Goddess of the sun
Amaterasu 天照大御神
Also known as: Amaterasu-Ōmikami
Element: Fire (火)
The myth
Amaterasu rules the High Plain of Heaven (Takamagahara). When her brother Susanoo ran riot in heaven, she shut herself inside the Heavenly Rock Cave, Ama-no-Iwato, and the whole world fell into darkness.
The other gods gathered outside and held a festival. The goddess Ame-no-Uzume danced, the gods roared with laughter, and Amaterasu opened the door a crack to see what was going on. The strong god Tajikarao pulled the rock aside, and light returned to the world.
She is revered as the ancestral deity of the imperial family, and her most important shrine is the Inner Shrine of Ise.
What people pray to Amaterasu for
- Good fortune
- Heartfelt wishes
- Warding off misfortune
Why: Because she is the light that came back to a dark world, people pray to her for good fortune in general and for wishes to come true.
Where to meet Amaterasu
The element shown is the one used by Kamimap's fun guardian-kami quiz, based on traditional five-element associations. It is not a religious teaching.