御弟須佐之男命（みおとすさのおのみこと）の悪業により天照大御神（あまてらすおおみかみ）が天の岩戸（あまのいわと）にお隠れになりました。高天が原（たかまがはら）を追われた須佐之男命は中国大陸を徘徊し、出雲の国斐の川にさしかかると、嘆き悲しむ老夫婦と稲田姫に出会いました。理由を尋ねると、八岐の大蛇が毎年現れ、既に七人の娘が攫われ、残ったこの稲田姫もやがてその大蛇に攫われてしまうと言います。一計を案じた須佐之男命は、種々の木の実で醸した毒酒を飲ませ、酔ったところを退治します。そのとき、大蛇の尾から出た剣を『天の村雲の宝剣』と名づけ、天照大御神に捧げ、稲田姫と結ばれました。
Yamata no Orochi
Name of a mythological eight-headed,
eight - tailed huge snake like monster
It is slain by SUSANOO NO MIKOTO. Susanoo, younger brother of the sun goddess AMATERASU OMIKAMI, had been banished from the High Celestial Plain(TAKAMAGAHARA) for his bad conduct.
Descending to earth in what is now part of the district of Izumo, he found an old couple weeping, saying that this monster, having eaten seven of their daughters, now demanded the last.
After offering it rice wine, Susanoo killed it during its inebriated sleep and found in its tail the sword Murakumo no Turugi.
The Murakumo sword became one of the three IMPERIAL REGALIA granted by Amaterasu to Ninigi no Mikoto, and it reappeared in subsequent mythological and historical accounts, in which it is renamed Kusanagi no Tsurugi.
It is said to be kept at the ATSUTA SHRINE in Nagoya.
This is thought to be one the most famous performances of Iwami Kagura.
石見神楽演目紹介～大蛇（おろち）
