A Shinto god dances for the community elders of this small farming village in the mountains of Kyushu. The Kojiki, an ancient collection of Japanese myths, describes the possible origins of the Kagura dances as when the sun goddess, Amaterasu, retreats into a cave, making the world dark and cold. Another Shinto goddess, Uzume, danced wildly at the cave’s entrance, taking off her clothes, causing the other gods to laugh, and eventually luring Amaterasu out of the cave.more
Saito burial mounds are similar to others found in Korea, Mongolia and Eurasia. The "key" shape is not a common design, but some examples exist within northern Asia.
— Japan's Ancient Myth Road (Dec 2024) —
As the sword is drawn from the water, drops form on its edge, and when the gods, Izanami and Izanagi, sweep the blade through the sky these drops fall back into the ocean, forming the mystical islands of Japan.
The historical roots of the Japanese people lie in the myths and legends that began more than a thousand years ago. These ancient traditions are still evident today and a significant part of modern Japan’s ethos and imagination.
By traversing the ancient myth road on Kyushu Island, you will visit the places where the myths originated and discover the soul of Japan as well as the hidden realms of its culture that few tourists experience.