The Tempestuous Storm God
Susanoo is the Shinto god of storms, the sea, and tumult — the third "noble child" born from the nose of Izanagi during his purification. Wild and unruly from birth, he was assigned the seas but wept ceaselessly for his dead mother instead.
His name is often interpreted as "impetuous" or "raging male," capturing the destructive force of typhoon and tempest that he embodies. He stands as the mythic counterweight to his serene sister Amaterasu.
Before a final departure, Susanoo visited heaven and ran riot, destroying rice fields and flinging a flayed horse into Amaterasu's hall. His chaos drove her into the cave Ama-no-Iwato, and for this he was banished from the High Plain of Heaven.
In exile he redeemed himself: in Izumo he slew the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi to save a maiden, and from its tail drew the great sword Kusanagi, which he gave to Amaterasu. That blade became one of Japan's Three Imperial Regalia.
Common Questions
Why was Susanoo banished from heaven?
His violent rampage and destruction of Amaterasu's sacred spaces led the other kami to expel him.
What is the sword Kusanagi?
It is the blade Susanoo found inside the slain serpent Orochi and presented to Amaterasu, later a symbol of imperial rule.
