Amaterasu Reproduction on Canvas

She is the daughter of creator deities Izanagi and Izanami, and central to the Shinto religion, it is from her the Japanese nobility claims descent and their divine right to rule, and it is in her honor that the Japanese flag bears a huge red sun. Goddess Izanami died after giving birth to a fire god, and in despair, the grieving Izanagi gave birth  to Amaterasu, she emerged from his left eye, Tsukiyomi (the moon god) emerged from his right eye, and Suano-o (the storm god) was birthed through his nose. 

Amaterasu is a beautiful and compassionate goddess who rules both the sun and the fields of rice that fed the Japanese people. She is also an accomplished weaver, with many attendants who join her in weaving; she was well loved throughout the land, and her brother Susano-o was very jealous of his beautiful sister’s power and popularity. One day, Susano-o violently lashed out at his sister and all she loved, he slaughtered a young horse (an animal sacred to the goddess), and threw the bloody, lifeless body through the ceiling and into the weaving room, where he managed to kill one of Amaterasu’s attendants who was buried in the rubble. Terrified and broken-hearted, Amaterasu ran off into the mountains, and hid herself securely inside a cave, refusing to come out ever again. 

As the days passed, people began to worry. The night was endless, as there was no sun, no light, and the fields all began to die, the animals and people grew hungry and afraid, and they begged the Gods and Goddesses for help. Hundreds of gods and goddesses came to the entrance of the cave where Amaterasu was hiding, and they begged for her to come out, but she stayed inside.

One of the goddesses who showed up to help coax Amaterasu out from the cave was Goddess Uzume, a goddess responsible for laughter, partying and joy. Uzume danced outside of the cave and played her drum as she delighted the other gods and goddesses with her show. Meanwhile, the gods placed a bronze mirror outside of the entrance of the cave, and encouraged Uzume to dance more, even on her drum, to create joyful sounds and draw Amaterasu out of her cave. As Usume danced, laughter echoed through the mountains until Amaterasu could no longer contain her curiosity, and she moved the large rock to peek outside and see for herself where the laughter and drumming was coming from, when she parted the rock, she saw her own reflection in the mirror, and upon seeing her own beauty reflected back at her, she was able to *see* and to understand her value to the world, have compassion for others, and realized how much the world needed her; She returned to her home, and her light once more shone upon the earth.

Amaterasu’s energy is here to remind you that you can emerge healed and whole from intense challenges in your life. In her story we find violence, betrayal, grief, distrust, and depression- with it all resulting in healing and forgiveness through self-love, and a heart for the joy of others.

Amaterasu is a powerful Goddess in Japan, so important in fact, that the Japanese flag is in her honor; and she continues to be honored in present day Japan.