LINEAGE OF THE SUN GODDESS

According to the story of creation as described in the Japanese mythology, three divinities were born of themselves in the beginning in "Taka-ama-hara" (the Plain of High Heaven). From them came seven generations of gods, and those of the seventh generations were Izanagi and Izanami, the creators of the many states in Japanese islands. *

While washing his left eye in the sea, Izanagi gave birth to the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu (or "Heavenly Enlightenment"), from whom all emperors of Japan were subsequently to claim descent. In like manner, the washing of his right eye gave birth to the Moon Goddess; and on washing his nose, Susa-nowo, the Storm God was born.

Between Amaterasu and her brother, Susa-nowo, numerous and extremely complicated quarrels took place. Susa-nowo destroyed the banks of his sister's paddy fields and committed other misdeeds abhorrent to the people. Having caused all these troubles, Susa-nowo was expelled from "Taka-ama-hara," and descended to earth in the land of Silla in southeastern Korea, and from there crossed over in a clay boat to the province of Izumo in southwestern Japan, an area facing the Asiatic mainland. There he established his domain after performing various exploits.

Then, Amaterasu decided to send to earth her grandson, Ninigi, to rule Japan. However, the land then was ruled by the chieftain in Izumo, Ohkuni-nushi, grandson of Susa-nowo. Amaterasu sent several emissaries to him, demanding the rule to be given over to Ninigi, and Ohkuni-nushi finally consented.

Ninigi descended on mount Takachiho in Hyuga, the south east province of Kyushu. There followed various strange and fabulous adventures, combined with fighting local chiefs. The great grandson of Ninigi carried out a series of military exploits. culminating in a victorious expedition to Yamato, a province in central Japan, in the vicinity of what is now Nara. By this achievement, he became the first earthly emperor of Japan&emdash; Jimmu Tenno. The term "Tenno," meaning "Prince of Heaven," has been applied to the names of all Japanese emperors ever since .

Here, before we try to interpret the legend, an explanation on the Japanese term for "god"&emdash;kami&emdash;seems necessary. The word literally means "the superior," and, although it is some what misleadingly translated as "god," obviously is not comparable to the Christian concept of "God" as the Supreme Being. The religious beliefs of the Japanese people were name less at first, but later, they were called "Shinto" or "the way of gods," to be distinguished from Buddhism. The worship of ~he Sun Goddess and other tribal ancestors and deities was a part of much broader worship of the wonders and mysteries of nature. A waterfall, a mountain crag, a mysterious cave, a large tree, a peculiarly shaped stone, might inspire a sense of awe, and were believed to represent the presence of the divine. Especially, men and women of charismatic gifts were respected and worshiped as "super-human" beings and were called kami. However, it is taken for granted that even Amaterasu, though called the Sun Goddess, was not a goddess in Western sense but a priestess thereof.

* One of the ancient Chinese book called Gishi-Wajinden,written in the latter part of the 3rd century, records that the Japanese islands in those days were divided into numerous local states.