A Journey Through Izumo Mythology at Yaegaki Shrine and Suga Shrine
As mentioned in my article about Izumo’s local sake, alcohol appears again and again throughout Izumo mythology.
It is used to welcome the gods, and at times, to calm monsters. In the mythology of Izumo, sake plays an important role.
At the center of one of these stories is the god Susanoo.
As portrayed in the works of Shigeru Mizuki, the Yokai manga artist from Sakaiminato, Susanoo feels surprisingly human.
After losing his mother at birth, Susanoo cried every day, saying he wanted to see her again. He refused to obey his father Izanagi and showed little interest in ruling the land.
Wild, emotional, and somehow awkward, Susanoo eventually went to see his sister Amaterasu, hoping she would understand him.
But things went terribly wrong.
Susanoo caused chaos, and Amaterasu became so frightened that she hid herself inside a cave, plunging the world into darkness.
The other gods gathered before the cave, offering prayers, decorating sacred sakaki branches with magatama jewels, and dancing and singing together.
Curious about the sounds outside, Amaterasu finally emerged from the cave, and light returned to the world once again.
After parting from his sister, Susanoo descended to the land of Izumo, determined to rule the country.
The Hii River and Yamata-no-Orochi
Evening view of the Hii River in Izumo connected to the Yamata-no-Orochi mythology
As Susanoo walked along the Hii River in Izumo, he noticed chopsticks floating downstream.
Wondering where they had come from, he followed the river upstream and found an elderly couple weeping beside a beautiful young woman.
They told him about Yamata-no-Orochi, an eight-headed serpent monster that had devoured seven of their daughters.
Their last remaining daughter, Kushinadahime, was soon to be sacrificed as well.
Captivated by Kushinadahime, Susanoo declared:
“If I defeat Orochi, I want her to become my wife.”
Susanoo prepared strong sake and offered it to the serpent. Once Orochi became drunk, he cut down its eight heads one by one.
While cutting the serpent’s tail, his sword broke, revealing another sword hidden within.
That sword later became known as Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan.
The Land of Izumo and the Memory of Iron
Some believe that the story of Yamata-no-Orochi is also connected to the history of ironmaking in Izumo.
The Hii River basin was rich in iron sand, and later became famous for traditional tatara iron production.
The story of Susanoo and Kushinadahime may not simply be mythology, but also a reflection of the land, its industries, and its memory.
Yaegaki Shrine and Suga Shrine
One of the shrines dedicated to Susanoo and Kushinadahime is Yaegaki Shrine.
According to legend, Susanoo hid Kushinadahime behind “eight layers of fences” here in order to protect her from Yamata-no-Orochi.
Today, the shrine is known as a place for en-musubi — the tying of human connections and relationships.
It is especially famous for Kagami-no-Ike, the “Mirror Pond,” where visitors perform a fortune-telling ritual related to love and marriage.
Visitors performing love fortune telling at Kagami-no-Ike Pond in Yaegaki Shrine
Visitors place special paper on the surface of the pond with a coin on top. The way the paper sinks is said to reveal how and when one’s future relationship may appear.
There is something about Yaegaki Shrine that feels like the quiet moment before two people fall in love.
Meanwhile, the place where Susanoo and Kushinadahime are said to have begun their life together is Suga Shrine.
A famous poem, sometimes called the oldest waka poem in Japan, is believed to have been composed there:
Yakumo tatsu Izumo yaegaki Tsumagomi ni Yaegaki tsukuru Sono yaegaki wo
Suga Shrine lies deeper in the mountains than Yaegaki Shrine, carrying a quieter atmosphere that feels closer to everyday life after marriage.
For those wishing to experience the beginning of love, Yaegaki Shrine may feel fitting. For those praying for family, marriage, and the future, Suga Shrine may offer a gentler kind of comfort.
Perhaps visiting both shrines together is one way to experience the spirit of Izumo.
The Meoto Camellia of Yaegaki Shrine
In late March, camellia flowers quietly begin to bloom around Yaegaki Shrine.
Red camellia flowers blooming at Yaegaki Shrine in early spring
Among them is a rare tree known as the “Meoto Camellia,” or “Married Couple Camellia,” where two trunks have become joined together as one.
Meoto Camellia tree at Yaegaki Shrine symbolizing marriage and connection
In some years, heart-shaped leaves are said to appear among its branches.
Even today, the memory of bonds and connection seems to quietly remain in this place where the story of Susanoo and Kushinadahime lives on.
The writer Lafcadio Hearn, who lived in Matsue, was also deeply drawn to the myths and invisible spiritual atmosphere of Izumo.
Walking through the quiet forests of Yaegaki Shrine, it becomes a little easier to understand why.
If you enjoyed the quiet atmosphere of Izumo mythology…
