Susanoo is known in full as Susanoo no Mikoto. It can also be spelled Susanowo. He is the Japanese God of Storms. His father is Izanagi, a creation God. Susanoo was born of Izanagi’s nose. His sister is Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess and his brother is Tsukiyomi, God of the Moon. He also has a brother from Izanagi, Hiruko (Leech Child), later known as Ebisu.
Izanagi divided his creation in three and gave three of his kids dominion over it. Amaterasu got the sun, Tsukiyomi got the moon and Susanoo was given the waters. Susanoo was not happy with this and told Izanagi he wanted to join Izanagi’s wife, Izanami, in the land of the dead. This got Susanoo banished from the Heavens. On his way out he went to see his sister Amaterasu. He challenged her to see who could beget male children first. After chewing up an item of his sister’s, he begat five male Gods. He decreed himself the winner. Amaterasu disagreed. Susanoo didn’t care. He made a complete fool of himself and got himself thrown out of the Heavens.
When he arrived on Earth, Susanoo helped a couple and a young woman. The couple had eight daughters and seven of them had been eaten by an eight-headed, eight tailed monster known as Yamato no Orochi. He wanted to eat the eighth daughter. Susanoo promised to kill the monster and asked if he did this could he marry their last daughter. The couple agreed and Susanoo turned Kushinadahime into a comb, placed it/her in his hair, and slew the monster.
Susanoo made Kushinadahime a Goddess. Together they made Otoshi no Kami and Ukanamitama. Susanoo also bore Takiribime no Mikoto, Ichikikishimahime no Mikoto, Tagitsuhime no Mikoto, Suseribime no Mikoto, Isotakeru, Oyatsuhime no Mikoto and Tsumatsuhime no Mikoto. He made quite a few deities, didn’t he?
He was known as both a wild jerk and as a hero. It depends on which myths you read. He fits right in on Smite. He will definitely destroy things around him. When he gets mad, the Earth literally moves.
Did you enjoy the article? Which Goddess or God would you like to read next? Let me know in the comments below. Til next week…
