What do Izanagi and Susanoo have in common?

They share no domain in this atlas: Izanagi holds creation, life, sky, while Susanoo holds storms, sea, chaos, heroism.

Which traditions do they belong to?

Both belong to the Japanese Pantheon.

Side by side

Izanagi vs Susanoo

Izanagi and Susanoo are recorded in a parent-and-child line within the Japanese Pantheon.

At a glance

Japanese Pantheon

tradition

Japanese Pantheon

creation, life, sky

domains

storms, sea, chaos, heroism

spear, jeweled spear

symbols

sword, storm, dragon

Izanagi-no-Mikoto

also called

Susanoo-no-Mikoto

Where they meet

The atlas records no shared domain or symbol between them. What connects them is elsewhere: Izanagi and Susanoo are recorded in a parent-and-child line within the Japanese Pantheon.

Where they part

Izanagi alone

creation, life, sky

Susanoo alone

storms, sea, chaos, heroism

How each was worshipped

Izanagi

Cult sites: Izanagi Jingu on Awaji, tied to the island-birth cycle, Shrines that keep the Izanagi-ryu of ritual purification in western Japan.

Festivals: Shinto harae and misogi, New-year purification.

After leaving Yomi he washed in the sea, and the sun, moon, and storm were born from that washing. Shrine Shinto still treats misogi and harae as the working form of that story. He is invoked as a kami of beginnings and of making things clean, not as a distant creator who left.

Susanoo

Cult sites: Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, Hiromine and other Gion-line shrines, Izumo as the wild brother of the sun.

Festivals: Gion Matsuri, Susanoo festivals at Yasaka.

Storm, sword, and the eight-headed serpent. Gion's month-long parade is plague-exorcism dressed as spectacle. He is worshipped as a settler of chaos, not as a polite rice god.

Izanagi

Japanese Pantheon

Male primordial deity who, with Izanami, created the Japanese islands and many kami. After Izanami's death, he performed the first purification ritual.

Izanagi and Izanami were commanded to solidify and create land. Standing on the Floating Bridge of Heaven, Izanagi thrust his spear into the chaos. Drops fell and formed the first island.

Izanagi-no-Mikoto, with Izanami, is commanded to make land. Standing on the Floating Bridge of Heaven, he dips the jeweled spear **Ame-no-Nuboko** into the brine. The drops that fall harden into Onogoro, the first island. The pair then circumambulate a pillar, give birth to the islands of Japan and to many kami, and set the pattern of male and female speech that later texts still argue about.

Read the full Izanagi entry

Susanoo

Japanese Pantheon

God of storms, sea, and chaos. Brother of Amaterasu. Initially wild but later heroic. Famous for slaying the eight-headed dragon Yamata no Orochi.

Born from Izanagi's nose during purification. Exiled from heaven for his violence, he descended to Earth where he became a hero, slaying the dragon Yamata no Orochi.

**Susanoo-no-Mikoto** embodies the raw, untamed power of storms and the sea. Born from Izanagi's nose during his purification ritual, Susanoo was assigned to rule the ocean realm. However, his nature was wild and tempestuous, and his refusal to accept his duties set in motion one of Shinto mythology's most dramatic sagas.

Read the full Susanoo entry

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How each was worshipped

Izanagi

Cult sites: Izanagi Jingu on Awaji, tied to the island-birth cycle, Shrines that keep the Izanagi-ryu of ritual purification in western Japan.

Festivals: Shinto harae and misogi, New-year purification.

Susanoo

Cult sites: Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, Hiromine and other Gion-line shrines, Izumo as the wild brother of the sun.

Festivals: Gion Matsuri, Susanoo festivals at Yasaka.

Storm, sword, and the eight-headed serpent. Gion's month-long parade is plague-exorcism dressed as spectacle. He is worshipped as a settler of chaos, not as a polite rice god.