Ame-no-Koyane-no-mikoto ( 天児屋命, 天児屋根命) is a ''

kami are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...

'' and a male

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

Japanese mythology Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of years of contac ...

and

Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

. He is the ancestral god of the Nakatomi clan, and

Fujiwara no Kamatari , also known as , was a Japanese politician and aristocrat who, together with Prince Naka no Ōe (later Emperor Tenji), carried out the Taika Reform. He was the founder of the Fujiwara clan, the most powerful aristocratic family in Japan durin ...

, the founder of the powerful

Fujiwara clan The was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

. An '' Amatsukami'', 'Kami of heaven', he resides in Takamagahara.

Mythology

According to '' Kogo Shūi'' and Kashima Shrine's genealogy, Ame-no-Koyane is the son of the

creator deity A creator deity or creator god is a deity responsible for the creation of the Earth, world, and universe in human religion and mythology. In monotheism, the single God is often also the creator. A number of monolatristic traditions separate a ...

Kamimusubi, one of the first three gods to come into existence. However, according to ''Nihon Shoki'', he is the son of Kogotomusubi (興台産霊命). According to ''

Nihon Shoki The or , sometimes translated as ''The Chronicles of Japan'', is the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the , the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeol ...

'', Ame-no-Koyane was "the first in charge of divine affairs, for which reason he was made to serve by performing the Greater Divination." He was commanded by

Amaterasu , often called Amaterasu () for short, also known as and , is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. Often considered the chief deity (''kami'') of the Shinto pantheon, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the () ...

to guard the divine mirror, and was known as the "Imperial Aide" at the Imperial Palace, being in charge of divine affairs of the palace. According to Japanese mythology, Ame-no-Koyane performed a ritual prayer to the sun goddess

to call her out of the cave of Ama-no-Iwato and bring light back to the world, after Susanoo, the god of storms, drove her away. During '' tenson kōrin'', he acted as one of the five gods descending from heaven accompanying Ninigi, thus becoming the ancestor of the Nakatomi clan.

Shrines

Ame-no-Koyane is worshipped at: * Hiraoka Shrine * Kasuga Grand Shrine *

Ōharano Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Nishikyō-ku, Kyoto, Nishikyō-ku, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Ōharano is dedicated to the Fujiwara tutelary kami, Ame-no-Koyane, who was said to have assisted in the founding of the state. History The shrine becam ...

* Yoshida Shrine * and all Kasuga Shrines in Japan.

References

External links

Shinto Portal - IJCC, Kokugakuin University
- Encyclopedia of Shinto
Ameno Koyane
- History of Japan Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Ame-No-Koyane Japanese gods Shinto kami Amatsukami Nakatomi clan