Japan and the Japanese

SUWA'S MATSURI. 27.
on the seventh, eighth, and ninth days of the ninth month.* On
the eighth the god is diverted in his temple, at the expense of rich
and devout people, with a musical concert, performed by boys beating
upon drums and bells the very same music made use of to
appease the supreme kami Tensio Dai Sift, when, out of disdain
and anger, she hid herself in a cavern, and thereby deprived the
world of light and sunshine.!
* The Japanese year begins at the new moon nearest to the fifth of Feb-
ruary (the middle point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox).
For an account of the Japanese calendar, see p. 35.
t According to Klaproth's statement of Japanese legend, in his Histoire
Myltioloi/ii/ue, introductory to Titsingh's Jl/niuls of the Dairi, the first
three of the celestial gods were solitary males. The next three had female
companions, yet produced their successors by the force of mutual contem-
plation only. The seventh pair found out the ordinary method of gener-
ation, of which the first result was the successive production of eight
islands, those of Japan (the number eight being selected simply because it
is esteemed the most perfect), after which they gave birth also to mountains,
rivers, plants, and trees. To provide a ruler and governor for these creations,
they next produced Tensio dai sin, or, in Japanese (for Tensio dai
sin is Chinese), Ama terasu-no-kami (Celesti.il Spirit of Sunlight); but,
thinking her too beautiful for the earth, they placed her in the heavens, as they
did, likewise, their second born, a daughter, also, Tsouki-no-kami, goddess
of the moon. Their third child, Ybis san-ro, was made god of the sea ; their
fourth child, Sosan-no-ono, also a son, god of the winds and tempest. He
was agreeable enough when in good humor, and at times had his eyes filled
with tears, but was liable to such sudden outbreaks and caprices of temper
as to render him quite unreliable. It was concluded to send him away to
the regions of the north ; but before going he got leave to pay a visit to his
sisters, in heaven. At first he had a good understanding with them, but
soon committed so many outrages, in the spring spoiling the flower borders,
and in the autumn riding through the ripe corn on a wild horse, that in
disgust Tensio dai sin hid herself in a cavern, at the mouth of which she
placed a great stone. Darkness forthwith settled over the heavens. The
eight hundred thousand gods, in great alarm, assembled in council, when,
among other expedients, one of their number, who was a famous dancer,
was set to dance to music at the mouth of the cavern. Tensio dai sin, out
of curiosity, moved the stone a little, to get a look at what was going on,
when immediately Ta tsikara o-no kami (god of the strong hand) caught
hold of it, rolled it away, and dragged her out, while two others stretched
ropes across the mouth so that she could not get in again. Finally the
matter was compromised by clipping the claws and hair of Sosan-no-ono,
after which he was sent off to the north, though not till he had killed a