“April 18, 1798” On this day, Oyasama was born. This painting depicts not only her birth but also various aspects of Oyasama through symbolic imagery. At the top of the painting is the primordial sea of mud. The white snake (which contains a turtle’s tool and represents Izanami) is a symbol of the mother of humanity. The newborn Oyasama holds the plum blossom that the white snake is carrying in its mouth. This implies that Oyasama possesses the soul of the mother of humanity. The plum blossom is a symbol of Oyasama’s teachings and the protection of her divine assistance. A man is offering a red kimono. This foreshadows the red robe that Oyasama would later wear. A child holds a brush and paper. This alludes to the “Ofudesaki.” Three children are clasping their hands in prayer and beating a drum. This alludes to the “Tsutome.” The area enclosed by a hedge is shaped into a hexagon, symbolizing the “Jiba,” and the red house in one corner represents the residence of the living Oyasama. The paths extending in all four directions from the hexagon represent Oyasama’s “Path of the Model.”
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