Japanese Gods Family Tree

From Izanagi to the Emperor

The Kojiki (712) begins with the kami who come into being on their own at the centre of heaven, and seven generations later Izanagi and Izanami bear the islands and the gods. From Izanagi's eyes come the Sun (Amaterasu) and the Moon (Tsukuyomi), and from his nose the Storm (Susanoo). Amaterasu's grandson Ninigi descends to earth, and in the fifth generation the first emperor Jimmu is born.

Tap a name and its parents, partners, children and the chain running back to the centre of heaven open up. In Shinto the line of the gods runs unbroken into the imperial line, and this chart records that claim.

110 kami7 divine generations3 sacred treasures14 lineages and groups

Key facts

In the Kojiki the first kami, Ame-no-Minakanushi, Takamimusubi and Kamimusubi, come into being on their own, and seven generations later come Izanagi and Izanami.
Amaterasu (Sun), Tsukuyomi (Moon) and Susanoo (Storm) are born of Izanagi's purification and have no mother.
Amaterasu's grandson Ninigi descends to earth, and in the fifth generation the first emperor Jimmu is born.
Okuninushi is Susanoo's descendant in the sixth generation and his son-in-law, and after building Izumo he hands the land to Amaterasu's line.
The chart covers 110 kami and draws on the Kojiki (712) and the Nihon Shoki (720).

Main line: from the centre of heaven to Yamato

The chart runs left to right: the kami who came into being on their own, Izanagi and Izanami, the three great kami and their siblings, the children of Amaterasu and Susanoo, Ninigi's descent and the imperial line. The lower branch follows the Izumo line from Susanoo to Okuninushi. Large clans appear as dashed group boxes. Tap a box to open its list below. Drag to pan, Ctrl/⌘ + wheel or the buttons to zoom.

First to appearSeven generationsGreat kamiKamiSea / waterMonsterNaturePurification / calamityHumanGroup (opens list)

The three Munakata kami are born from Amaterasu's mouth but are counted as Susanoo's daughters because they came from his sword. Ame-no-Oshihomimi, by contrast, is counted as Amaterasu's son. The Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki tell some births differently, and these differences are noted.

Lineage explorer: who is whose child?

Type a name or tap a box in the chart. The card that opens shows the parent, partner and child links recorded in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki. "Not recorded" means no link is drawn for that figure in this chart, not that none exists in the sources.

Lineages and groups

All 110 kami in the chart are listed here by lineage and group. The chips above filter by type. Tap a name and the explorer opens that figure.

Kotoamatsukami 5

Kamiyonanayo (seven generations) 12

Children of Izanagi and Izanami 10

Born of Izanami's death 6

Born of Kagutsuchi's blood 4

Born of Izanagi's purification 11

The three Munakata kami 3

Children of Amaterasu 6

The imperial line 13

The sea palace 2

Line of Susanoo (Izumo) 24

Kami of Takamagahara 11

Monsters 1

Deified humans 2

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the first kami in Japanese mythology?

According to the Kojiki, as heaven and earth separate, Ame-no-Minakanushi, Takamimusubi and Kamimusubi come into being on their own in Takamagahara and then hide. Two more kami follow them, and these first kami are called the Kotoamatsukami. Then come the seven divine generations, the Kamiyonanayo, and the seventh is Izanagi and Izanami.

Whose daughter is Amaterasu?

Amaterasu is the daughter of Izanagi. When Izanami dies, Izanagi goes to bring her back from Yomi, fails, and on his return purifies himself in a river. As he washes his left eye Amaterasu is born, as he washes his right eye Tsukuyomi, and as he washes his nose Susanoo. Amaterasu has no mother, since Izanami by then rules the land of the dead.

How is the imperial line linked to Amaterasu?

Amaterasu's son Ame-no-Oshihomimi fathers Ninigi by the daughter of Takamimusubi. Ninigi descends to earth with the three sacred treasures and marries the cherry-blossom princess Konohanasakuya. His son Hoori marries Toyotama, daughter of the sea king, and his grandson Ugayafukiaezu marries her sister Tamayori. Of this last marriage the first emperor Jimmu is born, Amaterasu's descendant in the fifth generation.

What is the relation between Susanoo and Okuninushi?

According to the Kojiki, Okuninushi is Susanoo's descendant in the sixth generation (Susanoo → Yashimajinumi → … → Ame-no-Fuyukinu → Okuninushi). He also becomes Susanoo's son-in-law by marrying his daughter Suseribime. He builds Izumo and then hands the land over to the line of Amaterasu (kuni-yuzuri).

What sources is this family tree based on?

The main sources are the Kojiki (712) and the Nihon Shoki (720), with the Izumo Fudoki for the Izumo line. The two chronicles tell some births differently, among them the attribution of the Munakata kami, Ukemochi/Ogetsuhime and the origin of Takemikazuchi, and these are noted. Names are given in Hepburn romanisation without macrons.

Key facts

Main line: from the centre of heaven to Yamato

Lineage explorer: who is whose child?

Lineages and groups

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