Yamata no Orochi (八岐大蛇) is a legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed serpent in Japanese mythology. It is one of the most famous creatures in Japanese folklore, featured in various myths, particularly in the Kojiki ("Records of Ancient Matters") and the Nihon Shoki ("Chronicles of Japan"), two of the oldest historical texts in Japan.
Mythological Background[]
Yamata no Orochi is described as an enormous serpent with eight heads and eight tails, and its body is so vast that it covers eight valleys and eight hills. Its eyes are said to be as red as cherry blossoms, and it is often depicted as having a fearsome, dragon-like appearance. The serpent's body is also described as being covered with moss and cypress trees, and its belly is red and inflamed with blood.
The Legend of Susanoo and Yamata no Orochi[]
The most famous story involving Yamata no Orochi is its defeat by the storm god Susanoo-no-Mikoto. According to the legend, Susanoo was banished from the heavens due to his mischief and descended to the land of Izumo (in present-day Shimane Prefecture). There, he encountered an elderly couple, Ashinazuchi and Tenazuchi, who were in deep mourning. They told Susanoo that Yamata no Orochi had devoured seven of their eight daughters and that the serpent was coming for their last remaining daughter, Kushinada-hime.
Moved by their plight, Susanoo devised a plan to defeat the serpent. He transformed Kushinada-hime into a comb and hid her in his hair. He then instructed the elderly couple to prepare eight vats of strong sake (rice wine) and place them at each of the serpent's eight heads. Yamata no Orochi, lured by the smell of the sake, drank deeply from the vats and became intoxicated.
While the serpent was drunk and incapacitated, Susanoo used his powerful sword, the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, to slay Yamata no Orochi. As he cut the serpent into pieces, he discovered a sword inside one of its tails. This sword, known as the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (also called Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi), would later become one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan, alongside the Yata no Kagami (sacred mirror) and the Yasakani no Magatama (sacred jewel).
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