Amaterasu emerging from the cave, Ama-no-Iwato, to which she once retreated (detail of woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada)
Amaterasu Ōmikami (天照大（御）神;), often called Amaterasu for short, also known as Amateru Kami (天照神) and Ōhirume no Muchi (大日孁貴), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (kami) of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the Kojiki (c. 712 CE) and the Nihon Shoki (720 CE), as the ruler (or one of the rulers) of the heavenly realm Takamagahara and as the mythical ancestress of the Imperial House of Japan via her grandson Ninigi. Along with two of her siblings (the moon deity Tsukuyomi and the impetuous storm-god Susanoo) she ranks as one of the "Three Precious Children" (三貴子, mihashira no uzu no miko / sankishi), the three most important offspring of the creator god Izanagi.
Amaterasu's chief place of worship, the Grand Shrine of Ise in Ise, Mie Prefecture, is one of Shinto's holiest sites and a major pilgrimage center and tourist spot. As with other Shinto kami, she is also enshrined in a number of Shinto shrines throughout Japan.
Attributes
Amaterasu is the Queen of Heaven, the kami, and creation itself. Though she did not create the universe, she is the goddess of creation, a role she inherited from her father, Izanagi, who now defends the world from the land of the dead. Goddess of the Rising Sun
Amaterasu’s primary role is that of the sun goddess. In this position, she not only serves as the literal rising sun that illuminates all things, but also provides nourishment to all living creatures and marks the orderly movement of day into night.
The sun represents order and purity, two of Shinto’s most important concepts. All things in creation are ordered, from Amaterasu down to the denizens of Jigoku and other hells.
Shrines
The Ise Grand Shrine (known commonly as Jingū) is not only Japan’s most historically important shrine, but also the official shrine of the Imperial Family. Dedicated to Amaterasu, this shrine houses the Imperial Regalia and was an important site of pilgrimage throughout the Edo Period (1600–1868). There are several sections of the shrine where only priestesses and members of the Imperial Family may pass. As such, the shrine’s chief priest and priestess must be of the Imperial Family line.
Another shrine, Amanoiwato Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture, is said to be near the gorge where Ama-no-Iwato, the cave where Amaterasu hid herself from the world, can be found.
The Birth of Amaterasu
From the mists of time emerged two deities, Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto, the divine male and female gods of creation. Seeking to fill the misty void, they devised the marriage ritual and engaged in sex, but had to repeat the ritual due to a mistake on Izanami’s part. This second, successful attempt yielded a multitude of kami, spiritual beings representing the natural world and the islands of Japan. The last of these beings—fire—subsequently killed Izanami.
Wrought with grief, Izanagi journeyed to Yomi, or “the shadowy land of the dead.” Searching far and wide, he eventually found his wife and was shocked to find her rotting flesh full of oni and other demons. Seeing his rejection of her, Izanami flew into a rage and attempted to chase him past the gates of death; however, he managed to block the gates with a boulder. Izanami swore that if he left her there, she would kill one thousand people every day. He replied that, each day, he would create five hundred more lives than she could destroy, thereby ensuring the survival of earth’s population.
Disgusted by the taint of death that lay upon him, Izanagi found a pool of pure water nearby and bathed himself in it. As he washed his left eye, Amaterasu emerged, fully-grown and glowing with the light of the sun. He washed his right eye next, and from it emerged the shining Tsukuyomi, the moon who reflected his sister’s light. As he cleaned his nose, a storm emerged and took the shape of Susanoo, the storm god and ruler of the seas. These three Izanagi tasked with ruling the heavens, with Amaterasu as their leader. Day and Night
As was the natural order of things, Amaterasu married her brother Tsukuyomi and together they ruled the day and night. The marriage produced children, but Tsukuyomi lacked Amaterasu’s naturally glowing disposition. Whatever goodness he had was merely a reflection of her light. Ultimately, Tsukuyomi revealed his true colors at a banquet when the goddess Uke Mochi created a bounty from which food could be grown. After she spat fish into the sea and game into the forests, she proceeded to pull crops from her rectum. Disgusted by her actions, Tsukuyomi killed her on the spot.
Amaterasu rejected her husband’s disgust and banished him for his evil actions. Thus, day and night became separated for all eternity. Amaterasu and the Cave
Though Izanagi tasked all three of his children with ruling the heavens, Amaterasu’s claim was strongest - as Izanagi’s first born, she held the divine right to rule. The youngest of the three, Susanoo, resented his elder sister’s right to rule and questioned it openly. Eventually, Susanoo’s arrogance led his father Izanagi to banish him.
Before his departure, Susanoo went to bid his sister goodbye. When his actions were met with suspicion by Amaterasu, Susanoo issued a challenge to prove his sincerity. As the challenge began, Susanoo took Amaterasu’s necklace as she took his sword. Using these vessels, they each birthed goddesses: Amaterasu produced three goddesses from the Heavenly Blade while Susanoo produced five gods from the Grand Jewel. Since she owned the Grand Jewel and more gods were birthed from it, Amaterasu claimed she had won the challenge.
Outraged by her claim, Susanoo went into a rampage, destroying much of Heaven and earth. He annihilated Amaterasu’s personal rice fields and threw animal carcasses about, even going so far as to throw a pony at her loom. One of Amaterasu’s personal attendants died during the rampage, causing an already angry Amaterasu to mourn as well. Ashamed that her actions had led to such chaos, she fled to a cave now known as Ama-no-Iwato, the Heavenly Rock Cave. With Amaterasu in hiding, the world plunged into darkness and chaos. Thus began the first winter, a hard time for a world used to basking in the sun.
The kami looked down upon the world and, seeing the chaos left in Amaterasu’s absence, decided they must bring her back. Though they asked her to return and described the chaos caused by her absence, Amaterasu refused to listen and blocked the cave entrance with a rock. After almost a year, wise Omoikane determined that if she would not come out of her own volition, they would have to lure her out with curiosity. To this end, a grand party was thrown.
The plan worked, as the music, dancing, and joyous cries of the gods did indeed peak Amaterasu’s attention. The noise intensified when the dawn goddess Ame-no-Uzume performed a particularly revealing dance. Curious, Amaterasu drew closer to the cave entrance and there discovered an Eight-Fold Mirror. Fascinated by the light of her own reflection, Amaterasu at last came to the mouth of the cave. It was at that moment Omoikane drew back the stone that blocked the entrance.
As he did so, Amaterasu’s light reentered the world, illuminating the chaos that had been left in her wake. Winter ended at last, and spring and summer brought life back to Japan. Ashamed, she begged forgiveness for her actions. It was given freely, for Susanoo’s behavior had been nothing less than abhorrent. His banishment was henceforth carried out, and Amaterasu returned to heaven. She later reconciled with her brother, who gave her the Heavenly Blade as a gift.
In time, Amaterasu sent her grandson Ninigi to rule the earthly realm after her son refused. She gave him the Imperial Regalia, which helped Ninigi to establish a kingdom of justice and harmony. His great-grandson Jimmu became the First Emperor of Japan, and ruled with the Imperial Regalia as a sign of his divine right and lineage.
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