An illustration showing the mythological realms from the Kojiki: Takama-ga-hara in the heavens, the Earthly Realm, Ne-no-Katasu-kuni underground, and Yomi-no-Kuni, the Land of the Dead, connected by Yomi-no-Hirasaka.

The World of Japanese Mythology

In Japanese mythology, the world is divided into three main realms.

Takama-ga-hara – The Heavenly Realm High above the sky lies Takama-ga-hara, home of the heavenly Kami such as Amaterasu, who will appear later in the story.

Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni – The Earthly Realm This is the world of land and people — the place we live in.

The Realms Beneath the EarthThere are two mysterious worlds underground:
• Yomi-no-Kuni, the Land of the Dead, where Izanami dwells.
• Ne-no-Katasu-kuni, a faraway otherworld beyond the sea, where Susanoo will later reside.

And between the living world and the underworld lies Yomotsu-Hirasaka, the slope that connects them.

Tokura

There are also other realms, like the Sea Kingdom and the Land Beyond the Ocean. I’ll write more about those once all the characters have appeared in the story! 

Kami on this site were character-designed and illustrated by Tokura Kura. Since the Kojiki contains no descriptions or illustrations of Kami’s physical appearances, they are depicted based on imagination.

This project does not aim to promote or criticize any specific religion.
It is not intended to serve as an academic, historical, or educational reference.

This site treats mythology as one cultural element among many.
It has no affiliation with any country, government, shrine, or official organization.
The content is part of a personal project by the creator, Tokura, based on knowledge personally accumulated over many years and closely aligned with texts such as the Kojiki, and expressed through an original approach and presentation.

The project places particular emphasis on carefully explaining concepts that may be difficult to understand, especially for readers unfamiliar with Japanese culture.