The Japanese Moon God: Tsukuyomi, the Japanese God of the Moon, Etiquette and Balance

In this article, I will write about one of the most important Japanese Gods, Tsukuyomi, the Moon God.

Who is the God of the Moon in Japanese Mythology?

Tsukuyomi is the ancient Japanese Moon God, and he is part of the Japanese Pantheon with other Japanese Deities. Sometimes he is called Tsukuyomi Otoko (月讀壮士) or Tsukuhito Otoko (月人壮士), meaning “moon-reading man.” Tsukuyomi was the Shintoistic Moon God and ruler of time in Japanese mythology. Tsukuyomi had command over Heaven and Hell and ruled all things connected with time: New Year’s celebrations, calendars, seasons, months, directions, days, ages of man’s life; even down to facial expressions like smiling or frowning were attributed to Tsukuyomi.

The oldest account about Tsukuyomi is found in Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. The old writings tell us that Tsukuyomi was married to his sister Amaterasu, the Goddess of the Sun.

Tsukuyomi ruled over the months, seasons and years by measuring their lengths of light and darkness. When he becomes unbalanced, it’s believed it can create earthquakes or other forms of natural disasters. This God is also responsible for etiquette and manners in society, so always be on your best behavior when you’re around this God!

What does the Moon symbolize in Japanese Mythology?

The Moon symbolizes many things in Japanese culture, but one of the main associations is with women’s menstrual cycles.

In Japan, the Moon is sometimes called “the great menstruating lady” (which we know to be Latin or Greek for “great mother”) and the blood is seen as a life-giving force. In Shinto mythology, it is said that Kuni-no-Toko Tachi-no kami (the God who made Earth) came down from heaven with two baskets: one red and one white. God spilled out all manner of goods on Earth, but when he got to the surface, his containers broke open, and all the contents were strewn about chaotically in every direction. His sister Ama-terasu then took some of his spilled blood to be the Moon and, with the help of Ame-no-Uki Hashi (a mythical cosmic snake)…