Amatsukami (Japanese: 天津神, 天つ神, 'Kami of heaven') is a category of kami in Japanese mythology. Generally speaking, it refers to kami born in, or residing in, Takamagahara.
Amatsukami is one of the three categories of kami, along with their earthly counterpart Kunitsukami (国津神, 国つ神), and yaoyorozu-no-kami (八百万の神).[1]: 56
Modern Shinto no longer makes the distinction between Amatsukami and Kunitsukami.[2] According to Yijiang Zhong the distinction was made by the writers of the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki to formulate a political discourse.[3]
In the time of Ninigi the ownership of land was moved from Kunitsukami to Amatsukami
Ogasawara Shozo proposed a system justifying Japanese Imperialism where Japanese people in the colonies were seen as Amatsukami and natives were seen as Kunitsukami,[4] however he was later censored as his position was considered too supportive of the rights of colonized peoples.[4]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Yamakagewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "kami | Definition, Translation, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ Zhong, Yijiang (2016-10-06). The Origin of Modern Shinto in Japan: The Vanquished Gods of Izumo. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4742-7109-7.
- ^ a b Kōji, Suga; 𨀉𠄈 (2010). "A Concept of "Overseas Shinto Shrines": A Pantheistic Attempt by Ogasawara Shōzō and Its Limitations". Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. 37 (1): 47–74. ISSN 0304-1042. JSTOR 27822899.