Kagutsuchi – The Japanese God of Fire: Homusubi is another name for Kagutsuchi, the Shinto deity or god of fire.
Kagutsuchi-no-kami was said to have been born from Izanami, a member of the Shinto creator gods, however, due to his intense heat, he also killed his mother.
This is according to the Kojiki and Nikon Shoki, written in the eighth century CE. His father chopped off Kagutsuchi’s head with his enormous sword.
Kuraokami-no-kami, who is described as a dragon and rain deity in the Manyoshu poem anthology, was one of two other gods created from Kagutsuchi’s blood.
Being seen as a god who was either made of fire or who always emitted fire, even as a child, caused a significant problem.
Izanami, Kagutsuchi’s mother, was fatally burned at the time of his birth. In retaliation, Kagutsuchi’s father Izanagi severed his head from his body, then split it into eight pieces, creating eight volcanoes.
As a result of their traditional use of extremely flammable wooden and paper walls having wood shale or grass roofs, Japanese houses have historically been built with a great fear of fire and the destruction it might inflict.
Over the years, fires have destroyed practically every significant old structure and temple in the ancient towns of Japan.