Takemikazuchi (建御雷 or 武甕槌, "Brave-Awful-Possessing"[2] or "Thunder-God")[3] is a deity in Japanese mythology, considered a god of thunder[4] and sword god.[5] He also competed in what is considered the first sumo wrestling match recorded in mythology.
The hand-to-hand bout between the two deities (Takeminakata and Takemikazuchi) is considered the mythical origin of sumo wrestling.[10]
He is otherwise known as Kashima-no-kami, the chief deity revered of the Kashima Shrine at Kashima, Ibaraki (and all other subsidiary Kashima shrines).[4][6] In the namazu-e or catfish pictures of the Edo Period, Takemikazuchi/Kashima is depicted attempting to subdue the giant catfish supposedly dwelling at the kaname-ishi (要石 "pinning rock") of the Japanese land-mass and causing its earthquakes.[4][6]
In Japanese mythology, the Namazu (鯰) or Ōnamazu (大鯰) is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes.
He lives in the mud under the islands of Japan, and is guarded by the god Kashima who restrains the catfish with a stone. When Kashima lets his guard fall, Namazu thrashes about, causing violent earthquakes. [1]
Catfish are depicted on pictures of emergency earthquake preparedness activities in Japan.
For example, the Earthquake Early Warning (Japan) logo by the Japan Meteorological Agency utilizes pictures of the catfish on devices capable of issuing an early warning.
No comments:
Post a Comment