Encyclopedia of Shinto

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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
Amenoakarutama
Text [Ame no akarutama](Nihongi)
Other names: Ama no akarutama, Toyotama (Nihongi), Tama no oya (Kojiki), Kushiakarutama no kami, Haakaru tama, Tamanoya no mikoto (Nihongi).

According to Kojiki and an "alternate writing" transmitted by Nihongi, Amenoakarutama was commanded to fabricate the carved stones (tama) hung on the decorations (mitegura) used to entice Amaterasu from her rock cave. From that event, he was known as the ancestral kami (sojin) of the Shinabe clan, which manufactured such carved stone jewels.

Amenoakarutama entrusted the jewels to Ninigi, and in Kojiki his name is also associated with the "chiefs of the five clans" who accompanied the Heavenly Grandchild on his descent from heaven (tenson kōrin). According to Nihongi, Amenoakarutama was Ninigi's child, while he is described as the grandson of Takamimusuhi in Shinsen shōjiroku. Other deities identified with Amenoakarutama include Haakarutama and Kushiakarutama. The first appears in Kogo shūi and an "alternate writing" quoted in Nihongi as the deity who meets Susanoo upon the latter's assent to heaven, and who later gives Susanoo the jewels used in his contest (see ukei) with Amaterasu. Kushiakarutama, on the other hand, appears as the priest Tamasuri ("he who makes the jewels") who enshrines Ōmononushi at the time of the "transfer of the land" (kuniyuzuri).

The work Engishiki also includes in its list of shrines some related to the clans and occupational groups Tamanooya no Muraji and Tamatsukuri-Be. See also sanshu no jingi.

-Mori Mizue

Pronunciation in Japanese/用語音声

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