The creator god
Izanagi 伊弉諾尊
Also known as: Izanagi-no-Mikoto
Element: Earth (土)
The myth
Izanagi and his wife Izanami stirred the ocean with a jeweled spear and created the islands of Japan, then gave birth to many gods.
When Izanami died after giving birth to the fire god, Izanagi followed her to Yomi, the land of the dead. He broke his promise not to look at her, saw her decaying body and fled, sealing the passage with a boulder.
He then purified himself in a river. From that cleansing came Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo.
What people pray to Izanagi for
- Warding off misfortune
- Good fortune
- Children and safe childbirth
Why: His purification after returning from the underworld, which gave birth to great gods, is why he is prayed to for cleansing and warding off misfortune.
Where to meet Izanagi
The element shown is the one used by Kamimap's fun guardian-kami quiz, based on traditional five-element associations. It is not a religious teaching.