Amaterasu flying over Mount Fuji
by UTHAGAWA Hiroshiga, 1850.
Amaterasu, the progenitor of the emperor*
Goddess of sun and sunshine
Her name means "shining in the sky". When she hides in a cave, the world is plunged into darkness and evil spirits rule; when she appears, light fills everything. She is the patroness of farming, weaving, and silk spinning, as well as the progenitor of the imperial family
The future is determined by the past, and the earthly world by the existence of the heavenly. Therefore, the Japanese believed, the power of the emperor must be confirmed by his divine origin.
Credit - ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA IN THE REALM OF MYTHS IN THE REALM OF MYTHS RIDER'S DIGEST
