Amaterasu Ōmikami

Amaterasu

Section 1: Overview

[BEGINNER]

Amaterasu Ōmikami — "Great Kami Who Shines in Heaven" — is the sun goddess of the Shinto tradition and the most important deity in the Japanese pantheon. According to the Kojiki (compiled 712 CE) and Nihon Shoki (720 CE), she was born from the left eye of the primordial god Izanagi when he purified himself after returning from Yomi, the land of the dead. She was given dominion over Takamagahara, the High Plain of Heaven.

Amaterasu is the mythological ancestor of the Japanese imperial line: her grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto descended from heaven to rule the Japanese islands, and his great-grandson Jimmu became the first emperor. The imperial regalia of Japan — the mirror (Yata-no-Kagami), sword (Kusanagi), and jewel (Yasakani-no-Magatama) — are said to have descended with Ninigi from Amaterasu.

[INTERMEDIATE]

The most famous myth of Amaterasu is the Ama-no-Iwato (Heavenly Rock Cave) episode. Angered by the violent behaviour of her brother Susanoo, Amaterasu withdrew into a cave, plunging the world into darkness. The other kami gathered outside and devised a ruse: the goddess Ame-no-Uzume performed a raucous, comic dance, causing the assembled gods to roar with laughter. Amaterasu, curious, opened the cave door slightly — and was shown her own reflection in a mirror hung outside. Drawn by her radiance, she emerged, and the world was filled with light again. The mirror and the rope (shimenawa) then placed across the cave became enduring symbols of Shinto worship.

Section 2: Worship

• Ise Jingū (Ise Grand Shrine, Mie Prefecture) — principal shrine of Amaterasu. The inner shrine (Naikū) houses the sacred mirror. By tradition, the shrine buildings are rebuilt every 20 years (the Shikinen Sengū) — the most recent rebuilding was 2013; next scheduled 2033.
• Daijōsai — the imperial enthronement rite in which a new emperor ceremonially communes with Amaterasu
• Kannamesai (October) and Niinamesai (November) — harvest festivals offering first fruits to Amaterasu
• Saitansai (New Year) — rites at Ise

Section 3: Relationships

• Izanagi — father, primordial creator god
• Tsukuyomi — brother, the moon kami
• Susanoo-no-Mikoto — brother, storm kami
• Ninigi-no-Mikoto — grandson, ancestor of the imperial line
• Ame-no-Uzume — the kami whose dance drew Amaterasu from the cave

Section 4: Key facts

• Type: Sun goddess; chief kami
• Tradition: Shinto
• Principal shrine: Ise Jingū (Naikū)
• Scripture: Kojiki (712 CE), Nihon Shoki (720 CE)
• Imperial descent: Ancestor of the Japanese imperial family
• Sacred objects: Yata-no-Kagami (mirror), Kusanagi (sword), Yasakani-no-Magatama (jewel)