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113-570: Amaterasu's chief place of worship, the Grand Shrine of Ise in Ise , Mie Prefecture , is one of Shinto's holiest sites and a major pilgrimage center and tourist spot. As with other Shinto kami , she is also enshrined in a number of Shinto shrines throughout Japan. The goddess is referred to as Amaterasu Ōmikami ( 天照大御神 / 天照大神 ; historical orthography : あまてらすおほみかみ , Amaterasu Ohomikami ; Old Japanese : Amaterasu Opomi 1 kami 2 ) in

226-400: A banquet, a disgusted and offended Tsukuyomi slew her and went back to Takamagahara. This act upset Amaterasu, causing her to split away from Tsukuyomi, thus separating night from day. Amaterasu then sent another god, Ame-no-Kumahito ( 天熊人 ), who found various food-crops and animals emerging from Ukemochi's corpse. On the crown of her head there had been produced the ox and the horse ; on

339-611: A battle against a chieftain named Nagasunehiko, Iwarebiko retreated and went to Kumano , located on the southern part of the Kii Peninsula . While there, he and his army were enchanted by a god in the shape of a giant bear and fell into a deep sleep. At that moment, a local named Takakuraji had a dream in which Amaterasu and Takamimusubi commanded the god Takemikazuchi to help Iwarebiko. Takemikazuchi then dropped his sword, Futsu-no-Mitama , into Takakuraji's storehouse, ordering him to give it to Iwarebiko. Upon waking up and discovering

452-512: A distinction for the gender of the deity being represented. In the case of Ise, Amaterasu, a female deity, is represented at the shrine, which is why the chigi are flat. The roof ridge is supported by two free-standing columns called the munamochi-bashira . The katsuogi , chigi and munamochi-bashira are stylised forms of older storehouse building techniques that pre-date the introduction of Buddhist architecture in Japan. The empty site beside

565-441: A dream that the giant crow Yatagarasu would be sent to guide them in their way. Soon enough, the bird appeared and led Iwarebiko and his men to safety. At length, Iwarebiko arrived at the land of Yamato (modern Nara Prefecture ) and defeated Nagasunehiko, thereby avenging his brother Itsuse. He then established his palace-capital at Kashihara and ruled therein. An anecdote concerning Emperor Sujin relates that Amaterasu ( via

678-583: A good afterlife. It also was seen as a vacation, the journey to the shrine itself being almost as important as actually getting there. In the 21st century, Ise is still an important destination both to foreign tourists and especially to the Japanese community; 9 million Japanese tourists visited the shrine in 2013. There are 125 shrines within Ise Shrine: Munakata Taisha Munakata Taisha ( 宗像大社 )

791-535: A great-grandson of Emperor Meiji , in 2007. Takatsukasa Kazuko was succeeded by her younger sister, Ikeda Atsuko . In 2012, Ikeda was joined by her niece Sayako Kuroda , sole daughter of Emperor Akihito , to serve as a high priestess under her. On 19 June 2017, Sayako officially replaced her aunt as supreme priestess. The architectural style of the Ise shrine is known as shinmei-zukuri , characterized by extreme simplicity and antiquity; its basic principles date back to

904-403: A revelation from Amaterasu that the shrine was needed. The shrine has been traditionally rebuilt every 20 years. There is a separate shrine dedicated to Toyouke's Ara-mitama , or Toyouke-Ōmikami no Ara-mitama ( 豊受大御神荒魂 ) called Takanomiya  [ ja ] (Takamiya) inside this shrine. The official name of the main shrine of Naikū is Kotaijingu and is the place of worship of

1017-403: A sacred jewel, and is comparable to nyoi-shu , orbs which many Buddhist figures are displayed holding. Initially, the shrine was constructed of locally sourced Hinoki wood, which served as an ideal building material due to its physical properties. The abundance of local Hinoki wood was short lived, and the shrine currently obtains the wood through other domestic producers, who ensure that only

1130-530: A solemn liturgy . Ame-no-Tajikarao-no-Kami stood concealed beside the door, while Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto bound up her sleeves with a cord of heavenly hikage vine, tied around her head a head-band of the heavenly masaki vine, bound together bundles of sasa leaves to hold in her hands, and overturning a bucket before the heavenly rock-cave door, stamped resoundingly upon it. Then she became divinely possessed, exposed her breasts, and pushed her skirt-band down to her genitals. Then Takamanohara shook as

1243-454: A staircase leading to a single central doorway. The Naikū does not have any windows. The roof is made of thatched reed with ten billets ( katsuogi ) located on the ridge of the roof, the bargeboards of which project beyond the roof to form the distinctive forked finials ( chigi ) at the ends of the ridge. The chigi on the roof of the Naikū are flat on top, rather than pointed, which serves as

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1356-647: A symbolic act to clean the mind and body of impurity. The first of two large torii gates stands just beyond the Temizusha. After passing the first large torii gate, the Purification Hall (Saikan), and the hall for visitors from the imperial household (Anzaisho) is located to the left. The Saikan is used by shrine priests to purify themselves before performing ceremonies at the shrine. They are required to spend one or two nights to free their minds of worldly issues, partaking in baths and eating meals cooked with

1469-488: A third messenger, Ame-no-Wakahiko , who also ended up siding with Ōkuninushi and marrying his daughter Shitateruhime. After eight years, a female pheasant was sent to question Ame-no-Wakahiko, who killed it with his bow and arrow. The blood-stained arrow flew straight up to Takamagahara at the feet of Amaterasu and Takamimusubi, who then threw it back to earth with a curse, killing Ame-no-Wakahiko in his sleep. The preceding messengers having thus failed to complete their task,

1582-408: A trial by pledge ( ukehi ) to prove his sincerity. In the ritual, the two gods each chewed and spat out an object carried by the other (in some variants, an item they each possessed). Five (or six) gods and three goddesses were born as a result; Amaterasu adopted the males as her sons and gave the females – later known as the three Munakata goddesses – to Susanoo. Susanoo, declaring that he had won

1695-458: A variant account identifies the goddess who was killed during this incident as Wakahirume-no-Mikoto ( 稚日女尊 , lit.   ' young woman of the sun / day(time) ' ). Whereas the above accounts identify Susanoo's flaying of the horse as the immediate cause for Amaterasu hiding herself, yet another variant in the Shoki instead portrays it to be Susanoo defecating in her seat: In one writing it

1808-664: A wooden carriage laden with white stones up the Isuzu River onto the grounds of the Naiku. Each participant gets two white stones in a white handkerchief and these allow them to place the stones in the area around the Inner Sanctum. Other villages drag a huge wooden cart or Noburi Kuruma laden with white stones to the Uji bridge at the entrance of the grounds of the Naiku. Participants receive two white stones which are also placed in

1921-410: Is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the solar goddess Amaterasu . Also known simply as Jingū ( 神宮 ) , Ise Shrine is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, Naikū  [ ja ] ( 内宮 ) and Gekū  [ ja ] ( 外宮 ) . The Inner Shrine, Naikū (also officially known as "Kōtai Jingū"), is dedicated to the worship of Amaterasu and

2034-630: Is a building called Anzaisho, which serves as the Hall for the Emperor and Empress. There is a large Kaguraden at Geku. Toyouke Omikami is enshrined at the Honden. It lies in the most sacred area enclosed by four rows of fences, and the structure remains unchanged from 1500 years ago. Worshippers can only approach the first gate. In Japanese mythology Toyouke-hime was either killed by Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto or by Susanoo-no-Mikoto . Amaterasu mourned

2147-467: Is a collection of three Shinto shrines located in Munakata , Fukuoka Prefecture , Japan . It is the head of the approximately 6,000 Munakata shrines all over the country. Although the name Munakata Taisha refers to all three shrines—Hetsu-gū, Nakatsu-gū and Okitsu-gū—it is commonly used to refer to Hetsu-gū alone. As documented in Japan's second oldest book, Nihon Shoki , the shrines are devoted to

2260-802: Is a part of the Shinto faith and has been practiced since the year 690 CE, but is not only for Amaterasu but also for many other deities enshrined in Ise Grand Shrine. Additionally, from the late 7th century to the 14th century, an unmarried princess of the Imperial Family, called " Saiō " ( 斎王 ) or itsuki no miko ( 斎皇女 ), served as the sacred priestess of Amaterasu at the Ise Shrine upon every new dynasty. The Amanoiwato Shrine ( 天岩戸神社 ) in Takachiho , Miyazaki Prefecture , Japan

2373-400: Is a shrine to Toyoukebime , the food goddess, located in Ise Grand Shrine. it is also colloquially known as Gekū  [ ja ] ( 外宮 , lit. outer shrine) . In pilgrimage customs people traditionally visit this shrine first and then Kotai jingu which is located 4 km to the south The shrine was founded after Emperor Yuryaku dreamt that he saw Amaterasu . She said she

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2486-573: Is also dedicated to Amaterasu and sits above the gorge containing Ama-no-Iwato . The worship of Amaterasu to the exclusion of other kami has been described as "the cult of the sun." This phrase may also refer to the early pre-archipelagoan worship of the sun. According to the Engishiki ( 延喜式 ) and Sandai Jitsuroku ( 三代実録 ) of the Heian period , the sun goddess had many shrines named "Amateru" or "Amateru-mitama", which were mostly located in

2599-581: Is analogous to the use of relative clauses in English, only different in that Japanese clauses are placed in front of the noun they modify. This is further exemplified by (1) an alternative epithet, Amateru Kami ( 天照神 , ' The Goddess Who Shines in Heaven ' ), which is a plain, non-honorific version of Amaterasu Ōmikami , (2) alternative forms of the verb amaterasu used elsewhere, for example its continuative form amaterashi ( 天 照 之 ) in

2712-456: Is believed to be a 14th-generation descendant of Amenohohi. The Ise Grand Shrine ( 伊勢神宮 Ise Jingū ) located in Ise , Mie Prefecture , Japan , houses the inner shrine, Naiku, dedicated to Amaterasu. Her sacred mirror, Yata no Kagami , is said to be kept at this shrine as one of the Imperial regalia objects . A ceremony known as Jingū Shikinen Sengū  [ ja ] ( 神宮式年遷宮 )

2825-516: Is called the Shikinen Sengū . Although the goal of Sengū is to get the shrine built within the 20-year period, there have been some instances, especially because of war, where the shrine building process is postponed or delayed. The original physical purpose of the Sengu process is unknown. However, it is believed that it serves to maintain the longevity of the shrine, or possibly as a gesture to

2938-441: Is held every twenty years at this shrine to honor the many deities enshrined, which is formed by 125 shrines altogether. New shrine buildings are built at a location adjacent to the site first. After the transfer of the object of worship, new clothing and treasure and offering food to the goddess the old buildings are taken apart. The building materials taken apart are given to many other shrines and buildings to renovate. This practice

3051-676: Is held twice a year in May and August at both Naikū and Gekū. The most important annual festival held at Ise Shrine is the Kannamesai Festival ( 神嘗祭 ) . Held in October each year, this ritual makes offerings of the first harvest of crops for the season to Amaterasu. An imperial envoy carries the offering of rice harvested by the Emperor himself to Ise, as well as five-coloured silk cloth and other materials, called heihaku. Besides

3164-526: Is located in the town of Uji-tachi, south of central Ise, where she is believed to dwell. The shrine buildings are made of solid cypress wood and use no nails but instead joined wood. The Outer Shrine, Gekū (also officially known as "Toyouke Daijingū"), is located about six kilometers from Naikū and dedicated to Toyouke-Ōmikami , the god of agriculture, rice harvest and industry. Besides Naikū and Gekū, there are an additional 123 Shinto shrines in Ise City and

3277-531: Is not found in the Kojiki , where a similar story is instead told of Susanoo and the goddess Ōgetsuhime . When Susanoo, the youngest of the three divine siblings, was expelled by his father Izanagi for his troublesome nature and incessant wailing on account of missing his deceased mother Izanami, he first went up to Takamagahara to say farewell to Amaterasu. A suspicious Amaterasu went out to meet him dressed in male clothing and clad in armor, at which Susanoo proposed

3390-548: Is not technically a name the same way Susanoo in Susa no O no Mikoto or Ōkuninushi in Ōkuninushi no Kami are. Amaterasu is an attributive verb form that modifies the noun after it, ōmikami . This epithet is therefore, much more semantically transparent than most names recorded in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki , in that it means exactly what it means, without allusion, inference or etymological opacity, literally 'The Great August Goddess Who Shines in Heaven'. This usage

3503-618: Is responsible for watching over the Shrine. The current High Priestess of the shrine is the daughter of Emperor Emeritus Akihito , former Princess Sayako Kuroda . According to the Nihon Shoki , around 2000 years ago the divine Yamatohime-no-mikoto , daughter of the Emperor Suinin , set out from Mt. Miwa in modern Nara Prefecture in search of a permanent location to worship the goddess Amaterasu, wandering for 20 years through

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3616-491: Is said:—"The august Sun Goddess took an enclosed rice-field and made it her Imperial rice-field. Now Sosa no wo no Mikoto, in spring, filled up the channels and broke down the divisions, and in autumn, when the grain was formed, he forthwith stretched round them division ropes. Again when the Sun-Goddess was in her Weaving-Hall, he flayed alive a piebald colt and flung it into the Hall. In all these various matters his conduct

3729-412: Is usually understood as meaning ' great woman of the sun / daytime ' (cf. hiru ' day(time), noon ' , from hi ' sun, day ' + me ' woman, lady ' ), though alternative etymologies such as ' great spirit woman ' (taking hi to mean ' spirit ' ) or ' wife of the sun ' (suggested by Orikuchi Shinobu , who put forward the theory that Amaterasu was originally conceived of as

3842-605: The Kojiki , while the Nihon Shoki gives the following variant names: Amaterasu is thought to derive from the verb amateru ' to illuminate / shine in the sky ' ( ama ' sky, heaven ' + teru ' to shine ' ) combined with the honorific auxiliary verb -su , while Ōmikami means 'great august deity' ( ō ' great ' + honorific prefix mi- + kami ). Notably, Amaterasu in Amaterasu Ōmikami

3955-609: The Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku , and (3) similar uses of attributive verb forms in certain epithets, such as Emperor Jimmu 's Hatsu Kunishirasu Sumeramikoto ( 始馭天下之天皇 , ' His Majesty Who First Rules the Land ' ). There are, still, certain verb forms that are treated as proper names, such as the terminal negative fukiaezu in ' Ugayafukiaezu no Mikoto' ( 鸕鷀草葺不合尊 , ' His Augustness, Incompletely-Thatched-with-Cormorant-Feathers ' ) Her other name, Ōhirume ,

4068-621: The Asuka period . Mention of Ise Shrine's saiō is also made in the Aoi, Sakaki and Yugao chapters of The Tale of Genji as well as in the 69th chapter of The Tales of Ise . The saiō system ended during the turmoil of the Nanboku-chō period . During the Empire of Japan and the establishment of State Shinto , the position of chief priest of the Ise Shrine was fulfilled by the reigning emperor and

4181-457: The Kinki area. However, there have also been records of a shrine on Tsushima Island , coined as either "Teruhi Gongen" or the "Shining Sun Deity" during medieval times. It was later found that such a shrine was meant for a male sun deity named Ameno-himitama. Ise Grand Shrine The Ise Shrine ( Japanese : 伊勢神宮 , Hepburn : Ise Jingū ) , located in Ise , Mie Prefecture of Japan ,

4294-486: The Kofun period (250–538 C.E.). The shrine buildings use a special variant of this style called yuitsu-shinmei-zukuri ( 唯一神明造 ) , which may not be used in the construction of any other shrine. Yuitsu-shinmei-zukuri style replicates the architectural features of early rice granaries. The old shrines are dismantled and new ones built on an adjacent site to exacting specifications every 20 years at exorbitant expense, so that

4407-679: The Kojiki ) to refer to their sisters, who had lower status than them.) The Nihon Shoki used the Chinese word 弟 ( ' younger brother ' ) instead. Some tellings say she had a sister named Wakahirume who was a weaving maiden and helped Amaterasu weave clothes for the other kami in heaven . Wakahirume was later accidentally killed by Susanoo. Other traditions say she had an older brother named Hiruko . Amaterasu has five sons, Ame-no-oshihomimi , Ame no Hohi , Amatsuhikone , Ikutsuhikone , and Kumanokusubi , who were given birth to by Susanoo by chewing her hair jewels. According to one account in

4520-582: The Meiji , Taisho and Shōwa Emperors all played the role of chief priest during their reigns. Since the disestablishment of State Shinto during the Occupation of Japan , the offices of chief priest and most sacred priestess have been held by former members of the imperial family or their descendants. The current chief priest of the shrine is Takatsukasa Naotake  [ ja ] , adoptive son of Takatsukasa Kazuko . He succeeded Kitashirakawa Michihisa,

4633-449: The Meiji period . During the Edo period , it is estimated that one out of ten Japanese conducted an Okage Mairi pilgrimage to the shrine. Accordingly, pilgrimage to the shrine flourished in both commercial and religious frequency. According to historical documents, 3.62 million people visited the shrine in 50 days in 1625, and 1.18 million people visited the shrine in three days in 1829 when

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4746-650: The Nihon Shoki claims he won because he himself gave birth to her sons. Several figures and noble clans claim descent from Amaterasu most notably the Japanese imperial family through Emperor Jimmu who descended from her grandson Ninigi . Her son Ame no Hohi is considered the ancestral kami of clans in Izumo which includes the Haji clan , Sugawara clan , and the Senge clan . The legendary sumo wrestler Nomi no Sukune

4859-440: The Nihon Shoki , it was because these children were male that Susanoo won during the ritual to prove his intent, even though they were not his children, but hers. This explanation of the outcome of the ritual contradicts that in the Kojiki , according to which it was because she gave birth to female children using his sword, and those children were his. The Kojiki claims he won because he had daughters to whom she gave birth, while

4972-411: The land of Himuka and built his palace there. Ninigi became the ancestor of the emperors of Japan , while the mirror, jewel, and sword he brought with him became the three sacred treasures of the imperial house. Five of the gods who accompanied him in his descent - Ame-no-Koyane, Futodama, Ame-no-Uzume, Ishikoridome (the maker of the mirror), and Tamanoya (the maker of the jewel) - meanwhile became

5085-492: The primordial deity Takamimusubi (also known as Takagi-no-Kami) declared that Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni, which was then being ruled over by Ōkuninushi (also known as Ō(a)namuchi), the descendant ( Kojiki ) or the son ( Shoki ) of Susanoo, should be pacified and put under the jurisdiction of their progeny, claiming it to be teeming with "numerous deities which shone with a lustre like that of fireflies, and evil deities which buzzed like flies". Amaterasu ordered Ame-no-Oshihomimi ,

5198-491: The 3rd and 5th centuries have been put forward for the establishment of Naikū and Gekū respectively. The first shrine building at Naikū was erected by Emperor Tenmu (678–686), with the first ceremonial rebuilding being carried out by his wife, Empress Jitō , in 692. The shrine was foremost among a group of shrines which became objects of imperial patronage in the early Heian period . In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered imperial messengers to be sent to report important events to

5311-590: The Kusanagi in the care of his second wife, Miyazuhime of Owari , and went to confront the god of Mount Ibuki on his own. Without the sword's protection, he fell prey to the god's enchantment and became ill and died afterwards. Thus the Kusanagi stayed in Owari, where it was enshrined in the shrine of Atsuta . At one time, when Emperor Chūai was on a campaign against the Kumaso tribes of Kyushu , his consort Jingū

5424-460: The Sun-Goddess drew herself up, and was sickened. She therefore was enraged, and straightway took up her abode in the Rock-cave of Heaven, and fastened its Rock-door. After Amaterasu hid herself in the cave, the gods, led by Omoikane , the god of wisdom, conceived a plan to lure her out: [The gods] gathered together the long-crying birds of Tokoyo and caused them to cry. (...) They uprooted by

5537-508: The Yata-no-Kagami and the Kusanagi sword ) and Yamato-no-Okunitama , the tutelary deity of Yamato, were originally worshipped in the great hall of the imperial palace. When a series of plagues broke out during Sujin's reign, he "dreaded [...] the power of these Gods, and did not feel secure in their dwelling together." He thus entrusted the mirror and the sword to his daughter Toyosukiirihime  [ ja ] , who brought them to

5650-467: The affairs of Heaven." At this time Heaven and Earth were still not far separated, and therefore they sent her up to Heaven by the ladder of Heaven. One of the variant legends in the Shoki relates that Amaterasu ordered her brother Tsukuyomi to go down to the terrestrial world ( Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni , the "Central Land of Reed-Plains") and visit the goddess Ukemochi . When Ukemochi vomited foodstuffs out of her mouth and presented them to Tsukuyomi at

5763-473: The agricultural ceremonies already mentioned, ceremonies and festivals are held throughout the year at both Naikū and Gekū to celebrate things such as the new year, the foundation of Japan, the past emperors, purification rituals for priests and court musicians, good sake fermentation and the Emperor's birthday . There are also daily food offerings to the shrine kami held both in the mornings and evenings. Toyouke Daijingu  [ ja ] ( 豊受大神宮 )

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5876-537: The ancestors of the clans involved in court ceremonial such as the Nakatomi and the Inbe . Many years later, Ninigi's great-grandson, Kamuyamato-Iwarebiko (later known as Emperor Jimmu ), decided to leave Himuka in search of a new home with his elder brother Itsuse. Migrating eastward, they encountered various gods and local tribes who either submitted to them or resisted them. After Itsuse died of wounds sustained during

5989-500: The ancestress of the imperial line, the epithet Sume(ra)-Ō(mi)kami ( 皇大神 , lit.   ' great imperial deity ' ; also read as Kōtaijin ) is also applied to Amaterasu in names such as Amaterasu Sume(ra) Ō(mi)kami ( 天照皇大神 , also read as 'Tenshō Kōtaijin') and 'Amaterashimasu-Sume(ra)-Ōmikami' ( 天照坐皇大御神 ). During the medieval and early modern periods, the deity was also referred to as 'Tenshō Daijin' (the on'yomi of 天照大神 ) or 'Amateru Ongami' (an alternate reading of

6102-422: The best wood is being used for the construction. Before the wood is usable in building the shrine, it must be put through a lengthy seasoning and drying process where it is in a pond for several years and then dried. The team which builds the shrine is typically formed around a few factors. Since many of the building techniques haven't changed since the creation of the Ise Shrine, the workers who are hired to build

6215-408: The buildings will be forever new and forever ancient and original. The present buildings, dating from 2013, are the 62nd iteration to date and are scheduled for rebuilding in 2033. The shrine at Naikū is constructed of Japanese cypress . Built on pillars set directly in the ground, the shrine building measures 10.9 by 5.5 meters and includes a raised floor, verandas all the way around the building and

6328-476: The capital, instructed her to install it in Hirota , the harbor where the empress disembarked. She is a virgin goddess and never engages in sexual relationships. However, according to Nozomu Kawamura  [ ja ] , she was a consort to a sun god and some telling stories place Tsukuyomi as her husband. Amaterasu has many siblings, most notably Susanoo and Tsukiyomi . Basil Hall Chamberlain used

6441-469: The completion of the shrine, each serving different purposes. In the lead-up to the rebuilding of the shrines, a number of festivals are held to mark special events. The Okihiki Festival is held in the spring over two consecutive years and involves people from surrounding towns dragging huge wooden logs through the streets of Ise to Naikū and Gekū. In the lead-up to the 2013 rebuilding, the Okihiki festival

6554-423: The consort or priestess of a male solar deity) had been proposed. A possible connection with the name Hiruko (the child rejected by the gods Izanagi and Izanami and one of Amaterasu's siblings) has also been suggested. To this name is appended the honorific muchi , which is also seen in a few other theonyms such as ' Ō(a)namuchi ' or 'Michinushi-no-Muchi' (an epithet of the three Munakata goddesses ). As

6667-476: The death of her and in the Nihon Shoki the reason the sun and the moon are on opposite sides of the sky is that Amaterasu was unwilling to go near Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto the moon god after he committed the murder. Amaterasu is linked with Toyouke-hime as the sun is necessary for food to grow. This was prior to the Tenson Korin and the establishment of Ise Jingu . Emperor Suinin is said to have established

6780-405: The deity enclosed within the shrine. Historically, this cyclical reconstruction has been practiced for many years in various shrines throughout Japan, meaning that it is not a process exclusive to Ise. The entire reconstruction process takes more or less 17 years, with the initial years focusing on project organization and general planning, and the last 8 years focusing on the physical construction of

6893-559: The deity of the moon , and Susanoo , the god of storms and seas. The circumstances surrounding the birth of these three deities, known as the "Three Precious Children" ( 三貴子 , mihashira no uzu no miko or sankishi ), however, vary between sources: After this Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto consulted together, saying:—"We have now produced the Great-eight-island country, with the mountains, rivers, herbs, and trees. Why should we not produce someone who shall be lord of

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7006-599: The divine wind, is the land whither repair the waves from the eternal world, the successive waves. It is a secluded and pleasant land. In this land I wish to dwell." In compliance, therefore, with the instruction of the Great Goddess, a shrine was erected to her in the province of Ise. Accordingly an Abstinence Palace was built at Kaha-kami in Isuzu. This was called the palace of Iso. It was there that Ama-terasu no Oho-kami first descended from Heaven. This account serves as

7119-550: The earth now pacified, Amaterasu and Takamimusubi again commanded Ame-no-Oshihomimi to descend and rule it. He, however, again demurred and suggested that his son Ninigi be sent instead. Amaterasu thus bequeathed to Ninigi, the sword Susanoo gave her, along with the two items used to lure her out of the Ame-no-Iwayato: the mirror Yata-no-Kagami and the jewel Yasakani no Magatama . With a number of gods serving as his retinue, Ninigi came down from heaven to Mount Takachiho in

7232-566: The eight-hundred myriad deities laughed at once. Inside the cave, Amaterasu is surprised that the gods should show such mirth in her absence. Ame-no-Uzume answered that they were celebrating because another god greater than her had appeared. Curious, Amaterasu slid the boulder blocking the cave's entrance and peeked out, at which Ame-no-Koyane and Futodama brought out the mirror (the Yata-no-Kagami ) and held it before her. As Amaterasu, struck by her own reflection (apparently thinking it to be

7345-536: The first Emperor by the gods. From a path that follows the line of the outer wall, the distinctive roof of the shrine building can be seen through the trees. In front of the walled shrine compound can be seen an open area which was the location of the rebuilding of the shrine in 2013. The pilgrimage to the Ise shrine, also known as Sangū , gained immense popularity during the Edo Period, where hundreds of thousands of pilgrims would travel there every year. The growth

7458-504: The firstborn of the five male children born during her contest with Susanoo, to go down to earth and establish his rule over it. However, after inspecting the land below, he deemed it to be in an uproar and refused to go any further. At the advice of Omoikane and the other deities, Amaterasu then dispatched another of her five sons, Ame no Hohi . Upon arriving, however, Ame no Hohi began to curry favor with Ōkuninushi and did not send back any report for three years. The heavenly deities then sent

7571-516: The goddess Amaterasu. The grounds of Naikū contain a number of structures, including the following: This 100 meter wooden bridge, built in a traditional Japanese style, stretches across the Isuzu River at the entrance of Naikū. Like the shrine buildings of Naikū, it is rebuilt every 20 years as a part of the Shikinen Sengū ceremony. The bridge is typically built by carpenters with less experience to gain more skills before moving on to take on

7684-471: The grand festival held every 20 years was held. Because the shrine is considered sanctuary , no security checkpoints were conducted, as it was considered sacrilege by the faithful. The two main shrines of Ise are joined by a pilgrimage road that passes through the old entertainment district of Furuichi. The chief priest or priestess of Ise Shrine must be related to the Imperial House of Japan and

7797-465: The guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines including the Ise Shrine. From the late 7th century until the 14th century, the role of chief priestess of Ise Shrine was carried out by a female member of the Imperial House of Japan known as a Saiō . According to the Man'yōshū , the first saiō to serve at the shrine was Princess Ōku , daughter of Emperor Tenmu , during

7910-455: The heavenly gods finally sent the warrior deities Futsunushi and Takemikazuchi to remonstrate with Ōkuninushi. At the advice of his son Kotoshironushi , Ōkuninushi agreed to abdicate and left the physical realm to govern the unseen spirit world, which was given to him in exchange. The two gods then went around Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni, killing those who resisted them and rewarding those who rendered submission, before going back to heaven. With

8023-573: The latter, he dies of a sudden illness a few months after.) After Chūai's death, Jingū performed divination to ascertain which gods had spoken to her husband. The deities identified themselves as Tsukisakaki Izu no Mitama Amazakaru Mukatsuhime no Mikoto ( 撞賢木厳之御魂天疎向津媛命 , 'The Awe-inspiring Spirit of the Planted Sakaki , the Lady of Sky-distant Mukatsu', usually interpreted as the aramitama or 'violent spirit' of Amaterasu), Kotoshironushi, and

8136-405: The mark), and accordingly translated it as ' Heaven-Shining-Great-August-Deity ' . Gustav Heldt's 2014 translation of the Kojiki , meanwhile, renders it as "the great and mighty spirit Heaven Shining." Both the Kojiki ( c.  712 CE ) and the Nihon Shoki (720 CE) agree in their description of Amaterasu as the daughter of the god Izanagi and the elder sister of Tsukuyomi ,

8249-474: The monstrous serpent Yamata no Orochi to rescue the goddess Kushinadahime , whom he eventually married. From the serpent's carcass Susanoo found the sword Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi ( 天叢雲剣 , ' Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven ' ), also known as Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi ( 草薙剣 ' Grass-Cutting Sword ' ), which he presented to Amaterasu as a reconciliatory gift. After a time, Amaterasu and

8362-544: The only three offerings performed by the Saiō , an imperial princess who served as high priestess of the shrine until the 14th century. These offerings are based on the cycle of the agricultural year and are still performed today. The first important ceremony of the modern calendar year is the Kinen-sai , where prayers are offered for a bountiful harvest. Kazahinomisai, where prayers for fair weather and sufficient rains are made,

8475-413: The origin myth of the Grand Shrine of Ise , Amaterasu's chief place of worship. Later, when Suinin's grandson Prince Ousu (also known as Yamato Takeru ) went to Ise to visit his aunt Yamatohime before going to conquer and pacify the eastern regions on the command of his father, Emperor Keikō , he was given the divine sword to protect him in times of peril. It eventually came in handy when Yamato Takeru

8588-432: The other deity Ame-no-Uzume spoke of), approached the mirror, Ame-no-Tajikarao took her hand and pulled her out of the cave, which was then immediately sealed with a straw rope , preventing her from going back inside. Thus was light restored to the world. As punishment for his unruly conduct, Susanoo was then driven out of Takamagahara by the other gods. Going down to earth, he arrived at the land of Izumo , where he killed

8701-452: The pool of available miyadaiku has thinned out. Specialized work and the specific materials come with a cost; in 2013, the shrine was built from private donations alone, totaling 57 billion Japanese Yen (US$ 550 million). In August, in a long-standing tradition, the people who live in Ise are allowed to enter the area around the Inner Sanctum of the Naiku as well as the Geku. Some villages drag

8814-555: The precincts are a Historic Site . The Shinpō-kan ( 神寶館 ) , the shrine's treasure hall located on the east corner of Hetsu-gū's grounds, houses many important relics including six National Treasures of Japan . Over 120,000 artifacts housed in the Shinpō-kan were unearthed on Okinoshima . It was formerly an imperial shrine of the first rank (官幣大社, kanpei taisha ) in the Modern system of ranked Shinto Shrines . The gods were brought to

8927-520: The regions of Omi and Mino. Her search eventually brought her to Ise, in modern Mie Prefecture , where she is said to have established Naikū after hearing the voice of Amaterasu saying "(Ise) is a secluded and pleasant land. In this land I wish to dwell." Before Yamatohime-no-mikoto 's journey, Amaterasu had been worshiped at the imperial residence in Yamato , then briefly at Kasanui in the eastern Nara basin. When Princess Yamatohime-no-mikoto arrived at

9040-500: The reign of Sujin's son and successor, Emperor Suinin , custody of the sacred treasures were transferred from Toyosukiirihime to Suinin's daughter Yamatohime , who took them first to "Sasahata in Uda" to the east of Miwa. Heading north to Ōmi , she then eastwards to Mino and proceeded south to Ise , where she received a revelation from Amaterasu: Now Ama-terasu no Oho-kami instructed Yamato-hime no Mikoto, saying:—"The province of Ise, of

9153-421: The sacred central pole before the removal of the oi-ya, so that the central pole is never seen. The central pole of the old shrine will then have a new oi-ya erected so that the shin-no-mihashira also remains unseen. The erection of a single post in the center of a sacred area strewn with stones represents the form taken by Japanese places of worship in very ancient times; the shin-no-mihashira would thus be

9266-517: The sacred fire are stored in a box made of Japanese cypress, then purified at the Haraedo immediately in front of the Imibiyaden before being offered to the kami. The pilgrimage path then approaches the fence of the inner sanctum (昇殿, shōden) of Naikū by a set of large stone steps. Within another set of fencing inside the gate is the main shrine (正宮, seigū) itself. Visitors are supposed to keep to

9379-434: The sacred fire. This hall for special prayer, located just after the second large torii gate, is open to the public for the offering of individual prayers to the kami, the giving of donations and the purchase of special talisman of protection, amulets and hanging scrolls of Amaterasu Omikami. This hall contains the sacred fire used to cook all of the food offerings to the kami of Ise Shrine. Rice and other offerings cooked on

9492-455: The sacred space around the Inner Sanctum. The entire tradition is called Shiraisshiki and it is very colourful with every participant wearing a happi coat representing a particular village. The rebuilding of the main shrine takes place on a site adjacent to the old, and each rebuilding alternates between the two sites. The next scheduled rebuilding of Naikū is due in 2033 on the lower, northern site. Various other religious ceremonies are held with

9605-480: The same). The name Amaterasu Ōmikami has been translated into English in different ways. While a number of authors such as Donald Philippi rendered it as ' heaven-illuminating great deity ' , Basil Hall Chamberlain argued (citing the authority of Motoori Norinaga ) that it is more accurately understood to mean ' shining in heaven ' (because the auxiliary su is merely honorific, not causative, such interpretation as ' to make heaven shine ' would miss

9718-403: The shrine building, the site where the previous shrine once stood and where the next will be built, is called the kodenchi . This area is strewn with large white pebbles and is left totally empty apart from the oi-ya , a small wooden hut containing a wooden pole a little over 2 metres in height called the shin-no-mihashira (new sacred central pole). When a new shrine is built, it is built around

9831-472: The shrine from Tashima Shrine located on Kabe Island  [ ja ; ceb ] , Saga Prefecture All three shrines are located in Fukuoka Prefecture, yet they are all on separate islands. The main shrine, Hetsu-gū, is located on the mainland of Kyūshū . Nakatsu-gū is established at the foot of Mt. Mitake on the island of Ōshima off the west coast of Kyūshū. The final shrine, Okitsu-gū,

9944-466: The shrine must be skilled in specific techniques. Power tools are not allowed within the area of the shrine, which means that skilled artisans and carpenters known as miyadaiku are necessary in the construction process. The unit of workers is also organized around relative skill levels, and less experienced workers will work on smaller tasks than more experienced workers. The importance of hiring specifically local artisans has decreased throughout time, for

10057-473: The shrine that were very appealing to those who had made the long trek to the shrine. Additionally, people wanted souvenirs, which resulted in a variety of vendors at Ise selling general goods and specialty items. There were also various post stations which had specific gifts, many of which were woodblock prints. The pilgrimage had multiple purposes and appeals. It was seen as a purification process, and by visiting Ise, pilgrims were purified and aided in receiving

10170-418: The shrine to worship Amaterasu at a permanent location after many temporary locations. In contrast with Kotai jingu  [ ja ] , this shrine is not explicitly mentioned in the Kojiki or the Nihon Shoki . Besides the traditional establishment date of 4 BC, it has also been proposed as having been made in the 5th century. The shrine officially states it was created 1500 years ago in response to

10283-477: The shrine. Saikan and Anzaisho are the Purification Hall and Hall for Imperial Household Visitors respectively. They are on the right side of the pilgrimage path. The Saikan, which is surrounded by fences, is used by Shinto priests to purify themselves. They stay here for one or two nights to cleanse their minds from worldly concerns before performing rituals, as they bathe and eat meals prepared with sacred fire to achieve spiritual serenity; adjacent to Saikan, there

10396-458: The shrine. The shrine has evolved throughout the years in its reconstruction, while maintaining some of its key features. The shrine was not originally constructed with gold copper adornments; however, because of advancements in technology as well as Buddhist influence, it gained them over the years. Another example of Buddhist influence on the shrine is the use of Suedama , which are Buddhist orbs seen on various religious structures. It symbolizes

10509-500: The sides of the path as the middle is set aside for the goddess Amaterasu. Etiquette is the same as for most Shinto shrines. Though the actual shrine is hidden behind a large fence, pilgrims can approach the gate to offer their prayers. Photographs in this area are prohibited and this restriction is strictly policed. Kotai Jingū is said to hold the Sacred Mirror , one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan said to have been given to

10622-462: The surrounding areas, 91 of them connected to Naikū and 32 to Gekū. Purportedly the home of the Sacred Mirror , the shrine is one of Shinto's holiest and most important sites. Access to both sites is strictly limited, with the general public not allowed beyond sight of the thatched roofs of the central structures, hidden behind four tall wooden fences . However, visitors are free to roam the forest, including its ornamental walkways which date back to

10735-497: The survival of a symbolism from a very primitive symbolism to the present day. The shrine buildings at Naikū and Gekū, as well as the Uji Bridge, are rebuilt every 20 years as a part of the Shinto belief in tokowaka (常若), which means renewing objects to maintain a strong sense of divine prestige in pursuit of eternity, and as a way of passing building techniques from one generation to the next. The twenty-year renewal process

10848-469: The sword inside the storehouse, Takakuraji went to where Iwarebiko was and presented it to him. The magic power of the Futsu-no-Mitama immediately exterminated the evil gods of the region and roused Iwarebiko and his men from their slumber. Continuing their journey, the army soon found themselves stranded in the mountains. Takamimusubi (so the Kojiki ) or Amaterasu ( Shoki ) then told Iwarebiko in

10961-427: The task of working on the main shrine. On crossing the bridge, the path turns to the right along the banks of the Isuzu river and passes through large landscaped gardens. After crossing a short, wide bridge, pilgrims to the shrine encounter the Temizusha, a small, roofed structure containing a pool of water for use in ritual purification. Visitors are encouraged to wash their hands and rinse their mouths at Temizusha as

11074-554: The three Munakata goddesses ( 宗像三女神 , Munakata-sanjojin ) . These kami are believed to be daughters of the goddess Amaterasu , the ancestress of the imperial family or to be the daughters of Susanoo , who has also been worshipped there for many years as the god of mariners, and he has come to be worshipped as the god of traffic safety on land as well. Munakata Taisha is also home to many Japanese treasures. Hetsu-gū's honden (main shrine) and haiden (main prayer hall) are both designated Important Cultural Properties and

11187-409: The three gods of Sumie ( Sumiyoshi ): Uwatsutsunoo, Nakatsutsunoo, and Sokotsutsunoo . Worshiping the gods in accordance with their instructions, Jingū then set out to conquer the promised land beyond the sea: the three kingdoms of Korea . When Jingū returned victorious to Japan, she enshrined the deities in places of their own choosing; Amaterasu, warning Jingū not to take her aramitama along to

11300-481: The top of her forehead there had been produced millet ; over her eyebrows there had been produced the silkworm ; within her eyes there had been produced panic ; in her belly there had been produced rice ; in her genitals there had been produced wheat , large beans and small beans. Amaterasu had the grains collected and sown for humanity's use and, putting the silkworms in her mouth, reeled thread from them. From this began agriculture and sericulture . This account

11413-516: The trial as he had produced deities of the required gender, then "raged with victory" and proceeded to wreak havoc by destroying his sister's rice fields and defecating in her palace. While Amaterasu tolerated Susanoo's behavior at first, his "misdeeds did not cease, but became even more flagrant" until one day, he bore a hole in the rooftop of Amaterasu's weaving hall and hurled the "heavenly piebald horse" ( 天斑駒 , ame no fuchikoma ), which he had flayed alive, into it. One of Amaterasu's weaving maidens

11526-436: The universe?" They then together produced the Sun-Goddess, who was called Oho-hiru-me no muchi. [...] The resplendent lustre of this child shone throughout all the six quarters. Therefore the two Deities rejoiced, saying:—"We have had many children, but none of them have been equal to this wondrous infant. She ought not to be kept long in this land, but we ought of our own accord to send her at once to Heaven, and entrust to her

11639-504: The very roots the flourishing ma-sakaki trees of the mountain Ame-no-Kaguyama; to the upper branches they affixed long strings of myriad magatama beads; in the middle branches they hung a large-dimensioned mirror ; in the lower branches they suspended white nikite cloth and blue nikite cloth. These various objects were held in his hands by Futotama-no-Mikoto as solemn offerings, and Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto intoned

11752-407: The village of Kasanuhi, and she would become the first Saiō . and delegated the worship of Yamato-no-Okunitama to another daughter, Nunakiirihime. When the pestilence showed no sign of abating, he then performed divination , which revealed the plague to have been caused by Ōmononushi , the god of Mount Miwa . When the god was offered proper worship as per his demands, the epidemic ceased. During

11865-479: The village of Uji-tachi, she set up fifty bells to designate the area as enshrined for the goddess Amaterasu, which is why the river is called the Isuzu , or "fifty bells". Geku was founded after Emperor Yuryaku dreamt that he saw Amaterasu . She said she was unable to get food and asked him to bring Toyouke-hime from Tanba help her with food. Besides the traditional establishment date of 4 BC, other dates of

11978-574: The words "elder brother" to translate her dialog referring to Susanoo in the Kojiki , even though he noted that she was his elder sister. The word (which was also used by Izanami to address her elder brother and husband Izanagi) was nase (phonetically spelt 那勢 in the Kojiki ; modern dictionaries use the semantic spelling 汝兄 , whose kanji literally mean ' my elder brother ' ), an ancient term used only by females to refer to their brothers, who had higher status than them. (As opposed to males using nanimo ( 汝妹 , ' my younger sister ' ) ( 那邇妹 in

12091-478: Was alarmed and struck her genitals against a weaving shuttle , killing her. In response, a furious Amaterasu shut herself inside the Ame-no-Iwayato ( 天岩屋戸 , ' Heavenly Rock-Cave Door ' , also known as Ama-no-Iwato), plunging heaven and earth into total darkness. The main account in the Shoki has Amaterasu wounding herself with the shuttle when Susanoo threw the flayed horse in her weaving hall, while

12204-530: Was exponential, 5 million pilgrims visiting the shrine in the year 1830 alone. By the late 19th century, tourists from abroad began to visit and document Ise. The popularity of making a trip to Ise resulted in vast networks and groups of travelers, which ultimately led to businesses working to benefit from this influx of interest for the shrine. Travel guidebooks were made to aid travelers in their navigation, as well to let them know of specific important places to visit while at Ise. They also included woodblock prints of

12317-613: Was held in 2006 and 2007. A year after the completion of the Okihiki festival, carpenters begin preparing the wood for its eventual use in the Shrine. From the late seventh century, when the festivals and offerings of Ise Shrine became more formalised, a number of annual events have been performed at both Naikū and Gekū. The Tsukinamisai, which was held in June and December, as well as the Kannamesai Festival in September, were

12430-449: Was lured onto an open grassland by a treacherous chieftain, who then set fire to the grass to entrap him. Desperate, Yamato Takeru used the sword to cut the grass around him (a variant in the Shoki has the sword miraculously mow the grass of its own accord) and lit a counter-fire to keep the fire away. This incident explains the sword's name ("Grass Cutter"). On his way home from the east, Yamato Takeru – apparently blinded by hubris – left

12543-413: Was possessed by unknown gods who told Chūai of a land rich in treasure located on the other side of the sea that is his for the taking. When Chūai doubted their words and accused them of being deceitful, the gods laid a curse upon him that he should die "without possessing this land." (The Kojiki and the Shoki diverge at this point: in the former, Chūai dies almost immediately after being cursed, while in

12656-488: Was rude in the highest degree. Nevertheless, the Sun-Goddess, out of her friendship for him, was not indignant or resentful, but took everything calmly and with forbearance. When the time came for the Sun-Goddess to celebrate the feast of first-fruits, Sosa no wo no Mikoto secretly voided excrement under her august seat in the New Palace. The Sun-Goddess, not knowing this, went straight there and took her seat. Accordingly

12769-475: Was unable to get food and asked him to bring Toyouke-hime from Tanba help her with food. Daiichi-torii-guchi Sando is the primary route into the shrine. It is a Sandō that starts at the Hiyokebashi bridge entrance, and beyond this bridge, the Temizusha (ablution font) is visible on the left side. A Temizusha is present at the shrine for worshippers to purify . An alternative entrance path for

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