Amaterasu

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Amaterasu Omikami 天照大神

On the first day of the New Year, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu Oomikami is worshipped in many places of Japan. During the Edo period, is was customary to bow and clap your hands in prayer to the sun, o-tentoo-sama, every morning and also make offerings to the numerous Shinto deities at the small shelf for the Gods (kamidana) in every home.

The Sun Goddess, Queen of Kami, She Who Illuminates the Heavens, the Supreme Shinto Deity. Amaterasu is the child of Izanagi and Izanami (creator gods of Japanese mythology). Japan's imperial family claims direct decent from her line; the nation's flag symbolizes the sun; the name of the country means "Land of the Rising Sun."

Emperor Akihito (the current emperor) is said to be the 125th direct descendant of Emperor Jinmu, Japan's legendary first emperor and a mythical descendent of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess.
Read the Basic Information from Mark Schumacher.

In her Buddhist version, she is adressed to as Dainichi Nyorai The Great Sun.

Read more about the worship on January 1 of every year.

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© Photo from the Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Amaterasu_cave.JPG

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Amaterasu
by Micha F. Lindemans

The Japanese Shinto sun goddess, ruler of the Plain of Heaven, whose name means 'shining heaven' or 'she who shines in the heavens'. She is the central figure in the Shinto pantheon and the Japanese Imperial family claims descent from her. She is the eldest daughter of Izanagi. She was so bright and radiant that her parents sent her up the Celestial Ladder to heaven, where she has ruled ever since.

When her brother, the storm-god Susanowa, ravaged the earth she retreated to a cave because he was so noisy. She closed the cave with a large boulder. Her disappearance deprived the world of light and life. Demons ruled the earth. The other gods used everything in their power to lure her out, but to no avail. Finally it was Uzume who succeeded. The laughter of the gods when they watched her comical and obscene dances aroused Amaterasu's curiosity.

When she emerged from her cave a streak of light escaped (a streak nowadays people call dawn). The goddess then saw her own brilliant reflection in a mirror which Uzume had hung in a nearby tree. When she drew closer for a better look, the gods grabbed her and pulled her out of the cave. She returned to the sky, and brought light back into the world.

Later, she created rice fields, called inada, where she cultivated rice. She also invented the art of weaving with the loom and taught the people how to cultivate wheat and silkworms.

Amaterasu's main sanctuary is Ise-Jingue situated on Ise, on the island of Honshu. This temple is pulled down every twenty years and then rebuild in its original form. In the inner sanctum she is represented by a mirror (her body). She is also called Omikami ("illustrious goddess") and Tensho Daijin (in Sino-Japanese pronunciation).

© MCMXCV - MMVI Encyclopedia Mythica. All rights reserved.
http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/asia/japanese/articles.html

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Dolmen near by the cave where the Sun Goddess hid herself, Hiruzen Highlands.



© Photo Gabi Greve, Sakura, Cherry Blossoms

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Izanagi 伊弉諾　－ 伊弉冉尊　and
Izanami　伊邪那美命
two powerful deities who feature in the Japanese creation myth
イザナギ・イザナミ




quote
According to Kojiki and Nihongi, one of the two kami (together with his consort Izanami) principally responsible for the formation of the world. Various theories have been proposed to explain the name, but it is usually assumed that iza means "invite" (izanau), while the suffixes ki (or gi) and mi mean "male" and "female" respectively, thus alluding to the divine marriage of these two deities.

According to the main text of Nihongi, the "three noble children" Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo were also produced at this time, but Kojiki and an "alternate writing" quoted in Nihongi state that the three were produced in a different way. According to these two records, Izanami died as the result of giving birth to the kami of fire, whereupon Izanagi Izanagi followed his dead wife to the land of Yomi and disobeyed her taboo (see kinki) not to look upon her. Fleeing from the pollution of death, Izanagi then performed lustration (see misogi) which resulted in the birth of the three noble children.

In contrast to Izanami as "earth mother," Izanagi is thought to have characteristics of a "heavenly father." According to Kojiki, Izanagi "hid away" (i.e., died) in Taga of Ōmi,
while Nihongi states that he died either in the province of Awaji or
Hi no Wakamiya　ひの 少宮　/日之少宮.

source : Kadoya Atsushi - Kokugakuin 2005




Izanagi Jingu 伊弉諾神宮
Awaji Island

Look at more photos
伊弉諾神官（神社）兵庫県津名郡一宮町多賀
source : www.genbu.net/data/awaji




Ame no nuboko 天沼矛(あめのぬぼこ) heavenly jeweled spear
amanonuboko あまのぬぼこ
This is given as an amulet
kootsuu anzen 交通安全 for road safety



at 幽宮 Kakuri no Miya

. momo　桃 peach amulet from Izanagi Shrine .

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quote
The Creation of Japan Myth (kuniumi shinwa) goes something like this.

The deities of heaven (Takamagahara) ask a male and female pair to descend to the unformed land below and create order there so people could live. The two deities were Izanagi (He Who Invites)
and Izanami (She Who Invites).
They are entrusted with a Heavenly Spear ...
source : www.greenshinto.com, John Dougill


. Izanagi in the Daruma Museum .

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. WKD : taiyoo　太陽　the sun - die Sonne .


Native American Wisdom

Each soul must meet the morning sun,
the new sweet earth and the Great Silence alone!
-- Ohiyesa (Dr. Charles A. Eastman), SANTEE SIOUX

The most important thing we can do during the course of the day is pray in the morning.
There is a special time in the morning that has great power.
This is the exact time the sun is rising.
During the rising of the sun, everything on the Earth is waking up. Animals, plants, birds, and humans will be blessed at the rising of the sun.
This is a special time to help us prepare for the day.
During this time we ask the Creator to bless our day.
We ask Him to guide us, to protect us and to give us courage to overcome the day's obstacles.
Doing this everyday will give us knowledge of God's will for us.

- source : Elder's Meditation of October 14, 2013

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. tooji 冬至 winter solstice .
Amaterasu emerges from her cave ! - December 21/22

. Amaterasu Omikami 天照大神 Legends .


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