Prologue

In the beginning, as we are taught, there was nothing in the universe but emptiness. In this static there was not shape, nor was there motion. Because there was not force, nothing could be done. Then, force was born out of an explosion, hand in hand with shape. In this motion, darkness was banished to the edge of existence. Still yet, existence was no more than an egg-like thing which was only full of a churning substance.
To oversee this egg of life, three deities were born; Ame no Minakanushi, Takami Musubi, and Kami Musubi. However, unable to sustain their forms they too settled at the edge of existence, disappearing into obscurity.
Churning and churning, inside of the egg shape began to take hold and like a reed shoot, an object sprouted out of the egg and into the heavens. Born of this reed more Kami rose into existence. Even so they too hid their persons in the heavens ever falling into obscurity.
And so life continued to take shape and more Kami were born and hid, by the end seven generations of Kami were born and disappeared each of which aiding in the construction of the earth, the universe, and the heavens each lending their talents to one aspect or another. It was out of the seventh generation, two Kami were born and managed to sustain their form. Their names would be recorded as Izanagi, and Izanami.
Brother and sister, yet fated to wed the deities would later become the mother and father of all things - and the ancestors of the Emperor. Izanagi was a fine youth in these days, who wore shaggy strands of hair on his head. Likewise, Izanami was a fine young woman who shared similar features to her brother. Both of them grew and aged until one day in which they would be commanded by the gods who could only speak from above to finish giving shape and form to earth. Granted a mighty jeweled spear, they took it and stood from the floating bridge of heaven to stare down into the surging seas and unstable life of earth.
It was with a mighty thrust of the spear the mists seemed to part and the sea rose. They stirred the brine from the pit of the waters and lifted it to the surface and like this they created the first mass of land on earth. This island would later be known as Onogoro, a place where they chose to descend from the heavens and see to the construction of a heavenly pillar which would, like the reed like sprout before it would pierce the barrier between heaven and earth.
It was when this pillar was complete, Izanagi could not help but address Izanami! "We should create children!" he exclaimed, and told Izanami to run about the left side of the pillar. When they met on the other side, Izanami was the first to speak.
"Ah!" she exclaimed excitedly. "What a fair and loveable youth!"
"Ah!" came Izanagi's response. "What a fair and loveable maiden!" Even despite these words Izanagi had grown to be a proper young man with stern morals. "But it is not good that the maiden speaks first." he warned Izanami.
Even so they were united and together had a child whom they would name Hiruko, the leech child. He was not a pure child however who, ate the age of three, still could not stand. Ashamed, they took this child and placed him in a reed boat and sent him to the unforgiving sea. However again after three years they repeated the ritual and gave birth to Aha, but it too was not right and they abandoned it as well.
Unable to fathom what they were doing wrong they looked to the higher Kami in Heaven for guidance. It was then said that the children they were having were not right because Izanami was the one to speak first. They returned to earth and rounded the heavenly pillar, this time Izanagi spoke first. Over the years they gave birth to various children and various islands, including the Land of Yamato. It was when they finished birthing the islands and masses of the world, they decided then they would birth deities to govern these fine lands.
One after another they gave birth until the child Kagatsuchi came into existence. He was a brilliant child who was of fire, but.. Without his knowing, he killed Izanami during birth be scorching her inside out with his flames. It was after Kagatsuchi's birth, Heaven and Earth alike trembled fearfully at Izanagi's rage. Izanagi drew is blade, and slayed Kagatsuchi. Out of his flesh, however, many more Kami were born.

Izanagi, determined, decided to travel to the underworld to bring back his beloved from death. He traveled to the land of Yomi, but it was there Izanami was waiting for him. She stood within the darkness of the cave her features hidden, as if cloaked by the very shadows of hell itself.
"My beloved!" he greeted her excitedly, oblivious to the aura about her presence. "Return with me to the heavens, and then we can continue birthing deities and creating these lands! Mountains have not yet been built and the depths of the seas are without life!"
"Alas, I cannot," she said this woefully, shame quaking her voice. "For you see, I have already eaten the fruit of Yomi and cannot leave. However, give me time and I will try to convince the Kami of Yomi!" hope seemed to shine through her voice from the bottom of her heart. This cheerful tone did not last though, for as she began to leave she begged Izanagi not to look at her.
As she toiled away conversing with the lords of Yomi, Izanagi had waited. Patience was not his virtue however, and curiosity got the best of him. He lit a torch, and began searching the depths of Yomi. He found maggots swarming the floor and the air to be putrid. His nose was filled with the stomach wrenching odor of death and decay. It took every ounce of his being to deep from vomiting between the squishing of maggots under his feet and the thick aroma. After searching the depths, he found his beloved on the floor, rotting. Flesh and bone were exposed, and various negative deities had taken up residence within her body.
Although she was rotting, her face was still very animated. Grotesquely, she scowled at Izanagi. Cracking and snapping her body slowly rose from the floor maggots falling from her flesh. A body which should not be able to move continuously became distorted and sickeningly popped with each movement as she approached her brother. Black liquid fell from what should have been eyes as she spoke.
"Even though I begged you not to look at me, you have put me to shame!" she wept.
Terrified and sickened, Izanagi fled from the hellish Yomi and back to the mouth of the cave. Izanami and her horde of hell spawn quickly gave chase before Izanagi pushed a boulder before the mouth, preventing them from leaving. Later it would be found that this boulder could not be lifted by even a hundred of the strongest men. Even so, it rattled and shuddered as the lords of Yomi crashed against it sending thunder into the land.
"As you have brought me shame, Izanagi, day after day I will kill one thousand of your people!" it was with this that putrid odor seeped out from the cracks between the boulder and the cave filling the land's air with illness and germs.
"If you do like this, Izanami, then I will each day make one thousand, five hundred people each day!" roared Izanagi louder than even the thundering stone.
It was with these words the siblings went their separate ways.

Furiously, Izanagi left the earth all together and ascended again up the pillar to the heavens where he would purify himself. He disrobed himself and set his clothes to burn. With each movement and action gods rose from the ashes of his clothes and from each step taken. As if they were even born from his shadows they followed him in a flowing order as he entered the bath. He washed and scrubbed away the impurities. From these impurities, three children in particular were born.
"Oh, the heavens have blessed me with three illustrious children!" although he had just lost Izanami he was overjoyed to see these beautiful children.

The first born was Amaterasu, who was charged with the duty of ruling over Heaven and shining her radiance down unto the earth. She was the Kami of the sun and would give unto the planet light to live erasing the night. Amaterasu was a beautiful woman who would later look much like her mother before she passed. It was not within her eyes, but instead from within the depths of her soul that the sun would come, warming her aura.
The second born was Tsukiyomi, and he was charged with the dominion of the night. He too would rise to heaven with Amaterasu to mirror her. He was he Kami of the moon, and with the silver rays of luna give life unto the sea and purify the night's creatures. He was the mirror of his sister, but somewhere within his aura he was cold and just as mischievous as the monsters he banished. He, unlike Amaterasu, wore eyes of such an icy blue they looked nigh white.
The third born was Susano, who was charged with the task of controlling the very seas and ocean of earth. He was, as his dominion implied, the Kami of the sea. He was not as pretty as Tsukiyomi or Amaterasu but he possessed a masculine attractiveness right down to his eight grasp beard. His eyes, again unlike Amaterasu's, were a stormy grey like the clouds which would later overlook the waters of the land.

With these children born and rising to Takama no Hara, the heavens settle again and become pure. Even so, the weeping of Susano causes the sky of the heavenly realm to rain and soak the soil. Why dost the sea weep?