Izanami
Also: Izana-mi, Izanami-no-mikoto or Izanami-no-kami
Japanese: イザナミ, 伊弉冉尊 or 伊邪那美命
Translated: “She who invites”
The wife and sister of Izanagi. They descended from heaven and created the Japanese islands. They built a tower on the island. When they chose to get married they walked in opposite directions around the tower. When they met Izanami spoke first. Izanagi believed this incorrect, but they mated anyway and Izanami bore Hiruko (”leech-child”) who later became Ebisu and Awashima (”faint island”). They were born deformed and cast adrift at sea.
Izanagi and Izanami consulted the other deities and asked where they went wrong. The other deities indicated that during the wedding cermony the male deity should speak first. Izanagi and Izanami performed the wedding ceremony properly. They bore the eight major islands of the Japanese archipelago.
She was killed in childbirth when she gave birth to Ho-masubi. Izanagi slew the newborn in anger resulting in many new kami.
This is the beginning of death according to the Shinto tradition. Izanami is the ruler of the underworld (Yomi) and is the kami of the death. See the Izanagi entry for the story of Izanami’s descent into Yomi.