Yasomagatsuhi-no-Kami

Yasomagatsuhi-no-Kami is recorded in Kojiki (712 CE) Upper Volume in the purification passage as a heavenly deity. He is the deity of calamity (maga) arising when Izanagi-no-Mikoto purifies himself of the pollution of Yomi, embodying the source of crime, defilement and misfortune. The prefix yaso, "eighty," denotes a great number, the totality of all calamities. The text reads, "When he came to that defiled place, the deities that arose from the defilement were called Yasomagatsuhi-no-Kami, next Omagatsuhi-no-Kami." Izanagi returned from Yomi and bathed at the Tachibana-no-Odo-no-Awakihara in Tsukushi; these are the first deities to come into being. They are followed by Kamunaobi-no-Kami and Onaobi-no-Kami, deities of correction. His father is Izanagi-no-Mikoto. The coeval deity is Omagatsuhi-no-Kami, paired with Kamunaobi-no-Kami, Onaobi-no-Kami and Izunome, forming the cluster in which sin and purification meet. The Oharae-no-Kotoba recited at the great purification of the sixth and twelfth months recalls his name as the source of pollution that the rite seeks to dispel.