seven generations of celestial gods
In Japanese mythology, the seven pairs or generations of gods that came into existence after the first three primordial deities. Often contrasted with 天神七代 (the seven generations of heavenly gods).
See also: 天神七代
The Kojiki records the names of the gods of the seven divine generations.
天神七代 is an alternative term for the same concept, using the reading しちだい instead of ななよ. Both refer to the seven generations of primordial gods in Japanese mythology.
Standard kanji spelling for the mythological term.
Variant spelling using 世 instead of 代; both are seen in reference to the seven divine generations.
Compound of 神代 (kamiyo, 'age of the gods') and 七代 (nanayo, 'seven generations'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is a conventional label in Shinto mythology.