Amatsukami

, 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 () and the (720 CE), as the ruler (or one of the rulers) of the heavenly realm Takamagahara and as the mythical ancestress of the Imperial House of Japan via her grandson Ninigi. Along with two of her siblings (the moon deity Tsukuyomi and the impetuous storm-god Susanoo) she ranks as one of the "Three Precious Children" (, ), the three most important offspring of

Izanagi (イザナギ/伊邪那岐/伊弉諾), formally referred to with a divine honorific as , is the creator deity (kami) of both creation and life in Japanese mythology. He and his sister-wife Izanami are the last of the seven generations of primordial deities that manifested after the formation of heaven and earth. Izanagi and Izanami are held to be the creators of the Japanese archipelago and the progenitors of many deities, which include the sun goddess Amaterasu, the moon deity Tsukuyomi, and the storm god Susanoo. He is a god that can be said to be the beginning of the current Japanese imperial family.

or , also , is the moon kami in Japanese mythology and the Shinto religion. The name "Tsukuyomi" is a compound of the Old Japanese words and . The Nihon Shoki mentions this name spelled as , but this yumi is likely a variation in pronunciation of yomi. An alternative interpretation is that his name is a combination of and . -no-Mikoto is a common honorific appended to the names of Kami; it may be understood as similar to the English honorific 'the Great'.

, formally referred to with the honorific , is the creator 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 deities that manifested after the formation of heaven and earth. Izanami and Izanagi are held to be the creators of the Japanese archipelago and the progenitors of many deities, which include the sun goddess Amaterasu, the moon deity Tsukuyomi and the storm god Susanoo. In mythology, she is the direct ancestor of the Japanese imperial family. In Shinto and Japane

is the goddess of humor, dancing happiness, joy, dawn, mirth, meditation, revelry and the arts in the Shinto religion of Japan, and the wife of fellow-god Sarutahiko Ōkami. (-no-Mikoto is a common honorific appended to the names of Japanese gods; it may be understood as similar to the English honorific 'the Great'.) She famously helped draw out the missing sun deity, Amaterasu Omikami, when she had hidden herself in a cave. Her name can also be pronounced as Ama-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto. She is also known as Ōmiyanome-no-Ōkami, an inari kami possibly due to her relationship with her husband. She is

or , is a god 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 great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor, Emperor Jimmu. The three sacred treasures brought with Ninigi from Heaven and divine ancestry established the Japanese Imperial Family. The three generations of kami starting with Ninigi are sometimes referred to as the Three Generations of Hyūga, they are said to represent a transitional period between the

frame In Shinto, is the collective name for the first gods which came into existence at the time of the creation of the universe. They were born in Takamagahara, the world of Heaven at the time of the creation. Unlike the later gods, these deities were born without any procreation.

Ame-no-Minakanushi (天之御中主, lit. "Lord of the August Center of Heaven") is a deity (kami) in Japanese mythology, portrayed in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki as the first or one of the first deities who manifested when heaven and earth came into existence.

thumb In Shinto faith, Kuninotokotachi or Kuni-toko-tachi is one of the two Gods born from "something like a reed that arose from the soil" when the Earth was chaotic. In the , he is the first of the seven generations of Divinities born after the first five divinities were born at the time of the creation of the Universe. In the , he is the first of the three divinities born after Heaven and Earth were born out of chaos, and is born from something looking like a reed-shoot growing between heaven and earth. He is known by mythology to reside on top of Mount Fuji (富士山).

Amenooshihomimi (天忍穗耳尊,天之忍穂耳命) or Oshihomimi for short, is the first son of Amaterasu.

thumb|Earthquake-warding song (a namazu-e woodblock pamphlet, October 1855). The figure holding down the [[Namazu (mythical catfish) is believed to be Takemikazuchi.]]

thumb|Yuzen shrine at Atami|Atami onsen enshrines Sukunabikona Sukunabikona or Sukuna bikona (少彦名神, also known as Sukuna-biko, Sukuna-biko-na, Sukuna hikona) is the Shinto kami of the onsen (hot springs), agriculture, healing, magic, brewing sake and knowledge. His name means "the small lord of renown." He is often described as being a dwarf and is frequently paired with Ōkuninushi.

frame In Japanese mythology, the are the seven generations of kami that emerged after the formation of heaven and earth(Tenchi-kaibyaku).

Kamimusubi (神産巣日, lit. "Sacred Generative Force"), also known as Kamimusuhi among other variants, is a kami and god of creation in Japanese mythology. They are a hitorigami, and the third of the first three kami to come into existence (Kotoamatsukami), alongside Ame-no-Minakanushi and Takamimusubi, forming a trio at the beginning of all creation. The name is composed of kami, denoting deity, and musubi, meaning "effecting force of creation".

Takamimusubi (高御産巣日, lit. "Exalted Generative Force") is a creation deity in Japanese mythology, who was the second of the first beings to come into existence.

Ame-no-Koyane-no-mikoto (天児屋命, 天児屋根命) is a kami and a male deity in Japanese mythology and Shinto. He is the ancestral god of the Nakatomi clan, and Fujiwara no Kamatari, the founder of the powerful Fujiwara clan. An Amatsukami, 'Kami of heaven', he resides in Takamagahara.

Japanese kami

is a Japanese deity (kami) of physical strength who appears in Japanese mythology. Ame-no-tajikarao is written as 天手力男神 in Kojiki, and 天手力雄神 in Nihon Shoki. Tajikarao's name means sky-hand-power-male.

Japanese mythical couple

, also known as , is a warrior god in Japanese mythology. Also known under the epithet Katori Daimyōjin () after his shrine in northern Chiba Prefecture (historical Shimōsa Province), Katori Jingū, he is often revered alongside Takemikazuchi (the god of Kashima Shrine), with whom he is closely associated (his brother). He is the general of Amaterasu and regarded as a legendary ancestor of the Mononobe clan, and like Takemikazuchi is one of the tutelary deities of the Fujiwara clan.

Omoikane (思兼 or 思金) is a Shinto Kami of wisdom and intelligence. His name means "having the wisdom and thoughtfulness of many people". A heavenly deity who is called upon to "ponder" and give good counsel in the deliberations of the heavenly deities. In the myth where Amaterasu hid in a cave, he was entrusted with the task of finding a way to get her out. Carpenters pray to him during the construction of pillars in a building. Usually, Japanese people pray to Omoikane for success in school and exams.

Amatsu-Mikaboshi (天津甕星), also called Ame-no-Kagaseo (天香香背男) or Hoshi-no-Kami Kagaseo (星神香香背男), is a god of stars who appears in Japanese mythology. No reference to Mikaboshi is made in the Kojiki, however, he plays a minor role in the Nihon Shoki as a deity insubordinate to the amatsukami during the latter's subjugation of the land.

Futodama () or Futotama is a god in Japanese mythology, claimed to be the ancestor of Inbe clan, whose characteristics are believed to reflect the functions of the clan as court ritualists.

Japanese deity

frame , also called tenjin, is a category of kami in Japanese mythology. Generally speaking, it refers to kami born in, or residing in, Takamagahara.

Amatsuhikone (天津日子根命,天津彥根命, which means little lad of Heaven) in Japanese mythology is the third son of Amaterasu.

thumb|240x240px|Oath between Amaterasu and Susanoo (based on the Kojiki)

Ikutsuhikone () is a god of Japanese mythology. He is the fourth son of Amaterasu. In many versions of his birth story, he is born from Amaterasu’s jewels after being chewed up and spat out by Susanoo-no-Mikoto.

Japanese mythology

shinto kami of mirrors

gods of earth, clay, and pottery in Japanese mythology

Amatsumara(天津麻羅) (“one eye of heaven”) or (ironworker of heaven) also known as “Amenomahitotsu” (Heaven's Eye One Kami) is the Shinto kami of ironworking and blacksmiths. He was discussed in the Kojiki and is associated to the giant yōkai Daidarabocchi. He is also the patron kami for blacksmiths.

, is a deity that appears in the creation story of the "Kojiki" and "Nihon Shoki." She is the daughter of the god Takamimusubi and younger sister of Omoikane. She is the goddess of textiles and mother of Ninigi-no-Mikoto and Amenohoakari, and thus an ancestor of Jimmu.