Slaying the Yamata no Orochi thumb|right|200px|Susanoo rescues Kushinada Hime (Toyohara Chikanobu) After his banishment, Susanoo came down from heaven to Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni (葦原中国, the 'Central Land of Reed Plains', i.e. the earthly land of Japan), to the land of Izumo, where he met an elderly couple named Ashinazuchi (足名椎 / 脚摩乳) and Tenazuchi (手名椎 / 手摩乳), who told him that seven of their eight daughters had been devoured by a monstrous serpent known as the Yamata no Orochi (八俣遠呂智 / 八岐大蛇, "eight-forked serpent") and it was nearing time for their eighth, Kushinadahime (櫛名田比売; also called Kushiinadahime, Inadahime, or Makami-Furu-Kushiinadahime in the Shoki).
slaying the yamata no orochi thumb|right|200px|susanoo rescues kushinada hime (toyohara chikanobu) after his banishment susanoo came down from heaven to ashihara-no-nakatsukuni (葦原中国 the 'central land of reed plains' ie the earthly land of japan) to the land of izumo where he met an elderly couple named ashinazuchi (足名椎 / 脚摩乳) and tenazuchi (手名椎 / 手摩乳) who told him that seven of their eight daughters had been devoured by a monstrous serpent known as the yamata no orochi (八俣遠呂智 / 八岐大蛇 "eight-forked serpent") and it was nearing time for their eighth kushinadahime (櫛名田比売; also called kushiinadahime inadahime or makami-furu-kushiinadahime in the shoki)