Encyclopedia of Shinto

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カテゴリー1： 2. Kami (Deities)
カテゴリー2： Kami in Classic Texts
Title
Amenohiwashi
Text [Ame no hiwashi] (Nihongi)
Described as the child of Tajikarao, ancestor of the Inbe clan of Awa Province, this deity is said to have planted paper mulberry trees and produced bark-fiber offerings (nigite) from them at the time of Amaterasu's hiding away in the Rock Cave of Heaven, and at the Descent of the Heavenly Grandchild (tenson kōrin). Based on these events, Amenohiwashi is considered an occupational kami with jurisdiction over the production of ritual implements. Kogo shūi also states that Amenohiwashi was a vassal of Futodama no mikoto, ancestral deity (sojin) of the Inbe clan, who were responsible for court ritual.

The descendants of Amenohiwashi crossed over to Awa Province in Shikoku in search of lands to cultivate grains and hemp. As a result, the Awa Inbe clan developed the tradition of offering hemp and paper-mulberry textiles to the emperor on the occasion of the imperial accession ceremony or Daijōsai.

-Kadoya Atsushi

Pronunciation in Japanese/用語音声

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