The great storm deity Susanoo-no-Mikoto was born from the nose of the primordial creator god Izanagi during his ritual purification in the river of Watarai. Blessed with unmatched strength and a tempestuous spirit, Susanoo was assigned dominion over the seas and storms. However, his wild nature and longing for his deceased mother, Izanami, led him to weep constantly, causing drought and disaster in the mortal world. His uncontrollable grief and subsequent mischief reached a climax in the heavenly high plains of Takamagahara, where his chaotic antics deeply offended his sister, the sun goddess Amaterasu. After a series of destructive acts that drove Amaterasu into temporary seclusion inside the Heavenly Rock Cave, the assembly of the eight million kami decided that Susanoo must be banished. He was stripped of his divine possessions, had his beard shaved, and was cast down from the celestial heights to wander the earthly realm below.
Exiled and humbled, Susanoo descended to the mortal province of Izumo, a land of deep mists, ancient forests, and mysterious spiritual forces. He landed near the headwaters of the Hii River, a beautiful waterway winding through rugged mountains. As he walked along the riverbank, contemplating his sudden fall from grace, he noticed a wooden chopstick floating gently downstream. This small sign of human life sparked his curiosity, prompting him to travel further upstream to find whoever dwelt in this remote wilderness. The air in Izumo felt heavy with both natural beauty and an underlying, pervasive sorrow, as if the land itself were mourning a terrible, inescapable fate.
Following the river, Susanoo soon encountered an elderly couple weeping bitterly, with a beautiful young maiden seated between them. The elderly husband introduced himself as Ashinazuchi, an earthly deity and son of the mountain god Oyamatsumi, and his wife as Tenazuchi. The maiden was their daughter, Kushinadahime, whose name evoked the purity of wondrous rice paddies. When Susanoo inquired about the source of their deep grief, Ashinazuchi explained their tragic plight. They originally had eight daughters, but every year, an enormous and terrifying eight-headed serpent known as the Yamata no Orochi descended from the mountains to devour one of them. Now, only Kushinadahime remained, and the time for the beast's annual return was fast approaching.
The old man described the Yamata no Orochi with trembling terror. The beast was a monstrous force of nature: it possessed eight heads and eight tails, and its glowing eyes were as red and burning as winter cherries. Its colossal body was so immense that it stretched across eight valleys and eight hills, blocking out the light of the sun wherever it slithered. Its back was covered with moss, cypress, and cedar trees, making it appear like a moving mountain range, while its underbelly was constantly inflamed, dripping with blood and oozing the dark corruption of the earth. No mortal or minor deity could stand against such a titan, and the family had resigned themselves to the horrifying reality of losing their last beloved daughter.
Hearing this tale of suffering, Susanoo felt a profound shift within his spirit. The wild, destructive impulse that had caused so much trouble in heaven was suddenly channeled into a noble desire to protect the innocent. He looked upon the weeping Kushinadahime and was struck by her grace and beauty. Susanoo declared his true identity as the brother of the sun goddess Amaterasu and offered to slay the dreadful serpent, on one condition: that Kushinadahime be given to him in marriage. The parents, astonished to find themselves in the presence of a powerful heavenly deity, joyfully agreed, seeing a glimmer of hope in what had seemed a completely hopeless situation.
To prepare for the coming confrontation, Susanoo used his divine magic to transform Kushinadahime into a fine, close-toothed comb, which he carefully tucked into his hair to keep her close and safe from harm. He then instructed Ashinazuchi and Tenazuchi to prepare a clever trap rather than face the beast with raw force alone. He ordered them to brew a special, highly refined sake, distilled eight times over to reach an unprecedented level of potency, known as yashiori no sake. Furthermore, he directed them to construct a massive circular fence with eight gates. At each gate, they built a sturdy platform and placed a large wooden vat filled to the brim with the intoxicating, sweet liquor.