Meeting: #9 Subject: Susanoo Date: 7-29-97
Susanoo is the third child of the gods Izanagi and Izanami. He came into being when Izanagi bathed and blew his nose. Susanoo's role among the gods was as the Storm God, his name translating as 'Swift-Impetuous Deity' or 'the Impetuous Male.' He is depicted as heavily bearded -- the beard was shaved when he was banished from Ama-terasu's celestial country after insulting her and causing her much grievance.
Many stories are told about Susanoo in good or evil guise. Susanoo was being more evil before his banishment. He was constantly throwing tantrums, making life miserable on earth with his storms and tidal waves, and generally causing a lot of trouble. The most popular tale, also being one of his good deeds, tells how he killed the oroichi, an eight-headed serpent, in order to rescue a minor goddess, the Princess Kushinada.
During the time Susanoo was confined to Izumo, he had many children. One of his sons-in-law was a young god, Ou-kuni-nushi, 'the Great Land Master.' Ou-kuni-nushi secured one of Susanoo's daughters in marriage by abducting her. He tied Susanoo's hair to the beams of his house, and then the pair eloped, taking with them Susanoo's sword, his bow and arrows, and also his koto (a type of harp). But Susanoo was woken by the strings of his koto playing of their own accord as the couple fled. Susanoo was unable to chase immediately after them because of his hair tied to the beam of his house. After much tugging he tore the beam down and went after them, the beam trailing behind them. The Storm God went after the couple by following the sounds of his koto. When he caught up to the pair, he was evidently impressed by their cunning for not only did he permit the marriage, but he allowed them to keep the treasure they had stolen and, most important of all, he gave Ou-kuni-nushi the right to rule the province.
Another tale of the Impetuous Male shows a different aspect of him. He received kindness from a poor man and in return told him how to prevent his home from ever being ravaged by the Plague God. The method was simple: to hang a plaited straw rope across the entrance to his house. And that is how the custom of preventing the spreads of epidemics by hanging such ropes (they're called "shimenawa") along roads came into tradition.