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

Amaterasu (天照, Amaterasu^?), 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 Plain (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. Image File history File links Amaterasu_cave. ... Image File history File links Amaterasu_cave. ... Amaterasu (天照) traditionally refers to the Shinto sun goddess; she is also the mythical ancestress of the Imperial Household of Japan. ... Japanese mythology is a very complex system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. ... The Trundholm sun chariot pulled by a horse is believed to be a sculpture illustrating an important part of Nordic Bronze Age mythology. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... “Megami” redirects here. ... 天瓊を以て滄海を探るの図. Painting by Eitaku Kobayashi (Meiji period). ... Takama-ga-hara (Japanese: 高天原), or The High Plain of Heaven, is a place in Japanese mythology. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... “Megami” redirects here. ...

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. Kojiki or Furukotofumi (古事記), also known in English as the Records of Ancient Matters, is the oldest surviving historical book recounting events of ancient earth in the Japanese language. ... 天瓊を以て滄海を探るの図. Painting by Eitaku Kobayashi (Meiji period). ... Susanoo, (Japanese: 須佐之男命, Susa-no-O-no-Mikoto; also romanized as Susanoo, Susa-no-O, and Susanowo) in Shinto is the god of the sea and storms. ... Tsukuyomi (月読の命 or 月夜見の尊, Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto), also known as Tsukuyomi-no-kami, is a god of uncertain gender (referred to as a male kami here) of the moon in Shinto and Japanese mythology. ...

Most of her myths 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 voluptuous 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. Categories: Stub | Japanese goddesses ...

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.

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. Ama-no-Iwato torii Ama-no-Uzume Amaterasu Shinto Japanese mythology Takachiho, Miyazaki Kyushu Japan I took this photo in 1995 and contribute it to the public domain. ... Ama-no-Iwato torii Ama-no-Uzume Amaterasu Shinto Japanese mythology Takachiho, Miyazaki Kyushu Japan I took this photo in 1995 and contribute it to the public domain. ... A famous floating torii at Itsukushima Shrine Multiple torii at Fushimi Inari-taisha, Kyoto Torii are widespread in Japan, to the extent that modern architecture sometimes emulates their form, such as at Kanazawa Station. ... Categories: Towns in Miyazaki Prefecture | Japan geography stubs ... Map of Miyazaki Prefecture. ... In Japanese mythology, Ninigi no Mikoto (瓊瓊杵尊) was the grandson of Amaterasu, who sent him down to earth to plant rice there. ... Meiji era print of Emperor Jimmu Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇 Jinmu Tennō; also known as: Kamuyamato Iwarebiko; given name: Wakamikenu no Mikoto or Sano no Mikoto, born according to legend on January 1, 711 BC, and died, again according to legend, on March 11, 585 BC,[citation needed] was the mythical founder... For other uses, see Kusanagi (disambiguation). ... Magatama Magatama(Japanese: 勾玉), are curved beads which first appeared in Japan during the Jomon period. ... Yata No Kagami ) the sacred mirror, is part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. ... The Japanese Imperial Regalia (Jp: 三種の神器; Sanshu no Jingi, or Three Sacred Treasures) consist of the sword, Kusanagi (草薙剣) (or possibly a replica of the original; see Kusanagi), the jewel, Yasakani no magatama (八尺瓊曲玉), and the mirror Yata no kagami...

Amaterasu is credited with inventing the cultivation of rice and wheat, the use of silkworms, and weaving with a loom. RICE is a treatment method for soft tissue injury which is an abbreviation for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat Wheat For the indie rock group, see Wheat (band). ... Binomial name Bombyx mori Linnaeus, 1758 For other senses of this word, see silkworm (disambiguation). ... Tweed loom, Harris, 2004 Woven sheet 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. ... For other uses, see Loom (disambiguation). ...

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. Ise Shrine (Ise-jingÅ« 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines of Ise or Ise DaijingÅ« 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. ... This article is about the city in Mie Prefecture. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Japanese Imperial Regalia (Jp: 三種の神器; Sanshu no Jingi, or Three Sacred Treasures) consist of the sword, Kusanagi (草薙剣) (or possibly a replica of the original; see Kusanagi), the jewel, Yasakani no magatama (八尺瓊曲玉), and the mirror Yata no kagami...

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. is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of the northern hemisphere winter solstice Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of the southern hemisphere winter solstice In astronomy, the winter solstice is the moment when the earth is at a point in its orbit where one hemisphere is... is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For the CPR ocean liner, see Empress of Japan. ...

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. Kojiki or Furukotofumi (古事記), also known in English as the Records of Ancient Matters, is the oldest surviving historical book recounting events of ancient earth in the Japanese language. ... Nihonshoki (Japanese: 日本書紀), sometimes translated as Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. ...

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. 天瓊を以て滄海を探るの図. Painting by Eitaku Kobayashi (Meiji period). ... In Japanese mythology, Izanami (Katakana: イザナミ; Kanji: 伊弉冉尊 or 伊邪那美命, meaning She who invites) is a goddess of both creation and death, as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi. ...

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. Ashihara no Nakatsukuni ) is, in Japanese mythology, the world between Takamagahara (Heaven) and Yomi (Hell). ... In Japanese mythology, Ninigi no Mikoto (瓊瓊杵尊) was the grandson of Amaterasu, who sent him down to earth to plant rice there. ...

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

See also

• Japanese mythology
• Himiko

	Japanese mythology and folklore Japanese mythology is a very complex system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Amaterasu_cave_crop. ... Japanese mythology is a very complex system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. ... Japanese folklore is the folklore of Japan. ...
	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 Kojiki or Furukotofumi (古事記), also known in English as the Records of Ancient Matters, is the oldest surviving historical book recounting events of ancient earth in the Japanese language. ... Nihonshoki (日本書紀) is the second oldest history book about the ancient history of Japan. ... Illustration from otogizōshi tale, published c. ... Yotsuya Kaidan (四つ谷怪談) is a Japanese ghost story. ... Urashima Tarō ) is a Japanese fairy tale about a fisherman who rescues a turtle and is rewarded with a visit to the RyÅ«gÅ«-jō, the Dragon Palace. ... This article is about the Japanese folklore hero; for the Mortal Kombat character, see Kintaro (Mortal Kombat character). ... Bisque doll of Momotarō Momotarō (桃太郎) is a hero from Japanese folklore. ... Tamamo-no-Mae (玉藻前) is a legendary figure in Japanese mythology. ... In Japanese mythology, Izanami (Katakana: イザナミ; Kanji: 伊弉冉尊 or 伊邪那美命, meaning She who invites) is a goddess of both creation and death, as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi. ... 天瓊を以て滄海を探るの図. Painting by Eitaku Kobayashi (Meiji period). ... Susanoo, (Japanese: 須佐之男命, Susa-no-O-no-Mikoto; also romanized as Susanoo, Susa-no-O, and Susanowo) in Shinto is the god of the sea and storms. ... Categories: Stub | Japanese goddesses ... Inari and her fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade ko-kitsune-maru (Little Fox) in the late 10th century. ... This is a list of divinities native to Japanese beliefs and religious traditions. ... “Megami” redirects here. ... The seven fortune gods (七福神, shichi fukujin) in Japan refer to the seven gods of good fortune in Japanese folklore: ; . They are often the subject of netsuke carvings and other representations. ... This article is about the creatures of Japanese folklore. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Tengu and a Buddhist monk, by Kawanabe Kyōsai. ... Pottery statue of tanuki Wild Tanuki Mt. ... Prince Hanzoku terrorized by a nine-tailed fox. ... ukiyo-e print of yōkai, by Aotoshi Matsui Yōkai apparitions, spirits, or demons, also romanized youkai, or yokai) are a class of obake, creatures in Japanese folklore (many with Chinese origins) ranging from the evil oni to the mischievous kitsune or snow woman Yuki-onna. ... Japanese Dragon water fountain in Fujiyoshida. ... Mount Hiei (Jp. ... Mount Fuji Mount Fuji , IPA: )  , is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,338 ft). ... Izumo (Japanese: 出雲国; Izumo no kuni) was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane prefecture in the Chugoku region. ... In Japanese mythology, RyÅ«gÅ«-jō (竜宮城) is the undersea palace of RyÅ«jin, the dragon god of the sea. ... Takama-ga-hara (Japanese: 高天原), or The High Plain of Heaven, is a place in Japanese mythology. ... This article is about the location in japanese mythology. ...
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