Konohanasakuya-hime or Sakuya-hime (Kanji: 木花之佐久夜毘売/Konohanasakuya-hime/) is the goddess of Mount Fuji and volcanoes in Japanese mythology. She is the daughter of the mountain god Ouyamatsumi. Her name means "A woman who blooms and flourish like a cherry blossom (sakura)." Originally, she is considered the goddess of water, however, after the story of her and her husband, Ninigi-no-Mikoto of Amatsukami, her status changed to that of the goddess of volcanoes. She is also believed to be the ancestor of the Hayato people.[1]
Mythology[]
Marriage with Ninigi[]
Sakuya-hime met with her future husband Ninigi on the seashore and the two fell in love; this continued with Ninigi asking her father for her hand in marriage. Ouyamatsumi originally proposed his oldest daughter, Iwanaga-hime, the rock princess and goddess of immortality, instead, but Ninigi already had his heart on Sakuya-hime. It is said that because he married Sakuya-hime, human lives are short-fleeing like a cherry blossom, instead of long-lasting like a rock.[1]
After they're married, Sukuna-hime became pregnant overnight. This cause her husband to suspect her of conceiving the child of another kami. Sakuya-hime was enraged by her husband's accusation and shut herself inside a doorless hut and set fire to it. She swore that if the child was truly Ninigi's, they will be unharmed by the fire. She would later give birth to a triplet; Hoderi, Hosuseri and Hoori. This story is what caused her association with volcanoes.