Amaterasu Omikami
Great Goddess Shining in Heaven

by J.C. Moua and Seth Tabor

Among the most highly revered of all the Shinto Kami is Amaterasu Omikami, the Great Sun Goddess. Amaterasu Omikami is virtually the supreme deity in Japanese mythology as well as the ancestor goddess of the imperial family.

In order to understand why Amaterasu Omikami is the object of such devotion, one must examine her origins. There are several versions of this creation story. The Nihongi, an eighth-century collation of many ancient Japanese myths and legends, records that the two creator deities, Izanagi no Mikoto ("The Male Who Invites") and Izanami no Mikoto ("The Female Who Invites"), first descended from heaven and together produced the various islands of Japan, together with the mountains, rivers, and surrounding seas. Then they undertook their greatest work of all, to generate the high Kami that would rule over all these dominions. First they procreated Amaterasu Omikami, whose radiance shone through the six directions (north, south, east, west, above, and below). The divine parents were so delighted with this child that they immediately sent her up to heaven and established her there to rule over all she could survey. Next, Izanami and Izanagi created Tsukiyomi no Mikoto, the Moon Kami, whom they also set in heaven and designated as Amaterasu's celestial consort, to rule together with her. Third, the creator gods generated a “Leech Child,” which, however, appeared so bungled and misshapen that they regretfully put it in a boat and abandoned it to the winds. Fourth, Izanami and Izanagi procreated Susano-O no Mikoto, the Storm Kami, to whom they initially gave dominion over the seas but then later sent down to rule in Yomi, the underworld (Nihongi 18-19). Among other things, this myth makes clear that Amaterasu's primacy in the birth order reflected an unquestionable moral and spiritual superiority over her siblings.

Another version of Amaterasu and her siblings' genesis is also recounted in the Nihongi. This myth names Izanagi alone as their divine progenitor. According to this narrative, Izanagi wished to create a deity who would be worthy to rule the visible universe. After deliberating, he took a white-copper mirror in his left hand and from it produced Amaterasu Omikami. Then he took another such mirror in his right hand and produced Tsukiyomi no Mikoto. After this, Izanagi turned his head and looked askance, from which action Susano-O emerged into being (Nihongi 20).

A third version of Sun Goddess's origin occurs in the Kojiki (712 C.E.), the oldest extant source of Japanes mythology. This rendition of the story places it in a much more somber context, involving the ideas of death, putrefaction, and the need for purification. The narrative takes its point of departure in the various creative acts by which Izanagi and Izanami were producing the islands of Japan and the entire natural universe. All seemed to be going well, when suddenly Izanami gave birth to Kagu-Tsuchi (“Fire Child”), who singed her womb on coming out. Grievously wounded, Izanami sickened and died. Deeply distraught, Izanagi descended to Yomi in hopes of bringing back his beloved wife. He succeeded in finding her and talking to her, but then -- in a nightmarish reversal of fortune -- he discovered that her flesh was rotting and being eaten by maggots. Horrified, Izanagi fled, and he barely escaped with his life. On emerging into the upper world, he felt blemished and impure. Because of this, Izanagi decided to bathe himself. As he was bathing, he first washed his left eye and gave birth to the great goddess, Amaterasu Omikami. Then he washed his right eye and produced Tsukiyomi no Mikoto. Finally, Izanagi washed his nose, and from this Susano-O no Mikoto came forth (Kojiki 46; Nihongi 28).

Relations between Amaterasu and her youngest brother were rocky from the beginning. Susano-O seems to have been the proverbial mischief maker, playing wicked pranks and constantly upsetting his elder sister. Moreover, he appeared unable to accept the tragic death of his mother. His constant weeping and wailing caused the forests to wither on the mountains and the rivers and streams to dry up (Kojiki 51). Finally, his father Izanagi ordered him to leave the terrestrial realm and go down to Yomi. Before his departure, however, Susano-o decided to visit his sister one last time. As he approached, he made a great deal of noise, shaking the mountains and rivers. On meeting Amaterasu, he told her that he meant no harm, he just wanted to say good-bye before going to the realm where their mother Izanami was. Amaterasu was still suspicious, but Susano-O proposed that as a seal of their friendship they should produce offspring, which they did. Their divine act of generation took the form of mutually munching each other's most sacred talisman -- he consuming her necklace and she his sword. From this act, various gods and goddesses were created, among them Ame no Oshi-ho-Mimi no Mikoto (Truly-I-Conquer-Swiftness-Heaven-of-Great-August-Person), who later became the ancestor of the Japanese imperial line (ibid. 54).

The goodwill resulting from this exchange of creative energies was to prove short-lived, however. When Susano-o returned to see Amaterasu, he was in a wild and reckless mood. He separated the division of the rice fields laid out by Amaterasu and filled them with ditches. He then strewed excrement in her palace. After this, Susano-O found Amaterasu sitting in a long hall watching other deities weaving heavenly garments. The Storm God proceeded to break a hole in her roof and throw a dead horse into the hall. The goddesses who were weaving the heavenly garments were so shocked that many were injured and some even died. Amaterasu was so appalled by the incident that she hid herself in a deep cavern in the center of the earth, the so-called Rock Cave, and refused to come out. As a result, the world became plunged in darkness.

The absence of light prompted eight-hundred deities to assemble around the Rock Cave of Heaven. The deities tried to convince Amaterasu to come out from hiding, but she refused. Among the eight-hundred was a god called Omoi-Kane no Kami (“Thought-Includer”). Thought-Includer advised the other Kami to collect some roosters and assemble them outside the door to the Rock Cave. Moreover, the Kami made an artfully crafted Yata no Kagami (Eight-Handed Mirror) as well as curved Yasakani no Magatama Jewels, which they hung on the sacred Sakaki tree located outside the cave. By means of these devices, they hoped to beguile Amaterasu into believing that there was light in the world even in spite of her absence. Meanwhile, the goddess Ame no Uzume stood on an inverted tub and began to dance. Caught up in the excitement of her dancing, she took off all her clothes. This made the eight-hundred gods roll with laughter. They laughed so loudly that Amaterasu became curious. As Amaterasu opened the door slowly and softly, the cocks began to crow, the Magatama jewels glittered, and the mirror hanging by the tree reflected her light. She thought to herself that there must be someone or something equal to herself illuminating the world. As she opened the door a little wider, the deity Ama no Tajikara-wo no Kami (Hand-Strength Male Deity), who was waiting behind the door, pulled Amaterasu out of the cave and gently blocked her from returning (Kojiki 65; Nihongi 49).

Amaterasu agreed to remain in the visible world and never again to withdraw. She was still angry at Susano-O, however, and wanted to see him punished for what he had done. The gods decided exile Susano-O. They cut off his beard and moustache, tore out his fingernails and toenails, and kicked him out of heaven. Chastened, he landed in the region of Izumo and decided to turn over a new leaf. Soon thereafter Susano-O conquered the Orochi Dragon, who had been pillaging the region of Izumo for a long time. When the victorious Storm God found in the monster's tail a marvelous sword, Kusanagi no Tsurugi (meaning "Grass-Cutter"), he decided to give it to Amaterasu as a propitiatory offering to make amends for his misdeeds.

Meanwhile, Amaterasu had ambitious plans for her first son by Susano-O, Ame no Oshi-ho-Mimi no Mikoto. After conferring with Takami-Musubi no Mikoto (High-August-Growth, one of the Three Primordial Gods), the two of them agreed to send down Ame no Oshi-ho-Mimi to impose order on the unruly terrestrial world. The latter deity, however, stood for a time on the Floating Bridge of Heaven and skeptically surveyed the world below; then he decided that the earth was far too unruly, and reascended (Kojiki 112). Amaterasu and Takami-Musubi then consulted with the other celestial Kami, and resolved to send down Ame no Hohi no Mikoto (another of Amaterasu's offspring by Susano-O) to try again. But Ame no Hohi did not return with any news. This greatly frustrated the eight hundred heavenly gods, so they next sent a great warrior Kami, Ame Wakahiko to earth, armed with a divine bow and arrows. Unfortunately, no sooner had this Kami landed than he too changed his mind and forgot all about heaven. Within a short time, Ame Wakahiko had married an earthly Kami, Shitateru-Hime. Eight years passed with no news from Ame Wakahiko. The gods were now very curious. They decided to send down Nanaki, the sacred pheasant, whose job it would be to talk to Ame Wakahiko. On its way down the bird alighted on a tree branch and was seen by Ame Wakahiko, who promptly shot it with one of the arrows the gods had given him. After killing the bird, the divine arrow continued its flight until it landed at the feet of Amaterasu and Takami-Musubi. The high gods immediately realized that the arrow was one of Ame Wakahiko's. They became extremely angry and hurled the arrow back down to earth, where it struck Ame Wakahiko in the heart and killed him (ibid. 115).

Soon after these events, Amaterasu's son, Ame no Oshi-ho-Mimi, had a son of his own named Ninigi no Mikoto. This young Kami was also the grandson of Takami-Musubi, and thus was doubly endowned with supreme divine power.

(For more on Amaterasu's genealogical tree, click here.) On sending her August Grandson off, Amaterasu entrusted Ninigi with the Three Sacred Regalia, consisting of Yata no Kagami (the Eight-Handed Mirror) as well as Yasakani no Magatama (the Curved Jewel), which the other Kami had earlier used to lure her out of the Rock Cave. The third Sacred Regalium was the sword, Kusanagi no Tsurugi, that had been given to her by Susano-O after he conquered the Orochi Dragon. When bestowing the mirror, Amaterasu said to Ninigi, “Regard this mirror exactly as if it were our august spirit, and reverence as if reverencing us” (Kojiki 130). Ninigi complied. With a mind full of devotion and loyalty to his holy task, he descended to earth and at once set about taming the unruly world. Not long after, Ninigi married Kono-Hana-Sakuya-Hime (Princess Blossoming-Brilliantly-as-the-Flowers-of-Trees), the daughter of the deity Great-Mountain-Possessor. They had two sons, Ho-no-susori no Mikoto and Hiko-hoho-demi, of whom the former became the ancestor of Jimmu, the first emperor of Japan.

In approximately the fourth century C.E., during the Emperor Suinin's reign, the cult of Amaterasu came to Isé and an especially sacred shrine was dedicated in the goddess's honor (Kitagawa 33, note). Following a longstanding Shinto tradition, the Inner Shrine at Isé has been rebuilt every twenty years since the 690s. This is because the Shinto religion emphasizes purity and cleanliness. When each new shrine is built, the previous one is retained alongside it as the alternate site. The view at right looks down on both sites of the sanctuary of the Inner Shrine. Here the alternate site is in the foreground, while the main site -- identical in plan -- is in the background. In the center is the main sanctuary, to the left of which stand the treasure houses. The whole area is surrounded by four concentric wooden fences, delineating the sacred precinct. Visitors worship outside the southern gate (to the right, not shown). Only priests and members of the imperial family are permitted to enter the innermost sanctum. Within the shrine are located the sacred mirror and the heavenly arrows. It is customary for a Shinto believer to make a pilgrimage to the shrine at least once in a lifetime. However, if this is not possible one may have a friend or relative bring back a memento from the shrine for the believer to worship at home.

Worship of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, has survived for thousands of years in the heart of Japan. She is a power to respect and revere, and will probably remain so for centuries to come.

Collcutt, Martin; Jansen, Marius; and Kumakura, Isao. Cultural Atlas of Japan. Facts on File, 1998.

Encyclopedia of Religion, Eliade, Mircea, and Adams, Charles J., Eds. Vol.1, pp. 228, and Vol.7. pp. 549.

Guirand, Felix, ed. New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology. New York: Paul Hamlyn, 1959.

Kojiki: Records of Ancient Matters (712 C.E.). Translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain. Rutland, VT and Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1982).

Kitagawa, Joseph M. Religion in Japanese History. New York: Columbia University Press, 1966).

Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. Translated by W.G. Aston. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1956.

Tsunoda, Ryusaku; de Bary, William Theodore; and Keene, Donald, eds. Sources of Japanese Tradition. New York: Columbia University Press, 1958.

Web Site Links

"Izanami, Izanagi, and the Birth of the Gods," from Ancient Japan: Shinto Creation Stories , by Richard Hooker. Available on line: http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/ANCJAPAN/CREAT.HTM.

Japanese Myth Homepage, by Cycle's Square. Available on line: http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~cycle/myrefE.HTML.

Basic Terms of Shinto, by the Institute for Japanese Culture and Classics, Kokugakuin University.
Available on line: http://www.kokugakuin.ac.jp/ijcc/wp/bts/index.html

Kojiki: Records of Ancient Matters (complete), translated by B.H. Chamberlain. Available on line: http://www2.plala.or.jp/wani-san/kojiki.html.

Shinto Sacred Texts, collected by J.B. Hare. Available on line: http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/index.htm
Includes excerpts from the Nihongi.

Last updated: November 16, 2008

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