Japanese Mythology - Gods to Men Quiz

Answer: He gets it drunk on sake

As mentioned in my previous quiz ("Japanese Mythology - The Creation"), there is much variation between sources. While some say that Susano was banished to the Underworld by his sister Amaterasu (goddess of the Sun), others say that Susano was simply banished from heaven and lived for a while on Earth. It was shortly after his banishment that Susano encountered the elderly couple, who told him that they once had eight daughters. Seven had been devoured by the dragon, Yamata-no-Orochi, and this serpent was soon to return to claim their eighth and final daughter, Kushinada-hime. Susano agreed to help in return for Kushinada-hime's hand in marriage, which was granted. The elderly couple brewed a strong sake on the orders of Susano, and the group waited for the dragon to arrive and devour the sake (according to Japanese mythology, no serpent can resist sake!). Once the inebriated dragon had collapsed, Susano cut him to pieces with his sword, and the blood which flowed turned the water of the Hii River red.

This tale is similar in many ways to the story of Perseus and Andromeda in Greek mythology, though, granted, the idea of saving a damsel in distress from a monster is not unique to this story. Perhaps more uniquely similar is the story of how King Lludd of Britain filled a pit with mead in order to subdue the white dragon and the red dragon, whose war had caused much pain and suffering. Another time when alcohol came to the rescue in mythology is when the goddess of war and destruction in Egyptian mythology - Sekhmet - mistook beer for blood and became drunk, turning her into the more pacified deity, Hathor.

Answer: She locked herself in a burning hut

Honinigi doubted the fidelity of Konohana as she became instantly pregnant following the consummation of their marriage. An explanation is never offered. This tale is even more disturbing than suggested in the question, as the desperate Konohana waited until she was going into labour before she locked herself in the hut and set it alight.

She knew the children (she was giving birth to triplets!) belonged to Honinigi and so would be protected from the flames by the children's great grandmother, Amaterasu.

Indeed, Amaterasu saved the day and three healthy children (Honoakari, Honosusori, and Hikohoho) as well as their mother emerged from the hut unharmed.

Answer: Jimmu

Honinigi's wife Konohana (as mentioned in the previous question) in some sources was described as being the daughter of a mountain deity. Her third child, Hikohoho, fathered a son with the daughter of a sea deity. This son was said to have then have fathered Jimmu, who became Japan's first emperor around 660 BC, though the date (and even Jimmu's existence) is questioned by some historians.

Interestingly, the Nihongi and the Kojiki (which are the two major compilations of ancient Japanese mythology) were published during the reign of empress Gemmei (707-715) in order to secure the divine right of the emperors and empresses to rule.

Answer: He played dead

Yamato Takeru was pugnacious to say the least, and even killed his brother during a fight. His father (Emperor Keiko, the 12th emperor of Japan) disapproved (understandably) of his son's behaviour and sent him to the island of Kyushu. (As a side note, the quizzer inside me feels obligated to dredge up the tired old trivia fact that Keiko was also the name of the orca that played Free Willy). One story of Yamato Takeru tells of how he befriended chief Izumo-takeru, before inviting him to go for a swim. Whilst Izumo-takeru was in the water, Yamato Takeru swapped his sword for a wooden one before challenging him to a duel and hacking him to pieces.

The practice of cross-dressing is bemusingly common in mythology, and Yamato Takeru is in good company. In Norse mythology, Thor dressed as a woman and even married a giant in order to get his hammer back. The great Achilles of Greek mythology also dressed as a girl in order to avoid fighting in the Trojan War.

Answer: Yorimitsu

This particular myth (as told by Kenko Hoshi, a Japanese chronicler) tells of how Yorimitsu and his companion Tsuna were led into a haunted dwelling by a floating skull. They were attacked by an aged hag after she had seduced them in the form of a beautiful woman. Yorimitsu stabbed her and she retreated, and was later found in the form of a spider before being killed by the warriors.

In another story concerning Yorimitsu, it is he who is deceptive in appearance. He and his companions disguise themselves as priests in order to gain access to the home of Shuten-doji - a giant who had killed many men. After entering, the warriors doffed their cloaks and beheaded the giant.

Answer: He was only an inch tall

An aged couple had failed to produce a child and begged the gods to remedy this, even if their child was no more than a few inches tall. They were overcome with joy when Issun Bochi ("Little One Inch") arrived, and they devoted everything to making him as happy as he made them.

In his teenage years, Issun Bochi decided to set out and travel the world performing heroic deeds. It is said that he used a needle for his sword and a piece of straw as his scabbard. Equally adorably, Issun Bochi travelled the seas in a rice bowl, rowing using a pair of chopsticks.

A story tells of how Issun Bochi was appointed to guard a princess. He did an admirable job, defending her from two evil demons. As luck would have it, the demons left behind a magical hammer which granted one wish. Issun Bochi became normal-sized and married the princess.

Answer: The Minamoto clan

The Genpei War is an historical event and involved a bloody conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century. The legacy of the battles stayed with the people of Japan and many stories of Taira spirits circulated. One such tale was "Hoichi the Earless", which told of a blind biwa player who was called upon to perform "The Tale of the Heike" to a group of warriors and noblemen.

He did this over several nights and was eventually followed by a monk, who saw that Hoichi was not performing to an audience of dignitaries, but to a Taira clan graveyard.

In order to make Hoichi invisible to these possessing spirits, the monk covered him in kanji symbols. The monk, however, had failed to cover Hoichi's ears, which were seen by the visiting spirits and subsequently ripped from his head.

Answer: The Snow Maiden

Yuki-onna was known by a variety of names, though all of a similar theme - "Snow Maiden", "Snow Granny", and "Snow Hag". It is probable that she was used to explain missing persons who trekked through the treacherous snowy mountains of Japan. One story in Japanese mythology tells of a man and his friend who were staying in a cabin while hiking through the mountains.

The younger man woke to see a frightening but beautiful woman standing over his friend. She said she would let the young man live as long as he promised never to tell another soul about her.

When he woke, the woman was gone and his friend was dead. Many years later, it is said, the man married a woman and, seeing her face in the moonlight one night, was reminded of the Snow Maiden.

He told his wife about the maiden and was met with a fiery response. The woman he had married was Yuki-onna, and she told him that she would spare him once more for the sake of the children they had together, though she was never seen again.

Answer: As a white butterfly

Akiko was 18 when she died, and Takahama vowed never to marry and to remain faithful to his late fiancée. He kept his promise and did not marry, and visited Akiko's grave every day until his own death, laying down fresh flowers with each visit. Akiko in one account is said to have died of consumption, much like O-tei - another woman featured in a love story of Japanese mythology.

The name of the male lover of O-tei is not given in stories, but the tale is very similar to that of Takahama and Akiko. O-tei died shortly after her wedding, and told her husband she would return. O-tei's husband stayed faithful for many years, but was eventually convinced by his parents to remarry.

This story's end seems to have an ambiguous message, as the husband's new wife and child were stolen away, leaving him miserable.

But O-tei returned shortly after and the two rekindled their love.

Answer: Ivy

The great chestnut tree of Kurita was so vast that it blacked out much of the land around it and the locals wanted it gone. As such, men began to chop at the tree, but it refused to fall. The surrounding plants valued the tree as their king and so donated their live essence to preserve it.

This carries a clear moral message that cooperation is beneficial. However, the mighty chestnut tree refused the help of the ivy, viewing it as having nothing to offer. The ivy, however, told the local people of how they could chop down the tree (the tree-felling tips of the ivy were never divulged) and the tree came crashing down shortly afterwards.

This can be taken to represent the message that all parts of society have a function, and that cooperation should be universal and unselective.