Sun, Moon and Sea
As could be expected, Izanagi went on to purify himself after recovering from his descent to Yomi. As he undressed and removed the adornments of his body, each item that he dropped to the ground formed a deity. Even more gods came into being when he went to the water to wash himself. The most important ones were created once he washed his face:
- Amaterasu (incarnation of the sun) from his left eye,
- Tsukuyomi (incarnation of the moon) from his right eye, and
- Susanoo (incarnation of storms and ruler of the sea and storms) from his nose.
Izanagi went on to divide the world between them with Amaterasu inheriting the heavens, Tsukuyomi taking control of the night and moon and the storm god Susanoo owning the seas. In some versions of the myth, Susanoo rules not only the seas but also all elements of a storm, including snow and hail, and, in rare cases, even sand.
Read more about this topic: Japanese Mythology
Famous quotes containing the words moon and/or sea:
“In such a night, when passing clouds give place,
Or thinly veil the heaven’s mysterious face;
When in some river, overhung with green,
The waving moon and trembling leaves are seen;”
—Anne Finch, Countess Of Winchilsea (1661–1720)
“If we must not act save on a certainty, we ought not to act on religion, for it is not certain. But how many things we do on an uncertainty, sea voyages, battles!”
—Blaise Pascal (1623–1662)