Along with Kojiki, Nihon Shoki also is the important historical scripture which tells us the beginning of Japan. In Nihon Shoki, old Japan is mentioned as “Toyoashihara no Chiihoaki no Mizuho no Kuni”. In the myth, the country was located between Takamagahara, high plain of heaven, and Yomi-no-kuni, a land of dead. As contrasted to Takamagahara, where all the gods inhabited, the country was the place for human beings. “Toyoashihara no Chiihoaki no Mizuho no Kuni” literally means “the place where reeds grow thickly and have bumper crop of rice forever”. In order to have reedy and rich harvest of rice, water is the absolute requirement, and the name suggested that the country was rich with water.
“Land of abundant water: Japan” was already created in a mythical time. For an agricultural race, the water is necessary. Therefore, it is natural that people started to pray to water, and the worship created the Water God. Along with the Water God, Rice-paddy God and the Mountain God came along, and became objects of people’s worship. Legendary creatures such as Kappa, snakes, and dragons, are regarded as messengers of Water God, and people worshiped them as well. Dragons are still popular among young people nowadays. They symbolize the flow of water and their movements signify vortex, swells, and pulses of water. Dragon is regarded as an expression of life force which water possess.
