AMA-TERASU

AN EXCERPT FROM THIS BOOK: A HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN JAPAN (INCLUDING FORMOSA), BY BASIL CHAMBERLAIN,F.R.G.S. AND W.B. MASON, CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SCOTTISH GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY AND LATE OF THE IMPERIAL  JAPANESE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS. WITH THIRTY MAPS AND PLANS AND NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. NINTH EDITION, REVISED THROUGHOUT. LONDON. JOHN MURRAY, ALLEMARLE STREET. YOKOHAMA, SHANGHAI,- KELLY&WALSH, LIMITED-HONKONG, SINGAPORE.1913

AMA-TERASU 

IS

AMA-TERASU- lit. "The Heaven Shiner",- that is the Sun-Goddess.She was born from the left eye of the Creator Izanagi,when the latter was performing his ablutions on returning from a visit to his dead wife Izanami in Hades. the Sun-Goddess was herself the ancestress of the Imperial Family of Japan. The most striking episode in her legend is that, in which she is insulted by her brother Susa-no-o, and retires in high dudgeon to a cavern, thus plunging the whole world into darkness.

 All the other gods and goddesses assembled at the cavern's mouth, with music and dancing. At length curiosity lures her to the door, and she is finally enticed out by the sight of her own fair image in a mirror, which one of the gods pushes towards her. The origin of the sacred dances called kagura is traced to this incident by the native literati.Other names under which the Sun-Goddess is known are Shimmei -Ten, Shōkō-Daijin, and Daijingū. 

IMPERIAL CHRONICLES

EXCERPT FROM THIS BOOK: NIHONGI, CHRONICLES OF JAPAN FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO A.D. 697

P.24

VI 16. wards to Mino whence she arrived in the province of Ise 

Now Ama-terasu no Oho-kami instructed Yamato-hime no Mikoto saying:- "The province of Ise, of 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.