Susanoo. Takehaya Susanoo no Mikoto

The plot of the anime series The Tale of the End of the World Season 2

Since ancient times, the gods have been watching over humanity. Gathering every thousand years, they determine the future fate of the whole world, deciding whether they will continue to live. And then the moment came when there were no longer any supporters of humanity, people simply forgot about their creators, did not honor the gods, and did not comply with the laws given to them. And the council of the gods decided to destroy humanity, seeing that they would not atone for their sins.

Still from the anime “A Tale of the End of the World”

But in all the polyphony of trampled deities, there was one voice advocating for a chance for people - the Valkyrie Brunhilda said: “Let's give the human race a chance, let there be thirteen fights in which human champions and gods will fight. If there are at least seven victories, let people live.” After consulting, the gods decided that this was fair. But there will be no more concessions for them, both Gods and mortal champions in the duel will die the last death, and will no longer be able to resurrect.

But since the capabilities of the gods are transcendental, they gave people assistants from among the Valkyries, who could turn into great weapons that could kill even the gods. Many prominent people and champions were resurrected for this battle, but victory was needed at any cost, so the worst criminals were also raised. Along with the rest, notorious scoundrels and criminals will fight for the survival of humanity, because the end justifies the means, right?

Mythology

According to the Kojiki, Susanoo was born from drops of water that Izanagi washed his nose with. From his father, God took possession of the sea. However, Susanoo did not want to take over the reign and wanted to retire to the country of his mother, Ne no katasu kuni. His weeping about this was so strong that it caused a drought throughout the world. Seeing this, the angry Izanagi expelled Susanoo. Before leaving the country, Susanoo decided to visit his sister, Amaterasu, to whom Izanagi had given heaven. In order to prove to her that he came in peace, he married her and from each other’s things, brother and sister gave birth to a number of gods. Then he first defecated in the goddess’s chambers, and then destroyed all the boundary signs. The goddess justified her brother's behavior. Then he skinned the piebald stallion and threw it into his sister's weaving hall. Out of fright, the heavenly weavers pricked themselves with shuttles into secret places and died. Amaterasu also got scared, became angry and hid in a cave, and the whole world plunged into darkness. After the gods managed to lure Amaterasu out, they forced Susanoo to fill a thousand tables with expiatory gifts, cut off his beard, tore out his nails and expelled him from heaven.

Having descended to earth, Susanoo met an old man and an old woman - the gods Ashinazuchi and Tenazuchi. They told Susanoo about their misfortune - they used to have eight daughters. However, every year the eight-headed snake Yamata no Orochi began to appear to them and devour one daughter at a time. Susanoo asked their last daughter, Kushinada-hime, to be his wife. For this he taught the old man and the old woman how to defeat the snake. To do this, they made eight barrels of sake and placed them inside a fence with eight gates. After drinking sake, the snake became drunk and fell asleep. At this time, Susanoo killed him. In the middle tail of the serpent he found the sword Tsumugari no Tachi, which he gave to Amaterasu. After this, he settled with his wife in the country of Izumo, in an area called Suga[2].

The Tale of the End of the World Season 2 – actors and roles

• Adam is the progenitor of humanity, fighting for the future of his descendants. His companion Reginleif, who took the form of brass knuckles.
• Kojiro Sasaki is a legendary swordsman of the Edo era who founded his own school. Valkyrie Christ transforms into two swords, replacing Monohoshizao's broken no-dachi.
• Qin Shihuang is the first emperor of China to unite the Celestial Empire into one state.
• Simo Häyhä is a former Finnish hunter who later became the most prolific sniper in the world.

Still from the anime “A Tale of the End of the World”

• Nikola Tesla was an outstanding inventor and researcher of alternating electricity and electromagnetic fields, born in Serbia and moved to the United States.
• Leonidas I - the kings of Sparta, at Thermopylae, with a detachment of three hundred heads, he detained the army of many thousands of Xerxes.
• Thor is the Scandinavian god of thunder, skilled with a hammer.
• Zeus is the Greek god of lightning, head of the Olympian pantheon.
• Susanoo no Mikoto is the Japanese god of the sea and storm. Commands lightning.

Text of the book “Susonoo no Mikoto in his declining years”

Ryunosuke Akutagawa

Susonoo no Mikoto in his declining years

1

Having defeated the serpent from Koshi, Susanoo no Mikoto took Kushinada-hime as his wife [1] and became the head of the settlement ruled by Ashinatsuchi.

Ashinatsuchi built the huge Suga Palace for the young people in the Izumo region. The palace was so high that the upper ends of the criss-crossed beams of its roof were hidden behind the clouds.

Susanoo lived quietly with his young wife. Again he was worried by the voices of the wind, the splashes of the sea, and the shine of the stars in the night sky. And he could no longer wander through the endless expanses of the ancient land. Under the shadow of this palace, in a room where the red and white walls were painted with scenes from hunting life, Susanoo, who was already preparing to become a father, for the first time in his life knew the happiness of a family hearth, a happiness that he had not known in the country of Takamagahara[2].

He ate with his wife and discussed plans for the future with her. Sometimes they went out into the oak forest that surrounded the palace, and, stepping on the fallen oak flowers, listened to the enchanting singing of birds. Susanoo was affectionate with his wife. Neither his voice, nor his movements, nor his gaze showed any sign of his former belligerence.

However, sometimes in a dream the image of monsters swarming in the darkness, the shine of a sword clutched in an invisible hand, again revived the sensations of a bloody battle. But as soon as I woke up, my thoughts immediately turned to my wife, to the affairs of the settlement, and the nightmare was completely forgotten.

Soon they had a son. Susanoo named him Yashimajinumi. The boy, handsome and with a gentle character, was more like his mother than his father.

And time flowed like water flows in a river.

Susanoo married many more times and had many more sons. Having become adults, the sons followed his orders at the head of the army to conquer settlements in different countries.

The fame of Susanoo spread further and further as the number of his sons and grandsons grew. Settlements from different countries, one after another, sent him tribute. On ships delivering gifts, along with silk, furs, and jasper, people also came to look at the palace in Suga.

One day, among the visitors, Susanoo discovered three young men from the country Takamagahara. All three were athletically built, just like he was in his time. Susanoo invited them to the palace and treated them to sake. This stern ruler had never given such a welcome to anyone before. At first, the young people experienced some fear, not understanding why they were invited to the palace. But when the sake had its effect, they, as Susanoo had expected, began to sing the songs of the Takamagahara country, accompanying themselves by hitting the bottoms of overturned sake jugs.

As they left the palace, Susanoo took out his sword and said to them:

“This is the sword that I took from the tail of the dragon in Kosi when I defeated it.” I present this sword to you. Give it to your mistress[3].

The young people took the sword and, kneeling, swore that they would rather die than disobey the order.

And then Susanoo, going out alone to the seashore, watched as the sail of the ship that was taking them away gradually disappeared behind the high waves. Snatched by a ray of sunshine from the haze of fog, the sail seemed to float across the sky.

2

But death did not escape the house of Susanoo.

When Yashimajinumi grew up into a well-bred young man, Kushinada-hime suddenly fell ill and passed away a month later. Susanoo had several wives, but he loved only Kushinada-hime as himself. Therefore, when the tomb was ready, he silently shed tears for seven days and seven nights, sitting by the still beautiful body of his wife.

The palace was filled with groans. Yashimajinumi’s only sister, Suseri-hime, was especially sad; her continuous lamentations brought tears even to the eyes of strangers passing by the palace. Just as his brother was like his mother, Suseri-hime in her character was like her father, unrestrained in his impulses.

Soon, Kushinada-hime's ashes, along with the jewelry, mirrors and clothes that she used during her life, were buried under a hill near the Suga Palace. Susanoo also did not forget to put in the grave her eleven maids, who were supposed to console Kushinada-hime on the way to the land of spirits. The maids died meekly and quickly. And the old men who watched this frowned and secretly condemned Susanoo:

- Only eleven! Our lord disregards ancient customs. The first wife has died, and eleven maids are going with her to the land of spirits! How can you! Only eleven!

When all the funeral ceremonies were over, Susanoo suddenly decided to transfer power to Yashimajinumi. He himself, together with Suseri-hime, moved overseas to the distant country of Nenogatasu.

He settled on a deserted island, attracted by its beauty even during his wanderings. On a hill in the southern part of the island he built a palace covered with reeds and decided to live out the rest of his days quietly in it.

Susanoo's hair turned gray and turned hemp-colored. But from time to time, living lights flashed in his eyes, indicating that old age had not yet touched his soul. You could even say that he looked more militant than when he lived in Suga. He did not notice that after moving to the island, the dark forces that had been dormant in him until now awakened again.

Together with his daughter Suseri-hime, Susanoo raised bees and snakes. Bees - to get honey, and snakes - to get deadly poison, which is used to lubricate arrowheads. While hunting and fishing, he taught Suseri-hime weapons techniques and witchcraft. Such a life has strengthened Suserihime. She was in no way inferior to a man. And only her appearance retained the noble beauty inherited from Kushinada-hime.

Many times the leaves turned green and fell again on the muku[4] trees in the grove around the palace. And every time new wrinkles were added to Susanoo’s beard-covered face, and Suserihime’s constantly smiling eyes became more and more clear.

3

One day, when Susanoo, sitting under the mumu tree in front of the palace, was skinning a large deer carcass, Suseri-hime, who had gone to fetch sea water, returned accompanied by an unfamiliar young man.

– Father, I just met this gentleman and took him here.

With these words, she led the young man to Susanoo, who only then rose from his seat.

The young man was handsome and broad-shouldered. His neck was decorated with red and green jasper necklaces, and a wide sword hung at his belt. This is what Susanoo himself looked like in his younger years.

In response to the respectful bow, Susanoo asked rudely:

- What is your name?

- My name is Asiharasikoo.

- Why did you come to this island?

“I landed to stock up on food and water.”

The young man answered questions calmly and clearly.

- Well, then. You can go there and eat. Suseri-hime, see him out.

They entered the palace, and Susanoo, in the shade of a tree, again began to work on the deer carcass, skillfully wielding a knife. Imperceptibly, a vague uneasiness took possession of him, as if a cloud had appeared over the sea on a fine day, foreshadowing a storm.

When, having finished with the carcass, Susanoo returned to the palace, it was already getting dark. He climbed the wide staircase, from which a large hall was visible through the white curtain that covered the entrance. Suseri-hime and Asiharasikoo hastily stood up with their sugadat[5], just like frightened birds from a nest. Susanoo slowly entered the hall with a dissatisfied expression on his face. Throwing an angry look at Asiharasikoo, he turned to him, and his words sounded almost like an order:

– Today you can spend the night with us to get some rest.

Asiharasikoo responded with a joyful bow, but his movements could not hide a feeling of vague anxiety.

-Then go and settle down for the night, Suseri-hime! “Susanoo turned to his daughter and said with contempt in his voice: “Show the guest to the beehouse.”

Suseri-hime turned pale.

- Maybe you should hurry up! – like an angry bear, the father roared, seeing that she was hesitating.

- I'm coming. Come here.

Ashiharashiko once again made a respectful bow and cheerfully left the hall after Suseri-hime.

4

When they left the hall, Suseri-hime took the scarf from her shoulders and, giving it to Asiharasikoo, whispered:

– When you enter the beehouse, wave it three times. The bees will then not sting.

Asiharasikoo did not understand what her words meant. But there was no time to ask, since Suseri-hime had already opened the small door and led him into the room.

It was completely dark inside. Asiharasikoo wanted to find Suseri-hime by touch. He touched her hair with his fingertips. The next moment, a hastily closed door slammed.

He remained standing in confusion with a handkerchief in his hand. After a while his eyes began to adjust to the darkness. It was not as dark inside as he had first thought.

In the dim light he saw many beehives hanging from the ceiling, each the size of a large barrel. And through these hives crawled lazily huge bees, each larger than his sword, which hung at his belt.

Asiharasikoo involuntarily recoiled back and rushed to the door. But no matter how hard he tried, the door did not budge. Meanwhile, one of the bees descended to the floor and began to approach him with a dull buzzing.

Asiharasikoo tried to crush her before she could crawl up. But the bee, with an even louder buzzing, rose to the level of his head. And other bees, disturbed by the presence of a person, like arrows flying towards the wind, rushed towards him in a cloud...

Suseri-hime returned to the hall and lit the pine torch attached to the wall. A bright reddish flame illuminated Susanoo, who was lying on a woven sedge tatami.

“Did you really take him to the beehouse?” – Susanoo still asked angrily, looking intently into his daughter’s eyes.

“I have not yet disobeyed your orders, father.”

Suseri-hime, avoiding her father's gaze, sat down in the corner.

- Yes? And, I hope, you won’t break it in the future either? – Susanoo asked, and there were ironic notes in his words. But Suseri-hime, busy with her necklace, did not answer. -Are you silent? So are you going to disobey me?

- No. But why are you, father, so...

“And if you’re not going to, then I want to tell you something.” Keep in mind that I will not allow you to marry this fellow. Susanoo's daughter can only be the wife of a person who enjoys Susanoo's trust. It's clear? Remember this well!

And late at night, when Susanoo was already asleep, snoring loudly, Suseri-hime, lonely and sad, was still sitting at the window, watching the reddish moon silently sink into the sea.

5

The next morning, Susanoo, as always, went to the rocky seashore to swim. Unexpectedly for himself, he saw Asiharasikoo, briskly walking down after him from the side of the palace.

Smiling cheerfully, Asiharasikoo greeted him:

- Good morning.

- Well, did you sleep well?

Standing on a rock ledge, Susanoo looked searchingly into Asiharasikoo's face. Indeed, why were the bees not touched by this cheerful young man? This was not part of Susanoo's calculations.

- Thank you. Thanks to you, I slept well.

Answering this, Asiharasikoo picked up a piece of rock lying at his feet and, with all his strength, threw it towards the sea. The stone described a large arc and disappeared into the pink clouds. He fell into the sea so far from the shore that Susanoo himself could hardly have gotten him there.

Biting his lip, Susanoo watched the flying stone.

They returned from the sea and sat down to breakfast. And then Susanoo, who was gloomily gnawing on a deer’s leg, said to Asiharasikoo, who was sitting opposite:

“If you like it here, you can stay a few more days.”

Suseri-hime, who was nearby, quietly signaled to Asiharasikoo to refuse this treacherous invitation. But Asiharasikoo, whose attention was absorbed in the dish of fish, did not notice her sign and answered joyfully:

- Thank you. I would spend two or three more days with you.

Fortunately, Susanoo dozed off after lunch. Taking advantage of this, the lovers slipped out of the palace and, finding a secluded place on the seashore, among the rocks, where the Asiharasikoo pirogue was tied, hastily tasted happiness. Lying on the fragrant seaweed, Suseri-hime looked at Asiharasikoo for a while, enchanted, and then, freeing herself from his embrace, she said with concern:

“It’s dangerous to stay another night.” Don't think about me, run away from here as quickly as possible.

But Asiharasikoo smiled and, like a child, stubbornly shook his head:

“As long as you are here, I will not leave, even if I face death.”

- But if misfortune happens to you...

– Do you agree to immediately run away with me?

Suseri-hime could not decide to do this.

“Then I’ll stay.”

Asiharasikoo tried once again to attract her to him. But Suseri-hime pushed him aside and quickly stood up.

“Father is calling,” she said anxiously and with the ease of a young roe deer she ran towards the palace.

Asiharasikoo, still smiling, watched her go. And then he noticed, in the place where Suseri-hime was lying, a handkerchief she had dropped, the same as the one he received yesterday.

6

In the evening, Susanoo himself escorted Asiharasikoo to the room located opposite the beekeeper.

Just like the day before in the beehouse, it was already completely dark here. There was only one thing that distinguished this room: numerous points sparkled in the darkness, like precious stones hidden in the depths of the earth.

Asiharasikoo, who found the luminous points suspicious, waited until his eyes adjusted to the darkness. When it became a little brighter around, these star-like points turned out to be the eyes of monstrous snakes, so huge that they could swallow a horse. The room was infested with snakes. They hung on crossbeams, wrapped around the rafters, and lay curled in spirals on the floor.

Asiharasikoo involuntarily grabbed his sword. But if, drawing his sword, he slays one snake, the other will easily strangle him. One snake had already begun to approach his face from below, and another, even larger, hanging on the beam, wriggling, reached for his shoulder.

The door, of course, is locked. Behind her, probably, stands this evil-smiling, gray-haired Susanoo and, with his ear attached, listens to what is happening inside. Ashiharasikoo froze in place, squeezing the hilt of his sword with all his might and only moving his eyes. Meanwhile, the snake, curled up in a huge ball at his feet, raised its head even higher, with the obvious intention of grabbing him by the throat.

Then it dawned on Asiharasikoo. Yesterday, when a cloud of bees attacked him, he waved his Suseri-hime handkerchief and saved his life. Maybe the scarf, forgotten by Suseri-hime on a coastal cliff, also has a miraculous property? He immediately grabbed the handkerchief and waved it three times...

The next morning, near the rocky shore of the sea, Susanoo again met Asiharasikoo, even more pleased than the day before.

- Well, did you sleep well?

- Yes, thanks to you I slept well.

Susanoo was filled with irritation. He cast an angry glance at his interlocutor, but controlled himself. His words sounded sincere:

- This is good. Let's swim together now.

They undressed and rushed into the stormy sea at dawn. Even in the country of Takamagahara, Susanoo was an unsurpassed swimmer. Asiharasikoo also felt like a dolphin in the water. Their heads, black and white, with identical mizura hairstyles[6], like two ducks, quickly moved away from the steep cliffs of the shore.

7

The wave-tossed sea scattered snow-like foam. Susanoo, amid the splashes and foam, kept glancing angrily towards Asiharasikoo. But he swam and swam forward, and the highest waves did not frighten him.

Soon Asiharasikoo began to gradually overtake Susanoo. Gritting his teeth, Susanoo tried to keep up. But several large foamy waves came in, and his opponent easily took the lead. And then he completely disappeared from sight behind the crests of the waves.

“And I was hoping to drown him in the sea!” - Susanoo thought and felt that he would not find peace until he killed Asiharasikoo. - Scoundrel! Let this rogue be eaten by crocodiles!

But soon Asiharasikoo, easily floating on the water, as if he himself were a crocodile, returned back.

- Shall we swim again? – rocking on the waves, he shouted from afar with a constant smile on his face. However, Susanoo, despite all his stubbornness, did not want to swim anymore...

That afternoon, Susanoo set out with Asiharasikoo to the western lowland part of the island to hunt foxes and hares.

They climbed a rock at the edge of the plain. As far as the eye could see, the plain was covered with dry grasses that swayed like waves in the wind. Susanoo was silent for a while, admiring the picture that opened before their eyes, and then put an arrow to his bow and turned to Asiharasikoo:

– The wind, however, interferes a little... But still, whose arrow will fly further? Let's compete in archery.

- Well, let's go.

Apparently, Asiharasikoo also felt confident in the art of archery.

- Ready? We'll shoot at the same time!

Standing side by side, they pulled the bowstring with all their might and at the same time released it. The arrows flew over the rolling plain in a straight line. Without overtaking each other, they sparkled in the sun and, suddenly caught by the wind, simultaneously disappeared into the distance.

- Well, whose did you take?

- Hard to say. Let's try again.

Susanoo shook his head with furrowed eyebrows.

– No matter how much you try, the result will be the same. It’s better, don’t think it’s too much trouble, run and get my arrow. I treasure this lacquered arrow, it comes from the country of Takamagahara.

Asiharasikoo obediently rushed into the thickets of tall dry grass rustling in the wind. And Susanoo, as soon as he was out of sight, quickly took out a flint and steel from a pouch hanging on his belt and lit a dry thorn under the rock.

8

In the blink of an eye, thick clouds of black smoke rose above the colorless flame. And under the smoke the thorns and the burning bamboo shoots crackled loudly.

- This time I will finish him!

Susanoo stood on a high rock, leaning on his bow, and his lips were curled in a cruel grin.

The fire spread further and further. Birds flew up into the red-black sky with plaintive cries. But immediately, engulfed in flames, they fell back to the ground. From a distance it seemed as if countless fruits were falling from the trees, torn off by the oncoming storm.

- This time I will finish him! – Susanoo sighed with satisfaction once again, but at the same time an inexplicable vague feeling of sadness washed over him...

That evening, satisfied with his victory, Susanoo stood at the palace gates with his arms crossed over his chest and looked at the sky, through which clouds of smoke were still floating. Suseri-hime came up to say that dinner was ready. She was wearing a white mourning robe that stood out in the twilight, as if she had buried a close relative.

Seeing the saddened Suseri-hime, Susanoo suddenly wanted to mock her grief.

- Look at the sky. Asiharasikoo now...

- I know.

Suseri-hime stood with her eyes downcast, and the firmness with which she interrupted her father was unexpected.

- Is that so? You must be sad?

- Yes very. Even if you, father, died, I would not be so sad.

Susanoo's face changed and he looked at his daughter angrily. But for some reason he could not punish her for her insolence.

– If you are sad, cry. – He turned sharply and, striding widely, headed towards the palace. As he climbed the stairs, he clicked his tongue irritably: “Another time I wouldn’t even say anything, I’d just beat you up...”

After he left, Suseri-hime looked for a while with tear-filled eyes at the glowing evening sky, and then, hanging her head, wandered back.

That night Susanoo could not sleep. The death of Asiharasikoo tormented his soul.

“How many times have I plotted to kill him!” However, I have never experienced such a strange feeling as today...

He endlessly tossed and turned on the green, fragrant sugadatami. But sleep still did not come.

Meanwhile, a sad, cold dawn was already breaking over the dark sea.

9

This happened the next day, when the morning sun completely illuminated the sea. The sleep-deprived Susanoo, squinting from the bright light, slowly walked out of the house and onto the steps - what a miracle! - I saw Asiharasikoo, who, sitting next to Suseri-hime, was cheerfully chatting with her about something.

Seeing Susanoo, the young people were afraid. But Asiharasikoo jumped up with his usual liveliness and holding out a lacquered arrow, said:

- Here. I found your arrow.

Susanoo has not yet recovered from his amazement. But for some reason he felt joy seeing Asiharasikoo unharmed.

- Luckily, you weren't hurt?

- Yes, I was saved quite by accident. The fire overtook me just as I picked up this arrow. I rushed to run through the smoke in the direction where there was no fire yet. But no matter how much he hurried, he could not outrun the flames fanned by the western wind... - Asiharasikoo stopped for a moment and smiled at the father and daughter who were listening to him. “I’ve already decided that the end has come.” But at this time the ground suddenly collapsed under my feet, and I found myself in a large cave. At first it was completely dark around, but when the dry grass around the edges caught fire, the cave was illuminated to the very bottom, and I saw many field mice. There were so many of them that the ground disappeared under them...

- It's good that there are mice. And if it turns out to be vipers...

Suseri-hime's eyes sparkled with tears and a smile at the same time.

- Mice are no joke either. You see, there are no feathers on the arrow. The mice chewed it off. But, fortunately, the fire passed safely over the cave.

Listening to the story, Susanoo again felt hatred for this successful young man growing in him. And he also felt that until he, who had once decided to kill this young man, achieved his goal, his pride, the pride of a man who had never known defeat in his life, would be wounded.

- Well, you're lucky. Although, you know, luck is like the wind: you don’t know when it will change direction... However, it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that you were saved. Now let's go to the palace, please look in my head.

Asiharasikoo and Suseri-hime had no choice but to follow him into the hall, behind the white curtain illuminated by the sun.

Susanoo, out of sorts and angry, sat cross-legged in the middle of the hall and let down his mizura hairstyle. His hair, the color of dry reeds, was as long as a river.

– My insects are not simple.

Ignoring these words, Ashiharasikoo began to comb Susanoo's hair, intending to crush the insects as soon as he found them. But then he saw that large, copper-colored, poisonous centipedes were swarming at the roots of his hair.

A Tale of the End of the World Season 2 – Episode release date

Sanctuaries

Izumo-taisha is the oldest and largest Shinto shrine dedicated to the god Susanoo, located in Shimane Prefecture. The height of the main building is 24 meters. At the entrance, under the roof, there is a huge rope woven from rice straw - shimenawa, testifying to the holiness of the place. This majestic structure, an example of ancient Japanese architecture, served as a model for many religious buildings. Its central column was the prototype of the axial mast during the construction of pagodas. The Great Izumo Shrine amazes the imagination not with its brightness and richness of decoration, but with its strict restraint and simplicity.

According to legend, once a year the gods from all the temples of Japan gathered here in the tenth month of the lunar calendar to discuss important matters. Therefore, this month was called “the month without gods.”

This sanctuary is a favorite place for marriage ceremonies, and the large area in front of the main building often resembles an outlandish flower garden, where the elegant kimonos of the brides bloom in bright colors, setting off the formal suits of the men.

The birth of the world famous classical Kabuki theater is also associated with the Izumo Shrine. One of his priestesses, Izumo no Okuni, was known as the most skillful performer of sacred prayer dances - nembutsu-odori. These performances were the prototype of the famous Kabuki theater. In memory of this, similar performances are held annually at Izumo Shrine.