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 ...

, is the collective name for the first gods which came into existence at the time of the creation of the

universe The universe is all of space and time and their contents. It comprises all of existence, any fundamental interaction, physical process and physical constant, and therefore all forms of matter and energy, and the structures they form, from s ...

. They were born in

Takamagahara In Japanese mythology, , also read as Takaamanohara, Takamanohara, Takaamagahara, or Takaamahara, is the abode of the heavenly gods (''amatsukami''). Often depicted as located up in the sky, it is believed to be connected to the Earth by the bridge ...

, the world of Heaven at the time of the creation. Unlike the later gods, these deities were born without any procreation. The three deities that first appeared were: * - Central Master * - High Creator * - Divine Creator A bit later, two more deities came into existence: *Umashiashikabihikoji
Japanese Wiki (Corpus). - Energy * (天之常立神)
Japanese Wiki (Corpus). - Heaven The next generation of gods that followed was the Kamiyonanayo, which included Izanagi-no-Mikoto and

Izanami-no-Mikoto , formally referred to with the honorific , is the creator deity of both creation and death in Japanese mythology, as well as the Shinto mother goddess. She and her brother-husband Izanagi are the last of the seven generations of primordial d ...

, the patriarch and matriarch of all other Japanese gods, respectively. Afterward, the Kotoamatsukami "hides away" as '' hitorigami''.''

Kojiki The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperia ...

'', First volume Though the Zōkasanshin (three deity of creation) are thought to be genderless, another theory stated Kamimusuhi was the woman and Takamimusubi the man, comparing them with water and fire or with

yin and yang Originating in Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (, ), also yinyang or yin-yang, is the concept of opposite cosmic principles or forces that interact, interconnect, and perpetuate each other. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary an ...

. The theologian Hirata Atsutane identified Amenominakanushi as the spirit of the

North Star Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude t ...

, master of the seven stars of the

Big Dipper The Big Dipper (American English, US, Canadian English, Canada) or the Plough (British English, UK, Hiberno-English, Ireland) is an asterism (astronomy), asterism consisting of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major; six of them ar ...

.Amenominakanushi
Encyclopedia of Shinto. Strangely, Takamimusubi later reappeared together with

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 () ...

as one of the central gods in Takamagahara, and his daughter was the mother of the god

Ninigi-no-Mikoto is a deity in Japanese mythology. (-no-Mikoto here is an honorific title applied to the names of Japanese gods; Ninigi is the specific god's name.) Grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Ninigi is regarded according to Japanese mythology as the ...

. He also played important roles in the events of the founding of Japan, such as selecting the gods who would tag along with Ninigi and sending the

Yatagarasu is a mythical crowThe Book of Ancient Matters, The Book of Ancient Matters, Gakken, pp. 130, 138, 139. and guiding Kami, god in Shinto mythology. He is generally known for his three-legged figure, and his picture has been handed down since an ...

, the three legged solar crow, to help

Emperor Jimmu was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the and . His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"Imperial Enthronement. Later, Takamimusubi was worshipped by the

Jingi-kan The , also known as the Department of Shinto Affairs, Department of Rites, Department of Worship, as well as Council of Divinities, was a Japanese Imperial bureaucracy established in the 8th century, as part of the reforms. It was first establish ...

and considered the god of matchmaking. Some Japanese clans also claimed descent from this god, such as the Saeki clan, he is also an Imperial ancestor. As for Kamimusuhi, he (or she) has strong ties with both the

Amatsukami is a category of kami in Japanese mythology. Generally speaking, it refers to kami born in, or residing in, Takamagahara. ''Amatsukami'' is one of the three categories of kami, along with their earthly counterpart , and . In the time of Ninig ...

(heavenly gods) and the Kunitsukami (earthly gods) of Izumo mythology. Kamimusuhi is also said to have transformed the grains produced by the food goddess

Ōgetsuhime , commonly known as , the daughter of the Shinto deities Izanagi and Izanami, is a goddess of food in the Shinto religion of Japan. In some differing interpretations, Ukemochi is referred to as both male and female. When shown in other forms, Ukemo ...

(Ukemochi no kami) after she was slain by Amaterasu's angered brother.

Notes

{{Jmyth navbox long Creation myths Japanese deities Shinto kami Amatsukami

See also

Notes