[5] However, in an alternative story, Tsukuyomi was born from a mirror made of white copper in Izanagi's right hand. The estranged husband of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi spends eternity chasing her across the sky. Amaterasu once sent Tsukuyomi to represent her at a feast presented by Ukemochi. Japanese mythology is a complex system of beliefs that also embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. As he washed his eyes and nose, three kami were born: Amaterasu from his left eye, Tsukuyomi from his right, and Susanoo from his nose. [6], The Betsugu Tsukiyomi-no-miya Sanctuary of Kotaijingu (Naiku) at Ise city, A shrine to Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto at Matsunoo-taisha in Kyoto, The descent to earth of Mahoraba, grandson of the Shinto moon god Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto (壱岐 一支国 月讀尊 まほらば大地降臨図? God of Creation Izanagi. Gregory Wright, “Tsukuyomi,” Mythopedia, accessed , https://mythopedia.com/japanese-mythology/gods/tsukuyomi/. Rutland: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1962. Shinto and Buddhist traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. Soaked in the impurities of Yomi, Izanagi sought to purify himself at a nearby hot spring. Chamberlain, Basil Hall, trans. Retrieved from https://mythopedia.com/japanese-mythology/gods/tsukuyomi/. Tsukuyomi married his sister Amaterasu, and ruled as her consort. However, some say it was Susanoo who killed Ukemochi. While his position in mythology is not entirely unique—the Egyptian Khonshu, Norse Mani, Hindu Chandra, and Chinese Jie Lin stand as his peers—Tsukuyomi’s prominence as the former consort-king of heaven is unmatched. Accessed on . https://mythopedia.com/japanese-mythology/gods/tsukuyomi/. Japanese folklore are heavily influenced by the two primary religions of Japan, Shinto and Buddhism. Accessed 30 July 2019, https://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/kj/index.htm. This is the reason that day and night are never together. Tsukuyomi was the second of the "three noble children" (三貴子, Mihashira-no-Uzu-no-Miko) born when Izanagi-no-Mikoto, the god who created the first land of Onogoroshima, was cleansing himself of his sins while bathing after escaping the underworld and the clutches of his enraged dead wife, Izanami-no-Mikoto. Though the moon is often regarded as beautiful and worthy of viewing, Tsukuyomi himself is seen as a negative figure in Shinto and Japanese folklore. Amaterasu, in full Amaterasu Ōmikami, (Japanese: “Great Divinity Illuminating Heaven”), the celestial sun goddess from whom the Japanese imperial family claims descent, and an important Shintō deity. Her given name however, is an aptronym as the character (小) means small and the character (萌) means moe.. “Tsukuyomi.” Mythopedia, https://mythopedia.com/japanese-mythology/gods/tsukuyomi/. The history of thousands of years of contact with China, Korea, Ainu, and Okinawan myths are also key influences in Japanese mythology. An alternate Kanji reading is tsukuyo, moon-light, and mi, watching. There is so little known about Tsukuyomi that even their sex is unknown. However, in Man'yōshū, where Tsukuyomi's name is sometimes rendered as Tsukuyomi Otoko (月讀壮士, "moon reading man").[4]. This separation of Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu was the origin of day and night. Tsukuyomi was utterly disgusted by the fact that, although it looked exquisite, the meal was made in a disgusting manner, and so he killed her. [3] An alternative interpretation is that his name is a combination of tsukiyo (月夜, "moonlit night") and mi (見, "looking, watching"). As a rare moon god in a world filled with moon goddesses, Tsukuyomi is relatively unique. Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto is the Japanese god of the moon, a proud deity of order and beauty. The goddess created the food by turning to the ocean and spitting out a fish, then facing a forest and spitting out game, and finally turning to a rice paddy and coughing up a bowl of rice. As an ever-growing archive, our mission is to catalog the world’s mythology on the web for all to enjoy. Appearance [edit | edit source]. Together, the siblings climbed the Heavenly Pillar and ruled the Heavens. Privacy Policy, https://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/kj/index.htm, https://mythopedia.com/japanese-mythology/gods/tsukuyomi/. This does not prevent him from having shrines, however, such as one at Matsunoo-taisha in Kyoto. Origins The story begins in a limitless, formless chaos of a dark, silent universe. Wright, Gregory. Wright, Gregory. Wright, Gregory. (Tsukuyomi is the name of the moon god in Japanese mythology.) So if you are using Tsukuyomi UPS it is recommended to use upset instead , if you are still using the UPS format. Tsukuyomi and his siblings Amaterasu and Susanoo were born of the purification ritual Izanagi underwent following his trials in Yomi. Tsukuyomi’s appearances in Japanese mythology are brief, but important. Kojiki. Tsukuyomi is very much a match for his wife Amaterasu. As the Moon god, Tsukuyomi is associated with the passing of time, and at times is cited to … Japanese folklore have their origins in two major religions of Japan, Buddhism and Shinto. Ono, Sokyo. Tsukuyomi. Though the show is named for Tsukuyomi, in actuality it has nothing to do with him. Beautiful and serene, he believes in order and etiquette and enforces them whenever he can. Shinto: The Kami Way. Japanese Creation Myth. These religious beliefs originated in India and came to Japan to China and Korea. ... Tsukuyomi, Ebisu, Raijin and more. He watched as Uke Mochi began to create the feast, but found her methods to be incredibly repulsive. Accessed . The name "Tsukuyomi" is a compound of the Old Japanese words tsuku (月, "moon, month", becoming modern Japanese tsuki) and yomi (読み, "reading, counting"). Mythopedia. Tsukuyomi married his sister Amaterasu, though it is unclear if he is the father of her children. “Tsukuyomi.” Mythopedia. The Shinto pantheon alone boasts an uncountable number of kami (deities or spirits). Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto (ツクヨミノミコト, 月読命), or simply Tsukuyomi (ツクヨミ, 月読) or Tsukiyomi (ツキヨミ), is the moon god in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. Translated by William Woodard. Tsukuyomi is portrayed by Shieri Ohata (大幡 しえり, Ohata Shieri). Tsukuyomi (月読) is the Japanese god of the moon and estranged husband of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Mythology. Tsukuyomi Komoe's surname reading is derived from the Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, an ancient moon god of Shinto in Japanese mythology. This name directly translates to “moon-reading,” a popular practice in the noble courts of pre-modern Japan where parties would stay up all night moon-gazing and reading poetry. His enforcement of such ideals extends to the point that he is willing to kill to maintain order, despite killing itself being a breach of etiquette in the heavenly court. Tsukuyomi was born when he washed out of Izanagi's right eye. byuu, the author of this program, has more recently put out an updated UPS patcher, upset , as a replacement for Tsukuyomi UPS. When word reached Amaterasu, she was horrified and labeled her husband an evil kami, unworthy of returning to the Heavens. (n.d.). According to some interpretations, Tsukuyomi may be the forefather of the Japanese Imperial Family; however, this is not a commonly held belief. [3] The Nihon Shoki mentions this name spelled as Tsukuyumi (月弓, "moon bow"), but this yumi is likely a variation in pronunciation of yomi. For other uses, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto&oldid=1000341300, Articles needing additional references from April 2012, All articles needing additional references, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Tsukuyomi (ツクヨミ, 月読), Tsukiyomi (ツキヨミ), 月読尊、月弓尊、月夜見尊、月讀尊, This page was last edited on 14 January 2021, at 18:39. Thus, there is irony in Tsukuyomi’s strict adherence to etiquette: to enforce it, he is willing to break it. As Kamen Rider Tsukuyomi, her suit actress is Natsumi Sano (佐野 夏未, Sano Natsumi). In Japanese mythology, Tsukuyomi is the god of the Moon, said to have been born when Izanagi, after escaping from the underworld, washed his face and cleaned his right eye. Japanese mythology dates back to more than two centuries and is an intricate system of beliefs that also incorporates the agricultural-based folk religion as well as traditional Buddhist and Shinto beliefs. Sometimes he is called Tsukuyomi Otoko (月讀壮士) or Tsukuhito Otoko (月人壮士), meaning “moon-reading man.”. According to some interpretations, Tsukuyomi may be the forefather of the Japanese Imperial Family; however, this is not a commonly held belief. Tsukuyomi’s appearances in Japanese mythology are brief, but important. Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto (ツクヨミノミコト, 月読命),[1] or simply Tsukuyomi (ツクヨミ, 月読) or Tsukiyomi (ツキヨミ),[2] is the moon god in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. Japanese Creation Myth Kotoamatsukami • Kamiyonanayo • Kuniumi • Kamiumi • Izanagi-no-Mikoto • Izanami-no-Mikoto • Kagutsuchi • Watatsumi: Takamagahara Mythology Amaterasu • Susano-o • Tsukuyomi • Ame-no-Uzume: Izumo Mythology Yamato no Orochi • … in East Asian Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. For all eternity, Tsukuyomi will continue to pursue Amaterasu across the night sky without ever reaching her; even during an eclipse, the sun will run from the moon. Etymology [edit | edit source]. Etymology. Learn more. Tsukuyomi angered Amaterasu when he killed Ukemochi, the goddess of food. [5], Soon, Amaterasu learned what happened and she was so angry that she refused to ever look at Tsukuyomi again, forever moving to another part of the sky. The creation myth comes from the Kojiki, or “Record of Ancient Matters,” the first book written in Japan (dating back to 712) and the Nihon Shoki (finished in 720).. Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Tsukuyomi was so horrified by her actions that he killed her then and there. Explore Japanese mythology and discover the gods and goddesses, cosmology, creatures and creation myths of ancient Shinto and Buddhist society. Onialso pronounced as Ki- (Japanese: 鬼 or おに, meaning "Hidden, Supernatural, Fierce, Wrathful") also known as Kijin (Japanese: 鬼人 Fierce Person, or 鬼神 Demonic Spirit) variously translates as (Ogre, Troll, Fiend, Demon, Daemon, Devil, Evil Spirit) are monstrous horned humanoids who are found in countless Japanese stories and myths. Uke Mochi, the goddess of food, held a great feast. The name "Tsukuyomi" is a compound of the Old Japanese words tsuku (月, "moon, month", becoming modern Japanese tsuki) and yomi (読み, "reading, counting"). Tsukuyomi, sometimes called Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto (the great God Tsukuyomi), is rendered as 月読尊, or simply 月読 in Kanji. A proud but violent deity, his killing of Uke Mochi and consequent separation from his wife were the origins of day and night. Tsukuyomi appears across popular culture in several forms, including: In Naruto, where Tsukuyomi is a powerful technique used by wielders of the Sharingan, as opposed to the Amaterasu technique; In Final Fantasy XIV, where Tsukuyomi curiously serves as a female primal boss battle; In Chou Super Robot Wars, where Tsukuyomi is both a deity and a mecha created by Tsukuyomi’s worshipers; As the title of an anime, Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase. Japanese Mythology: 5 Famous Japanese Legends 1. Explore. ), "Tsukuyomi" redirects here. Gregory Wright is a writer and historian with an M.A. Izanagi labeled these three gods among the most important of the kami, and decreed that they would rule the Heavens. Tsukuyomi married his sister Amaterasu, though it is unclear if he is the father of her children. 1919. Izanagi, having failed to returned his wife from Yomi, the Land of the Dead, placed a boulder at its entrance to prevent her escape. Though she was invited, Amaterasu was unable to attend and thus sent her consort, Tsukuyomi, in her stead. © 2019 Wasai LLC – All Rights Reserved. She spit fish, rice, and deer from her mouth before pulling food out of her other orifices. Tsukuyomi comes from the moon god Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto of the Shinto religion and Japanese myth. 萌 ) means moe, meaning “ moon-reading man. ” Natsumi ) kami ( deities or spirits ) eternity. しえり, Ohata Shieri ) Japan, Buddhism and Shinto her other orifices tsukuyomi is the Japanese god of purification. Ohata Shieri ) tsukuyomi UPS it is unclear if he is called tsukuyomi japanese mythology (... ” Mythopedia, accessed, https: //mythopedia.com/japanese-mythology/gods/tsukuyomi/ came to Japan to China and Korea and beauty, killing. Were born of the sun goddess Amaterasu nearby hot spring her consort was. Is rendered as 月読尊, or simply 月読 in Kanji 小 ) means small and the character ( 小 tsukuyomi japanese mythology. 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