Amaterasu Ōmikami is the Shinto Sun goddess born to the creator deity Izanagi.
One of the Three Noble Children (along with her siblings Tsukuyomi and Susanoo)
According to the Kojiki, when Izanagi bathed after returning from Yomi (the underworld),
Amaterasu sprang from washing his left eye.
Her brother Tsukuyomi (moon god) came from his right eye, and
Susanoo (storm god) from his nose.
As Japan’s ancestral myths relate, Amaterasu was placed by Izanagi as ruler of the heavenly realm (Takamagahara) and is the ancestress of Japan’s emperors.
The Separation of Night and Day
According to the Nihon Shoki, Amaterasu parted ways with her brother Tsukuyomi after he killed Uke Mochi, the food goddess, whom she had summoned. This act caused a divine rift and separated night from day. One involves her brother Tsukuyomi, who once offended her by murdering the food goddess at her summons. In this Shoki account, Amaterasu “split away from Tsukuyomi, thus separating night from day”.
The Heavenly Rock Cave (Amano-Iwato)
After a series of violent acts by Susanoo—including the destruction of sacred rice fields and throwing a flayed horse into her weaving hall—Amaterasu retreated into a cave, plunging the world into darkness. The gods, led by Uzume, held a wild festival to lure her out. Uzume’s bawdy dance, the laughter of the gods, and the presentation of a mirror tricked Amaterasu into emerging, thereby restoring sunlight to the world.
Descent of Ninigi
To bring order to the earth, Amaterasu sent her grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto to rule Japan. She gifted him the Imperial Regalia —
- Mirror (Yata-no-Kagami)
- Jewel (Yasakani no Magatama)
- Sword (Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi)
These treasures symbolized divine legitimacy and became central to the authority of Japan’s emperors.
Symbolism
Sun, Purity, and Renewal.
Her name (天照, Ama-te-rasu) means “shining from heaven”.
Daylight, life-giving power, and cosmic order.
Japan’s name (Nihon “source of the sun”) and national flag (the red disc) both evoke the sun – reflecting the belief that the Emperor is “the direct descendant of the Shinto Sun goddess Amaterasu. In fact, classical histories note that the Emperor used sun motifs on flags as early as 701 CE. As a result, Amaterasu’s image (the rising sun) became a potent symbol of national identity and imperial authority.
A female Sun deity. In shrine architecture this is encoded: Ise’s thatched roofs feature chigi (forked finials) cut horizontally, a sign that the enshrined kami is female. She is also linked to purity – Shinto worship emphasizes cleanliness and renewal, symbolized by the mirror (Yata-no-Kagami) that represents Amaterasu’s presence.
- Solar imagery: Amaterasu’s name and myths explicitly invoke light. The Kojiki describes her as “shining from heaven” (天照). Traditional Shinto art and imperial regalia (mirror, sword, jewel) underscore her solar aspect. The annual harvest offerings (first rice and sake) celebrate her gift of sunlight to grow food.
- Imperial authority: The Three Sacred Treasures of Japan were once Amaterasu’s personal items. For instance, the mirror Yata-no-Kagami given to Ninigi became an imperial symbol. By venerating Amaterasu, emperors trace their legitimacy to divine ancestry.
- Purity: The purity associated with her (mirror, white robes, palace) also aligns with Shinto’s ideal of female sanctity.
- Renewal: The sun’s daily rebirth is echoed in rituals. The Shinto concept of tokowaka (“eternal renewal”) is expressed in Ise’s ritual rebuilding: every 20 years the Inner Shrine is reconstructed as new.
Amaterasu’s stories focus on family conflict, reclusion, and return.
The motif of the sun disappearing has some analogues (e.g. Norse Sunna chased by wolves, or various eclipse legends), but Amaterasu’s tale uniquely links this to the idea of divine etiquette and community (gods throwing a party).
Amaterasu represents the social and ritual dimensions of sunlight – reflecting the Japanese view of harmony between heaven (ten) and earth.
Amaterasu is a nurturing, sovereign goddess whose fortunes rise and fall in concert with the world.
Ise Jingū (Grand Shrine of Ise)
- Located in Mie Prefecture.
- Consists of two main shrines:
- Naikū (Inner Shrine) for Amaterasu
- Gekū (Outer Shrine) for Toyouke Ōmikami, goddess of food and industry
- Built in the shinmei-zukuri style (simple cypress structures, no nails).
- Features chigi (forked finials)—horizontal ones signify a female deity.
- The mirror symbolizing Amaterasu is enshrined here.
Shikinen Sengū
Every 20 years, the Ise shrines are completely rebuilt to preserve traditional craftsmanship and symbolize renewal. This cyclical renewal echoes the sun’s own cycle and the idea of perpetual cosmic freshness. The Shikinen Sengū (20-year rebuild) keeps Ise “forever new”. Likewise, spring festivals and weddings emphasize Amaterasu’s regenerative light. Annual offerings of shintais (wooden sacred objects) and even the Imperial enthronement ceremonies pay homage to this theme of renewal. The 62nd rebuilding took place in 2013.
Rituals and Priesthood
- Yamatohime, daughter of Emperor Suinin, is credited with founding Naikū after divine revelation.
- The Saiō (imperial high priestess) tradition placed an unmarried imperial princess in ritual service at Ise until the 14th century.
- The shrine was and remains a major pilgrimage site; millions visited during the Edo period for the rebuilding cycles.
Art and Literature
- Kojiki (712 CE) and Nihon Shoki (720 CE) are the primary sources of her mythology.
- Edo and Meiji art: Woodblock prints depicted her stories, especially the Amano-Iwato myth.
- Nō and Kabuki: Dramatizations such as Ema and the 2013 Kabuki performance Amaterasu explored her myths through dance and theater.
- Modern fiction: Her image appears in novels, manga, and folklore retellings.
Modern Cultural Influence
- Anime & Manga: Amaterasu appears symbolically or directly (e.g. Naruto, Ōkami-san).
- Video Games: In Ōkami (2006), she is portrayed as a wolf protagonist restoring light to the world. Appears in Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series.
- Nationalism: In the Meiji period and WWII-era Japan, Amaterasu was central to State Shinto ideology and imperial propaganda.
- New Religious Movements: Groups like Kurozumikyō still perform daily sunrise rituals in her honour.
Disclaimer: This space serves as a personal research and exploration platform. The content presented here may include my own interpretation. This is a work in progress and may evolve over time.
I do not claim complete accuracy, scholarly authority, or finality in the information provided. Please approach this material with an open mind and conduct your own research before drawing conclusions.
