Amaterasu Omikami
天照大御神
Goddess of the sun, supreme deity of the Shinto pantheon, and ancestral kami of the Imperial house
About
Amaterasu Omikami stands at the apex of the Shinto divine hierarchy as the radiant goddess of the sun. According to the Kojiki, she was born when Izanagi washed his left eye during purification rites after his harrowing journey to the land of the dead. Entrusted with dominion over the High Celestial Plain (Takamagahara), she embodies light, order, and agricultural fertility.
Her most celebrated myth involves her withdrawal into the Heavenly Rock Cave (Ama-no-Iwato) after being distressed by her brother Susanoo's violent outbursts. The world was plunged into darkness until the assembled deities lured her out through revelry and a sacred mirror. This episode is interpreted as both a solar eclipse myth and a parable about the indispensability of communal harmony.
As the divine ancestor of the Imperial line—traced through her grandson Ninigi's descent to earth—Amaterasu occupies a unique position linking mythology to Japan's political institutions. The sacred mirror (Yata no Kagami), one of the three Imperial Regalia, is said to embody her spirit and is enshrined at Ise Jingu.
Mythology
The Cave of the Sun Goddess (Ama-no-Iwato)
天岩戸（あまのいわと）
Kojiki & Nihon ShokiThe Purification and Birth of the Three Noble Children (Misogi)
禊と三貴子の誕生（みそぎ）
Kojiki & Nihon ShokiThe Descent of the Heavenly Grandson (Tenson Korin)
天孫降臨（てんそんこうりん）
Kojiki & Nihon ShokiThe Cession of the Land (Kuniyuzuri)
国譲り（くにゆずり）
Kojiki & Nihon ShokiFamily Relationships
Parents
Children
Animal Messenger
Rooster (Chicken) (鶏（にわとり）)
Roosters are associated with Amaterasu because their crowing at dawn heralds the return of the sun. In the Ama-no-Iwato myth, the long-crowing roosters (Tokoyo no Naganakidori) were gathered to mimic dawn and entice the sun goddess from her cave.
Shrines Dedicated to This Deity
| Shrine | Prefecture | Network Role |
|---|---|---|
| Kamikawa Shrine 上川神社 | Hokkaido | independent |
| Biei Shrine 美瑛神社 | Hokkaido | independent |
| Asahikawa Shrine 旭川神社 | Hokkaido | independent |
| Takikawa Shrine 瀧川神社 | Hokkaido | independent |
| Niikappu Shrine 新冠神社 | Hokkaido | independent |
| Wakkanai Hokumon Shrine 北門神社 | Hokkaido | head |
| Kitami Shrine 北見神社 | Hokkaido | head |
| Tomakomai Shrine 苫小牧神社 | Hokkaido | head |
| Rumoi Shrine 留萌神社 | Hokkaido | head |
| Tokyo Daijingu 東京大神宮 | Tokyo | Tokyo_branch_of_Ise |
| Kanasana Shrine 金鑚神社 | Saitama | independent |
| Iseyama Kotaijingu 伊勢山皇大神宮 | Kanagawa | regional_yohaijo |
| Shinagawa Shrine 品川神社 | Tokyo | independent |
| Shiba Daijingu 芝大神宮 | Tokyo | branch |
| Oyama Shrine 雄山神社 | Toyama | |
| Nishina Shinmei Shrine 仁科神明宮 | Nagano | Branch shrine |
| Atsuta Jingu 熱田神宮 | Aichi | |
| Shinmei Shrine (Fukui) 神明神社 | Fukui | Branch |
| Yohasira Shrine 四柱神社 | Nagano | |
| Ise Grand Shrine (Naiku) 伊勢神宮 内宮 | Mie | Supreme shrine of Japan |
| Hirota Shrine 廣田神社 | Hyogo | |
| Hinomisaki Shrine 日御碕神社 | Shimane | |
| Isono Shrine 伊曽乃神社 | Ehime | |
| Kushida Shrine 櫛田神社 | Fukuoka | |
| Amano Iwato Shrine 天岩戸神社 | Miyazaki | |
| Hirakiki Shrine 枚聞神社 | Kagoshima | |
| Kambashira Shrine 神柱宮 | Miyazaki |
Frequently Asked Questions
Information provided by Jinja DB Editorial Team
Who is Amaterasu Omikami in Japanese mythology?
Amaterasu Omikami (天照大御神) is Goddess of the sun, supreme deity of the Shinto pantheon, and ancestral kami of the Imperial house. This deity appears in Kojiki & Nihon Shoki and is enshrined at 27 shrines across Japan.
What shrines are dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami?
There are 27 shrines in our database dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, including Kamikawa Shrine, Biei Shrine, Asahikawa Shrine and more.
What myths involve Amaterasu Omikami?
Amaterasu Omikami appears in 4 myths including The Cave of the Sun Goddess (Ama-no-Iwato), The Purification and Birth of the Three Noble Children (Misogi), The Descent of the Heavenly Grandson (Tenson Korin). These stories come from Kojiki & Nihon Shoki.