Orochi

Orochi (大蛇) or Yamata no Orochi (八岐大蛇) is a monster in Japanese mythology.

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Orochi is an eight-headed snake, and one of the most well-known monsters in Japanese myth, sometimes called Hachimata. It was slain by the god Susanoo after he was cast out of Heaven.

Related Topics:
Snake - Susanoo

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Stories told about Orochi all seem to agree that it was truly magnificent and terrible, and that it had multiple heads and a gigantic body that was said to stretch across eight hills and valleys. Some sources offer that the number eight may be indicative of simply an indiscriminate large number, and that Orochi might be much more massive than some may think. Some also believe that it may have possessed only seven heads and may have been smaller.

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The sinister Orochi is said to have dominated the Izumo province in Japan, and to have demanded virgin sacrifices. When Susanoo came upon this area, he met an old couple. They told him that their daughter was to be sacrificed to Orochi. Some versions of this story say that they had already sacrificed seven other girls to the creature. The daughter in question here was named Kushinada, and Susanoo told the couple that he would rescue her if he was allowed to marry her. The couple agreed at once.

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Susanoo turned Kushinada into a comb and put her in his hair. He then put out eight barrels of either pears or sake (depending on the version) which the dragon drank with relish, making it fall asleep, and Susanoo proceeded to cut off all of Orochi's heads. He found the sword, Ame-no-Murakumo (later named Kusanagi), in one of the serpent's many tails. In some versions, Kusanagi is called Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, 'The Grass-Cutting Sword', and this sword was given to Amaterasu, Susanoo's sister, the Sun Goddess, as a gift of reconciliation. She then gave it to her descendant on Earth, Ninigi-no-Mikoto; from that point on it is said that it has been kept as one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Yamato.

Related Topics:
Kusanagi - Amaterasu - Ninigi-no-Mikoto - Yamato

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