or in the '' Nihon Shoki'', also called or in the '' Kojiki'', refers to a netherworld in Japanese mythology. It is sometimes considered to be identical to

Yomi is the Japanese word for the land of the dead (World of Darkness). According to Shinto mythology as related in '' Kojiki'', this is where the dead go in the afterlife. Once one has eaten at the hearth of Yomi it is (mostly) impossible to retur ...

, another netherworld in the myths as well as . There is no clear consensus on the relationship between these three realms. The god Susanoo is described as the ruler of Ne-no-kuni. There are differing accounts on how he assumed this position: According to the ''Kojiki'' when Izanagi tasked his children with the rule over the various realms: Amaterasu got the "Plain of the High Heaven" (''

Takamagahara In Japanese mythology, Takamagahara (高天原, "Plain of High Heaven" or "High Plain of Heaven", also read as Takaamanohara, Takamanohara, Takaamagahara, or Takaamahara), is the abode of the heavenly gods ('' amatsukami''). Often depicted as locat ...

''),

Tsukuyomi , or simply or , is the moon god in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. The name "Tsukuyomi" is a compound of the Old Japanese words and . The '' Nihon Shoki'' mentions this name spelled as , but this ''yumi'' is likely a variation i ...

got the "Dominion of the Night" (''Yoru-no-wosu-kuni''), and Susanoo got the . Susanoo ignored this command and kept crying over the loss of his dead mother

Izanami , formally known as , is the creator deity A creator deity or creator god (often called the Creator) is a deity responsible for the creation of the Earth, world, and universe in human religion and mythology. In monotheism, the single God ...

, such that his weeping lead to death and destruction. As Susanoo wished, Izanagi expelled him to be near his mother in Ne-no-kata-su-kuni. In the previous episodes about Izanami's death this land is called Yomi. The ''Nihon Shoki'' mentions ''Ne-no-kuni'' in passing when describing an episode where Susanoo was banished from Takama-ga-hara for various evil acts he committed, and went to a place called ''(Soko-tsu-)Ne-no-kuni''. According to the ''Kojiki'' when

Ōkuninushi Ōkuninushi ( historical orthography: ''Ohokuninushi''), also known as Ō(a)namuchi (''Oho(a)namuchi'') or Ō(a)namochi (''Oho(a)namochi'') among other variants, is a ''kami'' in Japanese mythology. He is one of the central deities in the cycle ...

visited Ne-no-kuni and insulted Susanoo he was submitted to overcome three ordeals, one being described to sleep in a house infested with snakes, centipedes and wasps. This is sometimes taken as another hint that Ne-no-kuni is a subterranean realm. One explanation of the myth contrasts the trials of Ōkuninushi to a symbolic death through rites of initiation that cause one to become reborn into a new life. In this story, death doesn't pollute, it regenerates. The land of the dead also contains the forces of life, '' tama''. The

norito are liturgical texts or ritual incantations in Shinto, usually addressed to a given ''kami''. History The first written documentation of ''norito'' dates to 712 CE in the ''Kojiki'' and 720 CE in the '' Nihongi''. The Engishiki, a compilatio ...

is an ancient

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...

prayer asking the gods to prevent the evil beings from to do any harm. The , also short , which is performed in the great purification (''

harae or ( or ) is the general term for ritual purification in Shinto. is one of four essential elements involved in a Shinto ceremony. The purpose is the purification of pollution or sins () and uncleanness ().(Norbeck, 1952) These concepts include ...

'') ceremony of the sixth month locates Ne-no-kuni-Soko-no-kuni in the , i.e. the ocean.

Kunio Yanagita Kunio Yanagita (柳田國男, Yanagita Kunio, July 31, 1875 – August 8, 1962) was a Japanese author, scholar, and folklorist. He began his career as a bureaucrat, but developed an interest in rural Japan and its folk traditions. This led to a ...

compared ''Ne no Kuni'' to the Niraikanai of the Ryukyuan religion. This paradisaical land is situated beyond the seas.

References

{{Reflist Afterlife places Locations in Japanese mythology Underworld Mythological places