<P> In Japanese mythology, the creation of Japan (国産 み, Kuniumi, literally "birth or formation of the country") is the traditional and legendary history of the emergence of the Japanese archipelago, of islands, as narrated in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki . According to this legend, after the creation of Heaven and Earth, the gods Izanagi and Izanami were given the task of forming a series of islands that would become what is now Japan . In Japanese mythology these islands make up the known world . The creation of Japan is followed by the creation of the gods (kamiumi) </P> <P> After the formation, the Heaven was above and Earth was still a drifting soft mush . The first five gods named Kotoamatsukami (別 天津 神, "Separate Heavenly Deities") were lone deities without gender and did not procreate . Then came the Kamiyonanayo (神 世 七 代, "The Seven Divine Generations"), consisting of two lone deities followed by five couples . It was the last couple, Izanagi and Izanami that gave earth its solid form and first procreated other gods . </P> <P> The elder gods delegated the youngest couple Izanagi and Izanami to carry out their venerable mandate: to reach down from heaven and give solid form to the earth . This they did with the use of a precious stone - covered spear named Ame - no - nuboko (天沼 矛, "heavenly jewelled spear"), given to them by the elders . Standing over the Ame - no - ukihashi (天 浮橋, "floating bridge of heaven"), they churned the chaotic mass with the spear . When drops of salty water fell from the tip, they formed into the first island, Onogoroshima . In forming this island, both gods came down from heaven, and spontaneously built a central support column called the Ame - no - mihashira (天 御 柱, "heavenly pillar") which upheld the "hall measuring eight fathoms" that the gods caused to appear afterwards . </P> <P> Then they initiated conversation inquiring of each other's bodily anatomy, leading to a mutual decision to mate and procreate: </P>

Who created the island of japan by stirring the water with a spear