Izanami

Izanami is a goddess in Japanese mythology, one of the primordial creators who, with her husband Izanagi, shaped the world. In the creation myths found in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, the pair stir the primeval sea with a jeweled spear, forming the eight islands of Japan and many kami who inhabit mountains, rivers, and seas. Their union also yields numerous deities, including Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo, who become central figures in Shinto.

Izanami’s death occurs during the birth of Kagutsuchi, the fire god. She dies from injuries sustained in the birth, and Izanagi travels to the underworld, Yomi, to fetch her back. There he encounters her decayed form; horrified, he flees, leaving Izanami behind. She curses that 1,000 people will die each day, to which Izanagi counters that 1,500 will be born each day. Izanami remains associated with the realm of the dead and the cycle of mortality, a key aspect of Shinto cosmology.

As a creator and death goddess, Izanami is revered as a fundamental figure in Japanese myth. She and Izanagi are often viewed as the primordial couple whose actions initiate the processes of creation and the perennial interplay between life and death. Her legacy continues in Shinto traditions as part of the broader narrative of Japan’s origins.