Amaterasu Omikami Theory

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Introduction “Amaterasu Omikami was Himiko” is one of the major theories of who Amaterasu Omikami really was. In this paper, I focused on this theory from several aspects such as their names, families, and myth. The conclusion of this paper is that it seems likely the evidence demonstrates the hypothesis. Names There is some similarity between the name of Amaterasu and Himiko. Amaterasu omikami means “shining heaven”. Therefore, there is no doubt that she is a light Goddess or sun Goddess. In addition, Ohohirumenomuchi is her another name, and it also means sun of Goddess. According to Shintani (2013), the name “Himiko” was pronounced as “Himuka” at that time. Himuka literally means, “face to the sun”, so Himiko was a daughter of the sun, and she worshipped God of the sun. Also, Ohira (2009) says Himiko was called as “Hinomiko”, that is, a daughter of the sun. Nature kami and ancestral kami Amaterasu is Goddess, but it can be said that her existence itself is close to human, so it could be said that some famous woman for example Himiko, was apotheosized as a Goddes, Amaterasu. It is called Shintoism’s kami is a “nature kami” (Shizen-shin). That is, everything from nature, such as rocks and trees, can be kami, and …show more content…

According to Yasumoto (2003), the myths went like this: she was annoyed by an outrage of her younger brother, Susanowo no Mikoto, so Amaterasu Omikami shuts herself in Amano Iwaya. Therefore, Takamanohara got dark, and Ashihara no Nakatsukuni also completely dark. All kinds of evil occurred, but finally, when she opened the door slightly, and she got out of Ama no Iwaya, Takamanohara and Ashihara no Nakatsukuni brightened again. It is said that the myth implies several things: eclipse, death, volcano, and winter solstice. In this paper, I will focus on the theory of eclipse because it seems likely it is related to

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