Dai Kōzui

The Dai Kōzui (meaning 'The Great Flood') is a legend that tells of a devastating flood caused by the Ōnamazu.

Summary

When the Kami Toyofutsu-no-kami fought the legendary Ōnamazu, their clash devastated the land. Toyofutsu eventually emergered triumphant, pinning the creature down with chains and a large stone. He then buried the Ōnamazu and the land was flooded to prevent the beast from escaping.

Variations & Mutation

Some scholars believe that the island of Fusō was once connected to the large eastern nation of Ruomu and the great flood dipicted in the story seperated the two. The legend is most popular in Ōmi where the locals believe their province was once landlocked, and the land extended east to The Three Blades and beyond. Toyofutsu-no-kami is the patron deity of the province, and ancestor of the ruling Aoyama Clan. In other parts of Fusō, however, the idea of a great flood dividing the land is seen as heretical because the prevailing religion states Fusō was always an island that was birthed by the powerful divine kami, Isanami-no-Mikoto.

Adding credence to the Ōmi variant of the legend, there is also a similar tale in parts of Ruomu. Past invaders from the region have used it to justify their claim on Fusō and the surrounding islands. They believed Fusō was home to a mythical tree of life that existed on an island where the sun rise's each morning. A second tree, was said to be in the far eastern reaches of Ruomu, where the sun sets. A flock of ten ravens would traverse between these trees, carrying the sun on their backs.