Tamanooya

The magatama is the comma-shaped bead that turns up in Japanese graves from the Jōmon onward, and the word for it is also the word for a soul. What he strings is therefore a rope of souls, hung on a tree outside a cave, to persuade the sun to come back — which is a more particular piece of religion than 'jewellery' conveys.

Domains

• craft

Relations

• companion: Ishikoridome

Sources

• Reference treatment of the Ama-no-Iwato episode and its makers.