A series of articles in which a current high school teacher explains "Kojiki," Japan's oldest historical record that compiles myths, legends, and history, in an easy-to-understand manner. In the third article, we presented the stories of Amaterasu's hiding in the Heavenly Rock Cave and Susanoo's slaying of the Yamata no Orochi, two of the three noble children born to Izanagi.
This time, our protagonist is Okuninushi, a descendant of Susanoo. We'll be sharing the story of how Okuninushi helped the white rabbit of Inaba and subsequently came to rule over the land of Izumo. We hope you enjoy it.
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Okuninushi and the White Rabbit of Inaba
1. The Kind-hearted Okuninushi
Okuninushi, a kind-hearted god, was the sixth-generation descendant of Susanoo.
He had eighty half-brothers (called the Yasogami) who constantly bullied and mistreated him due to his quiet personality.
At that time, in the neighboring land of Inaba (present-day Tottori Prefecture), there was a beautiful goddess named Yagamihime. All eighty brothers wanted to marry her and decided to propose to her together. Okuninushi was made to accompany them as their baggage carrier.
On the way, Okuninushi encountered a rabbit whose skin had been stripped off and was crying in pain.
"Rabbit, are you alright? Why are you injured like this?"
"Well... I used to live on Oki Island across the sea, but I had always wanted to visit the Keta coast in Inaba. However, I can't swim across the sea..."
The rabbit began to explain. The story went as follows:
To cross the sea, the rabbit devised a plan to use the sharks swimming nearby. It called out to a shark:
"Hey, shark! Let's have a contest to see whether there are more rabbits or sharks. I'll count the sharks, so line up in a row to the shore of Inaba. I'll hop on your backs and count you."
Thus, the rabbit hopped from one shark's back to another, crossing the sea.
However, just as it was about to reach Inaba, the rabbit became careless and blurted out:
"Foolish sharks, I don't care about the numbers at all. I just wanted to cross over to Inaba!"
Hearing this, the sharks became furious and bit the rabbit. This is how the rabbit ended up with its skin torn off.
2. Helping the Rabbit and Receiving a Prophecy
After listening to the rabbit's story, Okuninushi asked:
"So, what happened after that?"
"Well, as I was crying here, the Yasogami passed by and said, 'If you bathe in seawater and let the mountain wind blow on you, you'll be healed.' So I did as they said, but now my whole body feels like it's being stabbed by needles."
"Oh, you poor thing. You shouldn't put seawater on open wounds. First, wash them thoroughly with fresh water. Then, apply plenty of the yellow powder from cattail flowers and lie down on the flowers. You'll feel better soon."
The rabbit did as instructed, and miraculously, its wounds began to heal, and its body returned to its healthy state.
Its fur grew back as well, and it became a beautiful white rabbit once again.
"What a wonderful god you are. You are truly worthy of ruling this land. Yagamihime, whom you are about to meet, will surely choose you as her husband. I guarantee it."
The rabbit left those words behind and left.
And the white rabbit's prophecy came true perfectly. Yagamihime chose Okuninushi, who had been acting as a baggage carrier, to be her husband, and the two got married.
Key Points of the White Rabbit of Inaba Story
This story is believed to symbolize Okuninushi's high level of medical skill. While the Yasogami can be seen as being cruel to the rabbit, in Japan at that time, each region had its own unique medical practices. This story may have led to the worship of Okuninushi as someone who could cure injuries and illnesses that the Yasogami could not. In ancient Japan, medical treatment was considered a magical power, indicating the development of an advanced civilization.
Additionally, there is a belief in Japan called "marebito faith."
A "marebito" is a god that suddenly appears before someone. It was believed that by treating this god with great hospitality, one could receive significant blessings. In this story, the white rabbit was precisely such a "marebito" for Okuninushi, bringing him great benefits.
In Japan, there is also a saying "ichi-go ichi-e" (one time, one meeting). It teaches us to cherish our encounters with people and to treat those before us with care, as if it might be the last time we see them. This concept may also be connected to the idea of "marebito faith."
Places associated with the "White Rabbit of Inaba" legend
Hakuto Coast (Hakuto Kaigan)
This is the place where Okuninushi is said to have encountered the White Rabbit of Inaba. A rock formation resembling a shark's back still remains. The Oki Islands can be seen in the distance.
Hakuto Shrine (Hakuto Jinja) and Mitarashi Pond (Mitarashi Ike)
This shrine is dedicated to the White Rabbit of Inaba. It is believed to be effective for skin diseases and burns. The "Mitarashi Pond," where the white rabbit is said to have washed its wounds and received treatment, maintains a constant water level regardless of the season, and is therefore also called the "Pond of Neither Decrease nor Increase."
Trial from Yasogami and Susanoo
1. The Revenge of Yasogami
Yagamihime and Okuninushi happily became husband and wife.
However, the harassment from the Yasogami, who were jealous of Okuninushi, continued to escalate.
"Hey, Okuninushi. There's a red boar living in this mountain, so let's catch it. We'll chase it, and you catch it," they ordered.
Then, they heated a large stone with fire and rolled it down from the top of the mountain.
Mistaking this for a boar and trying to catch it, Okuninushi was burned black and died.
When Okuninushi's mother heard this news, she asked the gods in the heavenly realm to bring him back to life.
Hearing the rumor that Okuninushi had come back to life, the Yasogami planned another act of harassment.
This time, they set a trap by splitting a large tree in half and trapping Okuninushi in the crack, which resulted in his death.
Once again, Okuninushi's mother asked the god of heaven to bring him back to life.
2. Fleeing from Yasogami and going to the Land of the Dead (Yomi no kuni)
"Okuninushi, if you return to the Central Land of Reed Plains (Ashihara no Nakatsukuni), you will be killed again by the Yasogami. Escape from here. Your ancestor Susanoo is currently living in the Land of the Dead.(Yomi no kuni) Go and visit him there."
Following his mother's advice, Okuninushi set off for the Land of the Dead.
When he reached Susanoo's palace in the Land of the Dead, he found Susanoo living there with a beautiful woman named Suserihime, who was Susanoo's descendant.
Susanoo guided Okuninushi to a room, saying, "Sleep in this room tonight."
At that moment, Suserihime came and secretly handed him a white cloth.
"Snakes live in this room. If snakes appear during the night, wave this cloth."
That night, Okuninushi woke up realizing that snakes had appeared all over the room. When he waved the white cloth given by Suserihime, the snakes disappeared.
The next day, Susanoo guided Okuninushi to a different room, saying, "Sleep in this room this time."
Suserihime came and this time gave him a blue cloth.
"Centipedes and wasps will appear in this room. If anything happens, wave this cloth."
That night, as he fell asleep, centipedes and wasps attacked him. This time, when he waved the blue cloth, both the centipedes and wasps disappeared.
These trials from Susanoo continued for a while. Each time, Okuninushi managed to overcome them, with the help of Suserihime.
3. Surrounded by fire and in a desperate situation! The one who came to help was...
One day, Susanoo shot an arrow towards a field and ordered Okuninushi to go fetch it. As Okuninushi entered the field and searched for the arrow, he suddenly found himself surrounded by flames, unable to move. Susanoo had set fire around Okuninushi.
Then, a mouse appeared and said, "There's a hole under this ground. The entrance is narrow, but you'll be fine. Quick, get inside!"
When Okuninushi stomped hard on the ground, he was able to burrow in. Moreover, the mouse even found the arrow that Susanoo had shot and handed it to him.
"Thank you, Mr. Mouse," Okuninushi said gratefully.
When he returned to Susanoo, the god said, "Not bad at all. Now, pick the lice from my head," and lay down on the floor.
As Okuninushi parted Susanoo's hair, he found not lice, but a massive number of centipedes.
Seeing Okuninushi's surprise, Suserihime handed him some nuts and red clay, saying, "Use these. Chew the nuts, then put the red clay in your mouth and spit it out. Try it."
Following her instructions, Okuninushi did as he was told. Susanoo, completely satisfied, said, "Not bad at all. You're crushing those centipedes well," and fell asleep, snoring loudly.
4. Escaping from the Land of the Dead with a Wife and Treasures
Okuninushi decided to flee immediately from this place with Suserihime.
He tied Susanoo's hair firmly to a thick pillar in the great hall, then carried Suserihime on his back and escaped with Susanoo's sword and bow and arrows, as well as the koto said to resound with heavenly proclamations.
However, along the way, Suserihime dropped the koto, and its sound resonated with such force that it reached the heavens, waking Susanoo.
"How dare you!" Susanoo untied his hair from the pillar and chased after them, rushing down Yomotsu Hirasaka (the slope to the Land of the Dead).
But Susanoo stopped pursuing midway and gazed out at the land of the living far ahead. There, he could see Okuninushi, carrying Suserihime on his back, looking as small as a bean as they fled.
Susanoo shouted loudly towards Okuninushi:
"Okuninushi! Use that sword and bow and arrows you took to drive away the Yasogami. Then, rule over the land of Izumo. Finally, using pillars thick enough to reach the Land of the Dead, build a roof so high it reaches the heavens, and construct a great shrine in Izumo. Live happily with Suserihime forever. Be even happier than I was."
Okuninushi and Suserihime escaped from the Land of the Dead, unexpectedly receiving Susanoo's encouragement.
Upon returning to the land of the living, they drove away the Yasogami, ruled over the land of Izumo, and lived happily ever after.
Key points for understanding the story of the trials from the Yasogami and Susanoo
In this chapter, where Okuninushi becomes the protagonist, the story begins to move significantly.
During the story, there were scenes where Okuninushi was killed twice and resurrected twice. This is considered to represent a kind of rite of passage (initiation). In other words, it depicts the process by which rulers are sometimes given great trials and grow by overcoming them. In fact, Susanoo acknowledges Okuninushi, who overcomes the trials with the help of Suserihime, and passes on the leadership to him, saying, "You should be able to rule the country."
Also, in this story, we can sense the emotional growth of Susanoo, who was once an uncontrollable troublemaker. Susanoo, who was once a hot-blooded hero who defeated Yamata no Orochi with overwhelming power, ends up having his prized weapon and daughter stolen simultaneously, and spends the rest of his life quietly in the underworld.
The scene where he tells Okuninushi to become happier than him can be seen as expressing the decisiveness and boldness of believing in the dawn of a new era and entrusting hope to the next generation.
This time, the story was about Okuninushi, a descendant of Susanoo. The tale of the white rabbit of Inaba allows us to understand the concept of the marebito faith, as well as observe Okuninushi's growth as he overcomes trials. Next time will be the final part of the series. Amaterasu's messengers from Takamagahara will come to the land of Izumo built by Okuninushi. We will deliver in detail about the "Descent of Amaterasu 's grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto"(Tenson korin), which can be said to be the climax of the Kojiki. Please enjoy the final episode as well.
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< References>
- Mythology of Japan (1) Publication of Ayako Nishino Hikuma
- Mythology of Japan (2) Publishing of Yamata no Orochi Nishino Ayako Hikuma
- Japan Mythology (3) Publishing of Inaba's White Rabbit Ayako Nishino Hikuma
- Mythology of Japan (4) Publication of Ayako Nishino Hikuma
- Mythology of Japan (7) Konohana Sakuyahime Nishino Ayako Hikuma Publishing
- Japan Mythology (10) Yamato Takeru Nishino Ayako Hikuma Publishing
- Illustrated The Easiest Book of Kojiki Yuji Sawabe Saizusha
- Kojiki that you can understand interestingly well Kamiyu History Editorial Department Seitosha
- Japan Mythology Ryoichi Yoda Kodansha Blue Bird Bunko
- Japan Mythology Miyoko Matsutani Nora Bookstore
- The God of Japan Picture Encyclopedia 2 The God in Mizuka Minerva Shobo
- The God of Japan Picture Book 3 The God Who Protects Life Minerva Shobo
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