Tsukuyomi, also called Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto or Tsukiyomi, is the moon deity in Japanese mythology. In the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, the two foundational chronicles of early Japan, Tsukuyomi is associated with the moon and is a sibling of the sun deity Amaterasu and the storm deity Susanoo.
Who is Tsukuyomi?
Tsukuyomi is a kami, a deity or sacred presence in the Japanese religious tradition known as Shinto. The name is commonly rendered in English as “Moon Reading” or “Moon-Counting,” though the name’s precise interpretation is not certain. Tsukuyomi is generally presented as male in modern references, but the earliest accounts offer little characterization beyond divine origins, kinship, and a story linking the moon deity to Amaterasu.
Tsukuyomi belongs to the generation of deities associated with Izanagi, one of the creator deities in Japanese mythology. His story is not as extensive as those of Amaterasu or Susanoo. Rather than a detailed biography or a large cycle of adventures, the early texts preserve a small number of important episodes and establish his place in the divine family.
Birth in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
The Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters, completed in 712) and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan, completed in 720) tell related but not identical accounts of the gods. Both connect Tsukuyomi’s birth to Izanagi’s purification after his return from Yomi, the land of the dead. Their differences matter: the chronicles preserve variant traditions rather than one perfectly uniform version of every myth.
In the Kojiki, Izanagi washes after escaping Yomi. As he purifies himself, deities arise from parts of his body and from the objects he uses. Tsukuyomi is born when Izanagi washes his right eye; Amaterasu is born from his left eye, and Susanoo from his nose. Izanagi then gives the three deities important domains: Amaterasu receives the High Plain of Heaven, Tsukuyomi the night, and Susanoo the sea plain.
The Nihon Shoki includes a version in which Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu are born together from a mirror held by Izanagi. Other versions in that chronicle differ in the details of the siblings’ birth. These variations are a reason to avoid treating one narrative as the sole account accepted throughout Japanese tradition.
The story of Amaterasu and Ukemochi
One of Tsukuyomi’s best-known episodes appears in the Nihon Shoki. Amaterasu sends Tsukuyomi as her representative to visit Ukemochi, a food deity. Ukemochi produces food in a way that disgusts Tsukuyomi: in the account, food comes from her mouth and other bodily openings. Tsukuyomi kills her in anger.
Amaterasu is enraged when she learns what happened and refuses to see Tsukuyomi again. The story explains why the sun and moon are separated: Amaterasu remains in the sky by day, while Tsukuyomi is associated with the night. In this telling, their separation is not simply a description of the heavens; it follows from a rupture between divine siblings.
The episode also connects food and agriculture with divine origins. After Ukemochi’s death, useful things emerge from her body, including food plants and animals in the chronicle’s account. Details vary among versions, and this story should not be confused with every other Japanese myth about the origin of food or cultivation.
What does Tsukuyomi represent?
Tsukuyomi’s clearest association is with the moon and nighttime. The early chronicles do not provide a broad set of moon-related powers, symbols, or rituals comparable to the extensive stories surrounding some other deities. It is safest to describe him as a lunar kami, not to assume that every later image or interpretation of the moon was part of his original mythology.
- The moon: Tsukuyomi is the principal lunar deity named in the creation narratives of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.
- Night: In the Kojiki, Izanagi assigns him the night after his birth.
- Separation from the sun: The Nihon Shoki story of Ukemochi gives a narrative reason for Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu to occupy different parts of the day.
These points come from particular early texts. Japanese mythology and Shinto practice developed across regions and centuries, so the surviving chronicles are not a complete record of every local belief or form of worship.
Tsukuyomi compared with Amaterasu and Susanoo
Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo are often grouped as Izanagi’s three prominent offspring, but their mythological roles are not equally developed. Amaterasu is the sun deity and a central figure in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, including the famous cave episode in which her withdrawal plunges the world into darkness. Susanoo is associated with storms and the sea in early accounts and has a substantial cycle of stories, including his conflict with a great serpent.
Tsukuyomi, by contrast, has a more limited narrative presence in these chronicles. This does not make the moon deity unimportant to the family structure or to the explanation of day and night; it means that fewer surviving stories focus on him. The contrast is useful when comparing the three: Amaterasu’s mythology centers on solar authority, Susanoo’s on disruptive power and heroic deeds, and Tsukuyomi’s on the moon and the night.
Names, sources, and common misconceptions
The deity’s name appears in several forms in English-language writing, including Tsukuyomi, Tsukiyomi, and Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. These spellings reflect differences in how the Japanese name and its honorific are romanized or presented. “No-Mikoto” is an honorific element in the divine name, not the name of a separate moon god.
A frequent misconception is that Tsukuyomi is simply the male equivalent of Amaterasu in every respect. The two are siblings with complementary associations in early narratives, but their roles and stories are distinct. Another is that every account gives Tsukuyomi the same birth story: the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki preserve variations, so the source should be named when a specific version is described.
It is also worth distinguishing mythological identity from contemporary religious practice. Shinto is a living religion, and kami are approached in diverse ways. A summary of ancient chronicle stories cannot stand for all present-day beliefs, nor does every shrine or community give Tsukuyomi the same prominence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tsukuyomi the Japanese god of the moon?
Yes. Tsukuyomi is the moon deity in Japanese mythology, especially as described in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.
Is Tsukuyomi male or female?
Tsukuyomi is generally identified as male in common accounts, but the early chronicles provide limited description of the deity beyond the myths they recount.
Who are Tsukuyomi’s siblings?
In the Kojiki, Tsukuyomi is a sibling of Amaterasu and Susanoo, born to Izanagi during his purification. The Nihon Shoki preserves different versions of the birth narrative.
Why are Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu separated?
In a Nihon Shoki account, Tsukuyomi kills Ukemochi after being disgusted by how she produces food. Amaterasu then refuses to meet him, explaining the separation of sun and moon.
Is Tsukuyomi the same as a moon goddess?
Tsukuyomi is the Japanese lunar deity, but is usually described as a male kami rather than a goddess. “Moon deity” is the more inclusive and accurate term for the figure.
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