The Sun Goddess Amaterasu
Presentation by Annie, Natalie, Corrina, and Autumn
There is the sun goddess Amaterasu standing by the sun and birds.
Culture of Japanese Mythology
Japanese mythology is a part of the
religions Shinto and Buddhism.
Japanese mythology is made up
of many gods/spirits. It provides
the explanation for the origin
of the Imperial Family.
Amaterasu’s Backstory
Her name means “shining in heaven” and she is the goddess of the sun and also the universe. She is the first of the three children of the deity (god), Izanagi. Izanagi gave birth to three children after entering the underworld to save another
god, Izanami. Amaterasu was born when Izanagi
washed his left eye. When Izanagi washed out his
right eye, Tsukuyomi was born, and when he
washed his nose, Susanoo was born. They are
all siblings. It is said that she painted the landscape of ancient
Japan with Tsukuyomi and Susanoo.
Amaterasu's myth
Her brother, Susanoo, who is the god of the seas, does not get along with Amaterasu.
One day, Susanoo throws a half-flayed
pony (which is an honored animal to
Amaterasu) down her weaving hall, killing
one of her attendants.
Amaterasu, the sun goddess, then gets very angry
and hides in a cave called Iwayado. When she
disappears into the cave, the world becomes dark.
None of the gods could lure her out. Then the kami of merriment, Ame-no-Uzume, has an idea. She places a mirror outside of the cave and creates a loud commotion,
which makes Amaterasu curious so she peaks
outside. When she does, a ray of light which
is known as “the dawn” escapes and she is
dazzled by her reflection in the mirror. While she is
distracted, the god Ameno-Tajikarao pulls her out of the cave and she agrees to return the light.
Amaterasu comes out of the cave and sees her �reflection
Amaterasu comes out of the cave, bringing sunlight �back to the universe
Scientific explanation
This myth explains how the sun and moon appear at different times in the sky.The earth has night and day because
it spins on it’s axis for 24 hours in order to complete a turn.
During 12 hours, half of the earth is facing
the sun while the other half faces the moon.
After, we receive darkness, it turns night for
12 hours.
Sources