Who is Amaterasu Omikami?

The article describes who Amataras Omikami is. In addition, you will find out which divine pantheon it refers to and what imperial dynasty, according to legend, gave rise.

Religion

Belief in something supernatural and divine is probably embedded in a person at the genetic level. And this is a natural process, everything is subject to it. Even the smallest wild tribes, who have practically no contacts with the outside world, have their own superstitions, beliefs, some kind of religion or cult. Throughout history, people have worshiped a vast number of gods. Probably, it will be fair to say that most of them have long been forgotten. But some people still remember it. And they are one of the peculiar symbols of the country or locality. For example, the Scandinavian One or his son Thor. One of the goddesses, which is revered even today, is Amaterasu Omikami.

Shintoism

Amaterasu is one of the gods of the Japanese pantheon. In translation, her name means "the great goddess that illuminates the heavens." If you believe in Shinto beliefs, she was the ancestress of the great imperial family of Japan, which has not been interrupted for many centuries. And the very first ruler of the famous dynasty named Jimma was her great-grandson. So now we know what Amaterasu Omikami is. Rather, who such. In addition, she is revered as a goddess who told her people the secrets of the technology of growing rice and obtaining silk through a loom. In who this is, we sorted it out. Now consider the legend, according to which, it generally appeared.

Origin

One of the Japanese legends tells how Amateras Omikami appeared . Until the moment when there were people in the world, there were many generations of gods. The last of them were a brother and a sister named Izanagi and Izanami. They entered into a marriage union, created Japanese islands, gave birth to many new goddesses and gods. But after Izzany's death, her sorrowful spouse tried to return his wife from the world of the dead. However, in this he did not succeed. Only he defiled himself. Wishing to be cleansed, Idzanagam went to one of the parts of Japan. And there, as he removed from himself the details of the costume, new gods appeared (according to one version, he also separated the parts of his body from himself). After all this, he decided to take a bath. And from the drops of water appeared the goddess of the sun Amaterasu Omikami.

Quarrel

According to the beliefs, Amaterasu also had a brother. After creating them, Izanagi gave Amateras the sky, and her brother - the sea. But Susanoo did not want to take on the duties of a deity. He dreamed of retiring to his mother's country. However, Idzanagi did not agree with him. He drove Susanoo. Wishing to say goodbye to his sister, he visited her. But Amaterasu Omikami decided that the brother was going to take away her possessions. To confirm peaceful intentions, he married his sister. Later they produced many beautiful children. Seeing their charm, Susanno decided that in this way he proved the purity of his thoughts. And he began to destroy the irrigation canals and do other outrages in the world of people. At first the sister tried to teach her brother, in every possible way justified him before other gods. But it only got worse. Then, sad, she hid in one of the caves. And she broke off all contacts both by the world of people and by the gods.

Return

To bring her back, the gods decided to go for a trick. They placed in front of the entrance to the cave a mirror and an empty cauldron, on which began to dance Ame-no-uzume-no mikoto - Japanese goddess of joy, songs and dances. She bared her body, and the gods laughed, what surprised Amaterasu. She decided to look out a little from her hiding place. Asked what was happening, she received the answer: the gods found an even more beautiful and majestic goddess than she. And they are having fun in honor of this.

Wishing to prove their words, they showed her the mirror that hung at the entrance to the cave. Surprised even more, Amaterasu began to leave the shelter. Then she was grabbed and finally pulled out of the Ame-no tadzikara-o-no (god strong man or god, who personifies force). That's how she returned to the world. So now we know what Amaterasu Omikami is. Although now we know that it's right to say "who." And this is not the most unusual Japanese legend. However, many people like the culture of this country for its originality.