The system of the origin of the world in Japanese cosmogony differs little from the ancient Greek or Scandinavian, but nevertheless has its own characteristic features. Five Koto Amatsukami are the creators of heaven and earth, the divine consorts Izanagi and Izanami are the progenitors of almost all Japanese islands and kami deities. To this day, the Japanese keep the stories of the divine appearance of their families.
Origin of Japanese gods
At the beginning of the beginnings of Japanese cosmogony, there were the high heavenly gods, or the five Koto Amatsukami. They created heaven and earth. Then Kamiyo Nanayo, or the Seven Generations of the Divine Age, descended to earth, two of which - brother and sister and divine consorts Izanagi and Izanami, created 8 great Japanese islands (except for Hokkaido and the Southern Kuriles).
Having given birth to the sun goddess Amaterasu, Izanagi retired to the Japanese analogue of hell, Yomi, from where she began to threaten her brother with the destruction of humanity. She promised to strangle all people, to which her brother responded by creating more and more new women in labor. When Izanami dealt with this threat, he retired into seclusion.
This pair of gods became the progenitor and creator of almost 7 million officially recorded deities in various sources - the kami of Japan.
Amaterasu, patroness of the sun, earth and agriculture and supreme goddess, later became the progenitor of the imperial family of Japan.
Kami system
The number of Japanese kami gods is endless. If the supreme kami have names and written history reflected in the sacred books of Shintoism, then the myriad kami of streams and rocks do not.
It was only in the 14th century that Japanese officials created a strict system of myths and a hierarchy of kami, in which each god was assigned its place, rank, and traditions of worship. It is clearly laid down on which days to worship which source and what to present to it. Mount Fujiyama also has its own kami. This system is reflected in the books "Kojiki", "Nihon Seki".
Almost every old Japanese family considers the origin of its origin from one or another god.
Even in the last century, the divine origin and the status of the ancestor god in the general system were of importance when appointing a Japanese to official positions.
The modern status of Japanese gods
Shinto is the main Japanese religion, and it is translated as the Way of the Gods. But we must understand that the days when every Japanese knew his origin from one or another kami are over. The imperial house, of course, will confirm that they come directly from Amaterasu, and many noble houses too, but direct genealogical ties have ceased to form a harmonious system.
The gods are not banished, but not here either. Of course, the old holidays - O-bon, the worship of cherry blossoms, awaken the Japanese interest in their kami, but it is short-lived and ends with the fall of the last rose petal.
