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Amatsu-Mikaboshi (天津甕星), also known as Ame-no-Mikaboshi, is a significant deity in Japanese mythology and Shintoism. His name translates to "Heavenly Star of Darkness" or "August Star of Heaven," reflecting his associations with chaos and the cosmos.
Amatsu-Mikaboshi is typically characterized by his association with darkness and the night sky. Unlike other deities in Shintoism, who often have positive attributes or play constructive roles, Amatsu-Mikaboshi represents the more enigmatic and potentially destructive aspects of the divine.
Amatsu-Mikaboshi is primarily recognized as a deity of chaos and darkness. He is often depicted as an antagonist in Shinto mythology, embodying the primal forces of disorder and the unknown. His role is sometimes contrasted with the gods of order and creation, such as the sun goddess Amaterasu.
In some myths, Amatsu-Mikaboshi is associated with the chaotic, primordial state before the creation of the world. His presence represents the dark and tumultuous aspects of existence that must be balanced or overcome for the cosmos to achieve harmony.
Biography[]
He is not mentioned in the Kojiki but only appears in the Nihon Shoki, specifically in the section about the conquest of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni. In the aforementioned main text, Futsunushi-no-kami and Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto subdued all rebellious demons and gods, even destroying plants and stones in the process. However, the star god Kasane-o refused to surrender. As a result, Shitori-gami Takehazuchi-no-mikoto was sent to pacify him.
He is also described as a heavenly deity. Futsunushi and Takemikazuchi declare they will first defeat the evil god Ame-no-Kakahasao, also known as Ame-no-Mikaboshi, in Takamagahara before pacifying Ashihara no Nakatsukuni.
According to the legends of Kashima-jingu and Shizu-jinja, Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto descended to Mirume-no-ura on Kashima Island (renamed Kashima in 723, the present-day location of Kashima-jingu Shrine) and sat on a rock, also known as the keystone of the Kashima-jingu area. Ame-no-kaseno-o resided in Omi-no-mi, Hitachi (modern Hitachi City, about 70 km north of Kashima-jingu Shrine), while Takehazuchi-no-mikoto, who was sent to the area, set up camp in Shizu (around 20 km west of Omi-no-mi) to confront him. This camp is believed to have been Shizu-jinja Shrine, located in Urizura-cho, Ibaraki Prefecture.
"Kaga," meaning "shining," is thought to symbolize the brightness of stars, particularly a large, divinely powerful star. Hirata Atsutane suggests that the divine name "Mika" means "stern," and that Amatsumikaboshi refers to Venus.
Worship and Influence[]
While not as widely worshipped as other Shinto deities, Amatsu-Mikaboshi has influenced various aspects of Japanese culture and folklore. His figure appears in various traditional stories and has been incorporated into modern media, including literature, art, and popular culture. Deities associated with the stars and moon are worshipped globally, and star gods are sometimes revered as major deities. However, in Japanese mythology, star gods are often portrayed as rebellious and in need of subjugation. One theory posits that a tribe that worshipped star gods resisted submission to the Yamato dynasty.
Many Hoshi Shrines and Hoshimiya Shrines across Japan enshrine deities like Ame-no-Minakanushi, Iwasaki, Nesaki, and Futsunushi. Some, like Hoshi Shrine in Nagoya City and Hoshimiyasha Shrine in Aichi Prefecture, specifically worship Amatsumikaboshi.
Omikami Shrine in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture, enshrines Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto as its main deity (or Susanoo-no-Mikoto, according to another tradition). According to the shrine’s legend, Mikami-no-Kakaseo (Amatsumikami-no-Boshi) resided on Mount Omikami in Hitachi Province and ruled the eastern region. The soul stone that forms the sacred ground of Omikami Shrine is said to have originated from Mikami-no-Kakaseo.
He is sometimes identified with Takeminakata no Kami, as both resisted the subjugation of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni. In the concept of Shinbutsu Shugo, he is occasionally regarded as an incarnation of Myoken Bosatsu, the deified North Star.
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