Amaterasu (天照?), Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大神 / 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?). Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based Folk religion. "Sun god" redirects here For the Ramsey Lewis album see Sun Goddess (album. is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. 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 Plain (Takamagahara). is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology and Shintoism, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male who invites" Takama-ga-hara (also Takaamahara Taka-no-amahara Takamanohara Takamagahara (高天原) literally "High Heaven's Plain" but often translated as the "High Plain of Heaven"
She is also said to be directly linked in lineage to the Imperial Household of Japan and the Emperor, who are considered descendants of the kami themselves. The 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 The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family.
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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 Susano'o, the storm deity, and Tsukuyomi, the moon deity. is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology and Shintoism, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male who invites" is the Shinto God of the Sea and storms Myths In Japanese mythology, Susanoo the Withering Wind of Summer is the brother of Amaterasu 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 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. Some other myths state that Amaterasu was born from water.
Most of her myths revolve 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, Susano'o, 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 (in the Kojiki it was their reproductive organs that were pierced[1]).
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 voluptuous goddess of merriment turned over a wash-tub and began a sensual dance, tapping the beat on the tub. is the goddess of dawn and revelry in the Shinto religion of Japan. 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 herself before 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 lured 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.
Later she sent her grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto to pacify Japan: his great-grandson became the first emperor, Emperor Jimmu. A is a traditional Japanese Gate commonly found at the entry to a Shinto shrine, although it can be found at Buddhist temples as well is a town located in Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ninigi-no-Mikoto ( Amenigishikuninigishiamatsuhikohikohononinigi-no-Mikoto) is in Japanese mythology the son of Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto and grandson of Amaterasu also known as Kamuyamato Iwarebiko; given name Wakamikenu no Mikoto or Sano no Mikoto, born according to the legendary account in the Kojiki on He had a sacred sword (Kusanagi), jewel (Yasakani no magatama), and mirror (Yata no kagami) that became the Japanese imperial regalia. 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 Magatama (ja 勾玉 or ja 曲玉) are curved Beads which first appeared in Japan during the Jōmon period. is a sacred mirror that is part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. The, also known as the Three Sacred Treasures, consist of the Sword, Kusanagi (草薙劍 the jewel or necklace of jewels
Amaterasu is credited with inventing the cultivation of rice and wheat, use of silkworms, and weaving with a loom. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. This article describes textile weaving For other senses of this word see Weaving (disambiguation. 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
Kukai famously linked Amaterasu with Dainichi Nyorai, a central manifestation of the Buddha, whose name is literally "Great Sun Buddha". Vairocana (also Vairochana or Mahāvairocana; वैरोचन Sanskrit or 毘盧遮那佛 Chinese: Dàrì Rúlái or Thus Amaterasu is held as an divine Emanation of Buddha Vairocana.
Her most important shrine, the Grand Shrine of Ise, is in Ise in western Honshū. Ise Shrine ( Ise-jingū 伊勢神宮 is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture formerly called Ujiyamada (宇治山田 is a city located in eastern Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan. or Honshu is the largest Island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of 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, also known as the Three Sacred Treasures, consist of the Sword, Kusanagi (草薙劍 the jewel or necklace of jewels 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. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Festivities on December 21, the winter solstice, celebrate her coming out of the cave. The winter solstice occurs at the instant when the Sun 's position in the sky is at its greatest angular distance on the other side of the equatorial plane from the Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian
Difference between Kojiki and Nihonshoki
In Kojiki and Nihonshoki, the goddess was described with slight difference. The, sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. 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. is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology and Shintoism, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male who invites" In Japanese mythology, is a Goddess of both creation and death as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi. 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. is in Japanese mythology, the world between Takamagahara ( Heaven) and Yomi ( Hell) 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. Ninigi-no-Mikoto ( Amenigishikuninigishiamatsuhikohikohononinigi-no-Mikoto) is in Japanese mythology the son of Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto and grandson of Amaterasu 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
References
- ^ Readable Japanese Mythology: Selections from Nihon shoki and Kojiki Robert Borgen; Marian Ury. Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based Folk religion. was an obscure Shaman queen of Yamataikoku in ancient Wa (Japan. The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese, Vol. 24, No. 1. (Apr. , 1990), p. 70
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