Facts about Japanese Amaterasu

1. 05

   Amaterasu's conflict with her brother Susanoo, the storm god, is one of the central mythological narratives recorded in the eighth-century Kojiki.

   Japanese AmaterasuJun 6sharemythologyshintojapanese
2. 04

   Amaterasu's name translates roughly to 'heaven-shining great deity,' reflecting her role as the goddess of the sun and universe in Shinto belief.

   Japanese AmaterasuJun 6sharemythologyshintoetymology
3. 03

   Amaterasu's principal shrine, the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, is considered the holiest site in Shinto and is ritually rebuilt every twenty years.

   Japanese AmaterasuJun 6shareshintomythologyjapan
4. 02

   In the myth recorded in the Kojiki, Amaterasu hid in a cave called Ama-no-Iwato, plunging the world into darkness until lured out by the laughter of other gods.

   Japanese AmaterasuJun 6sharemythologyshintojapan
5. 01

   The sun goddess Amaterasu is considered one of the most important deities in Shinto religion and is believed to be the ancestral deity of the Japanese imperial family.

   Japanese AmaterasuJun 6sharemythologyshintojapan