name to this kami, simply stating:

Izanagi and Izanami then produced the sea, the rivers, and then the mountains, after the Eightfold Isles.²

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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Affiliation: Shinto

Amenomikumari

Amenomikumari (天之水分神 – Heaven’s Watershed) is mentioned in the Kojiki as a child of Hayaakitsuhime and Hayaakitsuhiko, the Estuary kami. They were the fifth of eight born to them with their name representing an estuary’s origin near mountain heights on the landward side near heaven.

Their siblings are Aha Nagi, Awa Nami, Tsuranagi, Tsuranami, Kuninomikumari, Amenokuizamochi and Kuninokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not give a name to this kami, simply stating:

Izanagi and Izanami then produced the sea, the rivers, and then the mountains, after the Eightfold Isles.²

The Engi Shiki list many shrines to this kami and associates them with the water required for rice paddies.¹

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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Tsuranami

Tsuranami (頬那美神 – Wave Surface Woman) is mentioned in the Kojiki as daughter of Hayaakitsuhime and Hayaakitsuhiko, the Estuary kami. She was the fourth of eight born to them.

Her siblings are Aha Nagi, Awa Nami, Tsuranagi, Amenomikumari, Kuninomikumari, Amenokuizamochi and Kuninokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not give a name to this kami, simply stating:

Izanagi and Izanami then produced the sea, the rivers, and then the mountains, after the Eightfold Isles.¹

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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Tsuranagi

Tsuranagi  (頬那藝神 – Calm Surface Man) is mentioned in the Kojiki as son of Hayaakitsuhime and Hayaakitsuhiko, the Estuary kami. He was the third of eight born to them.

His siblings are Aha Nagi, Awa Nami, Tsuranami, Amenomikumari, Kuninomikumari, Amenokuizamochi and Kuninokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not give a name to this kami, simply stating:

Izanagi and Izanami then produced the sea, the rivers, and then the mountains, after the Eightfold Isles.¹

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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Awa Nami

Awa Nami (沫那美神 – Wave Foam Woman) is mentioned in the Kojiki as daughter of Hayaakitsuhime and Hayaakitsuhiko, the Estuary kami. She was the second of eight born to them and is often associated with the portion of a rivers mouth that is on the seaward side.

Her siblings are Aha Nagi, Tsuranagi, Tsuranami, Amenomikumari, Kuninomikumari, Amenokuizamochi and Kuninokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not give a name to this kami, simply stating:

Izanagi and Izanami then produced the sea, the rivers, and then the mountains, after the Eightfold Isles.¹

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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Hayaakitsuhime

Hayaakitsuhime (速秋津比売神 – Lady Rushing River Mouth) was the last of ten kami created after Izanami and Izanagi had created the Eightfold Isles and the six subsequent isles, according to the Kojiki. She is the kami of Sea Estuaries. She is invoked in the Prayer of Great Purification (Hymn. 10), which describes her as swallowing defilement’s at the seas cross currents. She, with her own brother, gives birth to eight kami. These are Aha Nagi, Awa Nami, Tsuranagi, Tsuranami, Amenomikumari, Kuninomikumari, Amenokuizamochi and Kuninokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not name this kami or her brother, however, it mentions them collectively as the kami of the River Mouths Hayaakitsumi. It also states they are born after the kami Yamatsumi.²

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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Hayaakitsuhiko

Hayaakitsuhiko (速秋津日子神 – Rushing River Mouth Lad) was the ninth of ten kami created after Izanami and Izanagi had created the Eightfold Isles and the six subsequent isles, according to the Kojiki. He is the kami of River Estuaries and he, with his own sister, gives birth to eight kami. These are Aha Nagi, Awa Nami, Tsuranagi, Tsuranami, Amenomikumari, Kuninomikumari, Amenokuizamochi and Kuninokuizamochi.¹

The Nihongi does not name this kami or his sister, however, it mentions them collectively as the kami of the River Mouths Hayaakitsumi. It also states they are born after the kami Yamatsumi.²

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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Aha Nagi

Aha Nagi (沫那藝神 – Calm Foam Man²) is a kami of Shinto mentioned only in one version of the nihongi where he is stated to be the father of the kami Izanagi and son of a kami called Ame Yorodzu.¹

More about this kami is mentioned in the kojiki where he is stated to be the son of Hayaakitsuhime and Hayaakitsuhiko, the Estuary kami. He was the first of eight children, his siblings being Awa Nami, Tsuranagi, Tsuranami, Amenomikumari, Kuninomikumari, Amenokuizamochi and Kuninokuizamochi.

His name is associated with the portion of a river’s mouth that is closest to the land.²

Though the nihongi mentions him much earlier in its text, in relation to him being the father of Izanagi. In the section of the nihongi which would correspond with the kojiki where it lists the kami of Hayaakitsuhime and others, this kami is not mentioned, the nihongi merely stating:

Izanagi and Izanami then produced the sea, the rivers, and then the mountains, after the Eightfold Isles.¹

Footnotes

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

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