Amaterasu

Amaterasu is the celestial goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology and the most important deity of the Shinto religion. She is considered the ruler of the High Plain of Heaven and the mother of the imperial line of Japan. According to the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, Japan's oldest historical chronicles, Amaterasu was born from the washing of Izanagi's left eye when he purified himself in a river after a journey to the land of the dead. She is often depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a radiant headdress and wielding a sword.

The most famous myth involving Amaterasu tells of her retreat into a cave, causing the world to be plunged into darkness. This happened after her brother, the storm god Susanoo, wreaked havoc in her heavenly realm. The other kami (gods) devised a plan to lure her out by holding a grand festival and hanging a mirror outside the cave. Amaterasu, curious about the commotion and the reflection of what she believed to be another sun, emerged, and her light was restored to the world.

Amaterasu's central role in Shinto is reflected in the Ise Grand Shrine, her most important sanctuary, which houses the sacred mirror, Yata no Kagami, believed to be her embodiment. Shinto rituals and festivals often honor her, particularly during the summer solstice. Her descendants, the Japanese emperors, traditionally traced their lineage back to her, emphasizing her divine right to rule. Her worship has been a cornerstone of Japanese cultural and religious identity for centuries.