Yomotsu Hirasaka is a legendary slope said in Japanese mythology to mark the boundary between the world of the living and Yomi-no-Kuni, the realm of the dead. It appears as “Yomotsu Hirasaka” in the Kojiki, as “Yomotsu Hirasaka” or “Izumo Hirasaka” in the Nihon Shoki, and as “Yomi-no-Saka” in the Izumo Fudoki. For centuries, it has remained an important setting in the mythology and religious traditions of ancient Japan.
Rather than simply referring to a physical slope, Yomotsu Hirasaka symbolizes the boundary between life and death, this world and the afterlife. It is a place where a major turning point in Japanese mythology takes place and offers an opportunity to reflect on traditional Japanese ideas about life, death, separation, and the world beyond.
Yomotsu Hirasaka appears twice in the first volume of the Kojiki. The best-known episode is the tragic story of Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto, the divine couple associated with the creation of the Japanese islands.
After giving birth to the fire deity Kagutsuchi, Izanami died and traveled to Yomi-no-Kuni, the land of the dead. Grieving deeply over the loss of his beloved wife, Izanagi followed her into the underworld in the hope of bringing her back.
Izanami agreed to return with him, but warned Izanagi that he must never look at her. Unable to resist his curiosity, Izanagi eventually lit a fire and saw her true appearance. Instead of the beautiful goddess he remembered, he found her transformed and terrifying. Frightened, Izanagi fled, while Izanami sent the forces of Yomi after him.
At the end of the pursuit, Izanagi reached Yomotsu Hirasaka, the boundary between the two worlds. He placed a huge stone known as the Chibiki-no-Iwa across the passage, blocking the way between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. From this moment, the two worlds were symbolically separated.
Yomotsu Hirasaka is also connected with the mythology of Okuninushi-no-Kami. After traveling to Ne-no-Kuni, Okuninushi undergoes a series of trials imposed by Susanoo. He eventually escapes together with his wife, Suseribime, and the boundary represented by Yomotsu Hirasaka again plays an important role.
In this story as well, the slope represents a place where the otherworld and the human world meet, reinforcing its importance as a symbolic gateway between different realms.
In the Kojiki, the location is described as “Izumo no Kuni no Ifuya-zaka”. The traditional site has been identified with the Iya area of Higashiizumo, Matsue, in eastern Shimane Prefecture.
About 300 meters south of National Route 9, a gentle slope leads to a quiet wooded hillside where a monument commemorating Yomotsu Hirasaka stands. The stone monument was erected in 1940 by Chujiro Sato as part of a commemorative project marking the 2,600th year of the Japanese imperial era. It bears an inscription identifying the site as the legendary location of Yomotsu Hirasaka at Ifuya.
Large stones known as Chibiki-no-Iwaza can also be found nearby. Their imposing presence evokes the great stone said in mythology to have sealed the entrance to Yomi-no-Kuni, giving the site a mysterious and atmospheric character.
The surrounding area was once crossed by an old mountain route leading toward Ito. It was known as Yomiji-goe, while a nearby valley was called Yomijigatani. The word “Yomiji” is associated with Yomiji, the road to Yomi, or the path leading to the land of the dead.
These traditional place names preserve echoes of the ancient mythology and show how deeply the stories of Yomi-no-Kuni have become embedded in the local landscape.
Nearby Iya Shrine is dedicated to Izanami-no-Mikoto and has a strong connection with the mythology surrounding Yomotsu Hirasaka. Visiting the shrine together with the traditional Yomotsu Hirasaka site allows travelers to experience the story from several different perspectives.
The main text of the Nihon Shoki does not provide the same detailed account of Yomotsu Hirasaka as the Kojiki. However, alternative traditions recorded as “one account says” mention names such as Yomotsu Hirasaka and Izumo Hirasaka.
These passages include episodes in which Izanagi and Izanami confront one another and the deity Kukurihime appears. Here too, the location is presented as a symbolic boundary separating the worlds of life and death.
Some traditional commentaries interpret Yomotsu Hirasaka not as a specific physical location, but as a symbolic expression of the moment of death itself. This interpretation highlights the dual nature of the concept: it can be understood both as a geographical place and as a spiritual or symbolic boundary.
There have been many interpretations of the location and nature of Yomi-no-Kuni. The Edo-period scholar Norinaga Motoori interpreted it as an underground realm, while later scholars have proposed other possibilities, including an otherworld existing horizontally beyond the human world or a purely symbolic space.
There are also several interpretations of the word “hira”. Some scholars associate it with a steep cliff, while others interpret it as meaning an edge or boundary. Another interpretation connects it with a slope. These theories suggest that the name may convey the idea of a boundary or dividing line rather than simply describing a physical incline.
Today, the traditional Yomotsu Hirasaka site is a peaceful place surrounded by trees. The large stones stand quietly along the site, creating the impression of an entrance that once separated this world from another. The atmosphere is particularly evocative for visitors interested in mythology, history, and traditional Japanese spirituality.
Yomotsu Hirasaka is more than a sightseeing destination. It is a place where visitors can encounter ancient Japanese mythology and traditional ideas about life and death. Standing on the slope while recalling the tragic story of Izanagi and Izanami can bring universal themes of love, loss, separation, death, and rebirth vividly to mind.
In recent years, a special “Letters to Heaven” postbox has been installed at the site. Visitors can write down their thoughts and feelings for someone important to them, making the location a place not only of mythology but also of personal remembrance and prayer.
In this way, Yomotsu Hirasaka continues to take on new meaning in the modern world. While it remains a legendary gateway between the worlds of the living and the dead, it has also become a quiet place where visitors can express memories, hopes, and feelings for those who are no longer with them.
Yomotsu Hirasaka is an important setting in the mythology of ancient Izumo, yet it remains a remarkably quiet and natural place today. It is particularly appealing to travelers interested in Japanese mythology, ancient history, spirituality, and traditional beliefs, as well as those looking for a peaceful place for reflection.
Visit this legendary boundary where the worlds of the living and the dead were once believed to meet, and take a moment to imagine the timeless stories that have been passed down in Japan for more than a thousand years.