***preliminary knowledge***
Susanoo-no-mikoto (oftenly abbreviated to Susanoo)
Susanoo is one of the major gods of Shinto. When he was young, he was said to have used violence and was deported from the celestial abodes. Then he came down on the ground-----It was Izumo, where a monster Orochi had been tormented people.
Susanoo is venerated as the god of the sea and storms. A part of his name “susa”means being rough, running wild, to rage…etc. His behavior in Takamagahara (the celestial abodes) is said to indicate the tempest.
※pronunciation of Susanoo is [susano-o], not [susanu:].
Orochi (gigantic serpent)
Orochi, the monster is said to have 8 heads, 8 tails and bloody colored belly-----it signifies the streams with iron sand in Chugoku Range.
Mountains of Chugoku Range yield plenty of fine iron sand and iron manufacture had been a main industry in this district for a long time. Many brooks with reddish muddy water run down the mountains flow into some big rivers and reaches the Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan.
To conquer Orochi means to control the production of iron.
Also there is another interpretation-----As the currents were running down from steep mountains, they were often flooded by the rains. Some resume that the cruelty of Orochi symbolize the flood disasters and the story implies the liberation from the disasters.
※Although the title is “eight-forked serpent, in Kagura non-forked several (sometimes many) serpents appear on the stages.
***story***
The story is based on a Japanese myth.
There were aged parents and 8 noble daughters in Izumo. But Orochi, gigantic serpent came on the village to swallow one daughter each year and finally 8th daughter, Kushinada-hime (Princess Kushinada) was about to be sacrificed.
The parents and the daughter were grieved and reluctant to part. There Susanoo, who was just descended from the celestial abode, came along and asked why they were grieving.
Knowing Orochi's, brutality, Susanoo decided to conquer the monster serpents.
He told the parents to brew Sake, Japanese rice wine and let the daughter stand behind the pail.
In the meanwhile Orochi came out and drank a whole lot of sake which mirrored Kushinada-hime. Getting drunk Orochi raged about and fall asleep after a while.
Susanoo watched the moment and attack the serpents. Orochi desperately fought back, but Susanoo defeated them after a fierce battle. He obtained a sword from the inside of Orochi’s stomach.
The precious sword named “Ameno-murakumo-no-tsurugi”(The sword of cumulus in the sky) was offered to Amaterasu, the sister god of Susanoo, who lives in the celestial abodes.
After the conquest, tranquil days were brought back to the village of Izumo. Susanoo married Kushinada-hime and lived happy and peacefully there.
The parents and the daughter were grieved and reluctant to part. There Susanoo, who was just descended from the celestial abode, came along and asked why they were grieving.
Knowing Orochi’s, brutality, Susanoo decided to conquer the monster serpents.
He told the parents to brew Sake, Japanese rice wine and let the daughter stand behind the pail.
In the meanwhile Orochi came out and drank a whole lot of sake which mirrored Kushinada-hime. Getting drunk Orochi raged about and fall asleep after a while.
Susanoo watched the moment and attack the serpents. Orochi desperately fought back, but Susanoo defeated them after a fierce battle. He obtained a sword from the inside of Orochi’s stomach.
The precious sword named “Ameno-murakumo-no-tsurugi”(The sword of cumulus in the sky) was offered to Amaterasu, the sister god of Susanoo, who lives in the celestial abodes.
After the conquest, tranquil days were brought back to the village of Izumo. Susanoo married Kushinada-hime and lived happy and peacefully there.
