Izanami and Izanagi: The Forbidden Love and Lost Paradise of Japanese Mythology

I. The Birth of the Universe and the Divine Mission

In the distant, mystical world of Japanese mythology, one of the most captivating love stories unfolds—the tragic and fateful tale of Izanami and Izanagi. They were not just lovers but also the divine creators of heaven and earth, the architects of the human world. Their story is a breathtaking blend of love, loss, and the eternal cycle of life and death.

The Beginning: Chaos to Creation

At the dawn of time, the world was nothing more than a swirling mass of chaos. There was no sky, no land—only an unshaped void where light and darkness had yet to separate. As time passed, the lighter elements rose, forming Takama-no-Hara (The High Heavens), while the heavier elements sank, giving birth to the earth below.

From this primordial chaos, the first deities emerged, only to vanish soon after. It was then that more powerful, eternal gods came into existence. Among them were Izanagi (the Male Deity) and Izanami (the Female Deity), tasked with shaping the formless world into something habitable.

The supreme gods handed them a sacred spear called Ame-no-Nuboko (The Jeweled Spear of Heaven) and commanded them to bring order to the world below. From the floating bridge of heaven, Ame-no-Ukihashi (The Floating Bridge of Heaven), they gazed down upon the endless ocean of chaos.

Izanagi and Izanami dipped the divine spear into the swirling waters and stirred. When they lifted it, drops of saltwater fell and hardened, forming the first island—Onogoro. This island became their home, the foundation of all creation.

The First Union: A Sacred Marriage and the Birth of the Islands

On Onogoro Island, Izanagi and Izanami built a celestial pillar and performed a sacred marriage ritual by circling around it. However, Izanami, the female deity, spoke first during the ceremony, which was considered a mistake. As a result, their firstborn child, Hiruko (the Leech Child), was born deformed and weak. The gods did not recognize him as a divine being, and he was cast into the sea.

Realizing their error, they repeated the ceremony correctly, with Izanagi speaking first. This time, their union was blessed, and from their sacred bond, the Japanese islands were born—Awaji, Shikoku, Kyushu, Honshu, and the many smaller islands that make up Japan.

But their creation did not end there. They also gave birth to the deities of nature—the gods of mountains, rivers, winds, and seas. However, their blissful union would soon be shattered by tragedy. Fate had something cruel in store for them, and the balance of creation was about to be disrupted…

II. The Forbidden Fire and the Gates of the Underworld

The Tragic Death of Izanami

As the divine couple continued to shape the world, Izanami gave birth to one final deity—Kagutsuchi, the Fire God. However, unlike her previous children, this birth was agonizing. The flames of Kagutsuchi burned Izanami from within, leaving her mortally wounded. Despite Izanagi’s desperate attempts to save her, even his divine power was not enough. Izanami succumbed to her injuries and died.

For the first time in existence, grief and sorrow entered the world. Izanagi’s heartbreak was immeasurable—his tears filled the oceans, and his anguish shook the very foundations of creation. In his rage and despair, he blamed Kagutsuchi for his wife’s death and, in a fit of fury, drew his sword and cut down his own son. From Kagutsuchi’s severed body, new deities emerged—gods of thunder, war, and destruction.

But even the act of vengeance could not ease Izanagi’s pain. He refused to accept Izanami’s death. Determined to bring her back, he set out on a perilous journey to the underworld, Yomi-no-Kuni, the Land of the Dead.

The Journey to Yomi

Yomi was a realm of eternal darkness, where time stood still and souls wandered in endless twilight. Once a soul entered, it could never return to the world of the living. Yet, Izanagi, driven by love and despair, ventured into its depths in search of Izanami.

Finally, he found her. However, she was veiled in shadows, her voice sorrowful.

“My beloved, I cannot bear to live without you. Come back with me, and let us live again in the land of light,” Izanagi pleaded.

But Izanami hesitated.

“I have already eaten the food of Yomi… I cannot leave. However, I will seek permission from the gods of the underworld. But you must not look at me until I return.”

Izanagi agreed but, overcome with anxiety, he broke his promise. He lit a torch and gazed upon Izanami.

To his horror, she had decayed into a rotting corpse, her body crawling with maggots. Izanagi recoiled in terror.

Realizing his betrayal, Izanami flew into a rage.

“You have broken your vow! Now, I will remain in Yomi forever, and I will make sure that thousands die every day as punishment!”

Terrified, Izanagi fled. The enraged Izanami sent demons and spirits to pursue him, but as he neared the exit, he sealed the entrance with a massive boulder, forever separating the worlds of the living and the dead.

Thus, life and death became divided for eternity.

III. Purification, the Birth of the Sun Goddess, and a New Beginning

Izanagi’s Ritual of Purification

Returning from Yomi, Izanagi felt tainted by the touch of death. He sought to cleanse himself and performed a ritual purification in the Tachibana River. As he washed away the filth of the underworld, new deities were born:

From his right eye, Amaterasu, the radiant Sun Goddess, emerged.
From his left eye, Tsukuyomi, the tranquil Moon God, was born.
From his nose, Susanoo, the chaotic God of Storms, took form.

Izanagi assigned them their divine duties:

Amaterasu was given dominion over the heavens and light.
Tsukuyomi was entrusted with the night and the moon.
Susanoo, however, rejected his father’s command, vowing to reunite with his mother in Yomi.

The Final Separation of Izanagi and Izanami

Before leaving, Izanagi turned toward Yomi one last time and called out to Izanami:

“We can never be together again. You will rule over the dead, and I will govern the living. But if you must take a thousand souls each day, I will create fifteen hundred new lives to balance it!”

Thus, the cycle of life and death was established.