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Amaterasu

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The Sun goddess emerging out of a cave, bringing sunlight back to the universe.


Amaterasu (天照), Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大神 or 天照大御神) or Ōhiru-menomuchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神) is in Japanese mythology a sun goddess and perhaps the most important Shinto deity (神 kami). Her name, Amaterasu, means literally "(that which) illuminates Heaven". She was born from the left eye of Izanagi as he purified himself in a river and went on to become the ruler of the Higher Celestial Plane (Takamagahara) and was also considered to be directly linked in lineage to the Imperial Household of Japan and the Emperor, who were considered descendants of the kami themselves.

History

Story of Amaterasu

Amaterasu is described in the Kojiki as the sun goddess who was born from Izanagi, who was also accompanied by her siblings Susanoo, the storm deity, and Tsukuyomi, the moon deity. In the Kojiki, Amaterasu is described as the goddess from which all light emanates and is often referred to as the sun goddess because of her warmth and compassion for the people who worshipped her.

Most of her mythos revolves around an incident where the goddess traps herself in a cave because of her brother's actions. For a while, everything amongst the three revered gods was peaceful and all of the world ran smoothly. One day Susanoo, in a drunken rampage trampled Amaterasu's rice fields, filled all of her irrigation ditches and threw excrement into her palace and her shrines. The Omikami asked her brother to stop but he ignored her and even went so far as to throw the corpse of a skinned horse at her hand-maidens who were weaving at the time. The women were killed by the wood breaking apart and piercing their bodies (most sources say it was their reproductive organs that were pierced.)

Amaterasu was greatly angered and in protest she shut herself in the Heavenly Cave and sealed it shut with a giant rock. As a result, the world was consumed with darkness. Without her, everything began to wither and die. Eight million Kami gathered in front of her cave and devised a way to lure her out. They all sat around the cave and set up a mirror across from the entrance. Ame-no-Uzume, the vuluptuous goddess of merriment turned over a wash-tub and began a sensual dance, tapping the beat on the tub. She exposed her breasts and lifted her skirts as she danced. All of the gods made a great noise of yelling and cheering and laughing. Amaterasu peeked out to see what the noise was about. She asked the nearest god what was going on and he replied that there was a new goddess. When Amaterasu asked where she was, he pointed to the mirror.

The Omikami had never seen her self and when she caught her reflection, she stared at the radiance of her own form. She was so surprised she said omo-shiroi which means both "white face" which the Omikami had and "fascinating". When she was out of the way, Tajikara-O shut the rock behind her. Having her out of the cave, the gods convinced her to go back into the Celestial Plain and all life began to grow again and become strong in her light. Once back in the Celestial Plain, she made sure that she was ready for her brother's harsh actions again by having a bow and quiver at her side.

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Torii at the Ama-no-Iwato Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture


Later she sent her grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto to pacify Japan: His great-grandson became the first emperor, Emperor Jimmu. He had a sacred sword (Kusanagi), jewel (Yasakani no magatama), and mirror (Yata no kagami) that became the Japanese imperial regalia.

Amaterasu is credited with inventing the cultivation of rice and wheat, the use of silkworms, and weaving with a loom.

Her most important shrine, the Grand Shrine of Ise, is in Ise in western Honshū. The shrine is torn down and rebuilt every 20 years. In that shrine she is represented as a mirror, one of the three Japanese imperial regalia. The Ise Shrine is said to be the home of Amaterasu. This shrine, however, is not open to the public.

She is celebrated every July 17 with street processions all over the country. Festivities on December 21, the winter solstice, celebrate her coming out of the cave.

Until forced to recant (in the terms of surrender at the end of World War II), the Japanese royal family claimed descent from Amaterasu, and the emperor was officially considered divine.

Difference between Kojiki and Nihonshoki

In Kojiki and Nihonshoki, the goddess was described with slight difference. Mainly, the story of Kojiki is much better known.

First is the story of her birth. In Kojiki she was born after Izanagi failed to retrieve Izanami from underworld. However, in Nihonshoki, Izanagi and Izanami, who was still alive, together decided to create the supreme deity to reign over the world, and gave birth to Amaterasu.

The episode of sending her grandson to Ashihara no Nakatsukuni (Japan) is also different in two myths. In Kojiki, Amaterasu commanded her son and other gods to pacify Japan. On the other hand, the main article of Nihonshoki records the myth that it was Takamimusubi-no-Kami who took control of the event and sent his maternal grandson Ninigi to Japan. The role of Amaterasu is ambiguous in the episode.

In both cases, Nihonshoki records similar version of Kojiki episode as "aru-fumi", the alternative episode.

See also

Japanese mythology and folklore
Mythic texts and folktales:
Kojiki | Nihon Shoki | Otogizōshi | Yotsuya Kaidan
Urashima Tarō | Kintarō | Momotarō | Tamamo-no-Mae
Divinities:
Izanami | Izanagi | Amaterasu
Susanoo | Ama-no-Uzume | Inari
List of divinities | Kami | Seven Lucky Gods
Legendary creatures:
Oni | Kappa | Tengu | Tanuki | Fox | Yōkai | Dragon
Mythical and sacred locations:
Mt. Hiei | Mt. Fuji | Izumo | Ryūgū-jō | Takamagahara | Yomi
Religions | Sacred objects | Creatures and spirits
Japanese mythology is a very complex system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion.The Shinto pantheon alone consists of an uncountable number of kami (Japanese for "gods" or "spirits").
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solar deity (also heliolatry or sun worship), is a god or goddess who represents the sun, or an aspect of it. People have worshipped these for all of recorded history.
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Shinto (神道 shintō
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Kami (
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Imperial House of Japan (also referred to as the Imperial Family or kōshitsu, 皇室) comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties.
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Kami (
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Kojiki or Furukotofumi (古事記), also known in English as the Records of Ancient Matters, is the oldest surviving book in Japan.
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Susano'o (須佐之男命 Susa-no-O-no-Mikoto
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Tsukuyomi or Tsukiyomi(月読の命 or 月夜見の尊, Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto), also known as Tsukuyomi-no-kami, is the god of the moon in Shinto and Japanese mythology.
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Ninigi no Mikoto (瓊瓊杵尊) is in Japanese mythology the son of Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto, and grandson of Amaterasu, who sent him down to earth to plant rice there. He was the great-grandfather of Emperor Jimmu.
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Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇 Jinmu Tennō; also known as: Kamuyamato Iwarebiko; given name: Wakamikenu no Mikoto or Sano no Mikoto
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Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (Japanese: 草薙の剣) is a legendary Japanese sword as important to Japan's history as Excalibur is to Britain's, and is one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan.
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Magatama (勾玉| or 曲玉|), are curved beads which first appeared in Japan during the Jōmon period
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The Imperial Regalia of Japan (三種の神器 Sanshu no Jingi
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RICE is a treatment method for soft tissue injury which is an abbreviation for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.[1][2][3] When used appropriately, recovery time is usually shortened and discomfort minimized.
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B. mori

Binomial name
Bombyx mori
Linnaeus, 1758

Synonyms

Bombyx mori mori The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of Bombyx mori
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Weaving is an ancient textile art and craft that involves placing two sets of threads or yarn called the warp and weft of the loom and turning them into cloth. This cloth can be plain (in one color or a simple pattern), or it can be woven in decorative or artistic designs,
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loom. Vertical looms were probably the first to be invented.]] A loom is a machine or device for weaving thread or yarn into textiles. Looms can range from very small hand-held frames, to large free-standing hand looms, to huge automatic mechanical devices.
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Ise Shrine (Ise-jingū 伊勢神宮) is a Shinto shrine to the goddess Amaterasu ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan.
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Ise (伊勢市 Ise-shi)
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The Imperial Regalia of Japan (三種の神器 Sanshu no Jingi
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July 17 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events


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Winter Solstice, historically known as Midwinter, occurs around December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern hemisphere, and June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.
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December 21 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.
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Allied powers:
 Soviet Union
 United States
 United Kingdom
 China
 France
...et al. Axis powers:
 Germany
 Japan
 Italy
...et al.
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Japan

This article is part of the series:
Politics of Japan


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