Encyclopedia of Shinto

詳細表示 (Complete Article)

カテゴリー1: 2. Kami (Deities)
カテゴリー2: Kami in Classic Texts
Title
Takamimusuhi
Text [Takamimusuhi no kami] (Kojiki)
Other names: Takamimusuhi no mikoto(Nihongi),Takagi no kami (Kojiki)



A central kami included in Kojiki's "three kami of creation" (zōka sanshin), and one of the five "separate heavenly kami" (kotoamatsukami). A solitary kami that comes into being after Amenominakanushi, and then "hides away," Takamimusuhi later reappears, together with Amaterasu, as one of the central kami of the Plain of High Heaven (Takamanohara).

Takamimusuhi assembled the conference of heavenly kami that conferred regarding the Descent of the Heavenly Grandchild (tenson kōrin), and he also selected and dispatched messengers to the Central Land of Reed Plains (Ashihara no Nakatsukuni) for the purpose of negotiating for the "transfer of the land" (kuniyuzuri).

Takamimusuhi's daughter was Yorozuhatahime, who in turn was the mother of Ninigi no mikoto; according to the main text of Nihongi, it was imperial ancestor Takamimusuhi no mikoto who invested Ninigi as ruler of the Central Land of Reed Plains. At the time of the descent of the heavenly grandchild, Omoikane and other descendants of Takamimusuhi were assigned to accompany Ninigi upon his descent. Takamimusuhi also sent a large crow (yatakarasu) as aid during Jinmu's eastern expedition, in this and other ways giving protection to the descendants of the heavenly kami. Nihongi notes that in preparation for his enthronement (sokui), Jinmu himself served in the role of priest-medium and took on the identity of Takamimusuhi, who was also later made one of the eight kami served by the priests of the imperial Department of Kami (Jingikan).

Takamimusuhi was also claimed by numerous clans as founding ancestor. The tradition transmitted by Kogo shūi describes Takamimusuhi as the eldest of Amanominakanushi's three children, calling him Sumemutsukamurogi no mikoto, and identifying him as ancestor of the Tomo and Saeki clans. In later ages, Takamimusuhi was also worshiped as a god of matchmaking, based on the association of the musuhi (or musubi) in his name with the same word meaning "to join."

-Mori Mizue

Pronunciation in Japanese/用語音声

No movie/映像なし