is a deity in
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto and Buddhist traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of ye ...
.
Grandson of the sun goddess
Amaterasu
Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the major deities (''kami'') of Shinto, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the '' K ...
, Ninigi is regarded according to Japanese mythology as the great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor,
Emperor Jimmu.
The
three sacred treasures brought with Ninigi from Heaven and divine ancestry established the
Japanese Imperial Family.
The three generations of ''kami'' starting with Ninigi are sometimes referred to as the
three generations of Hyūga, they are said to represent a transitional period between the heavenly ''kami'' and the first emperor.
Name and etymology
Ninigi-no-Mikoto (瓊瓊杵尊), means "The Great God Ninigi." Another name of his is Ame-nigishi-kuni-nigishi-amatsuhiko-hiko-ho-no-ninigi-no-Mikoto (天邇岐志国邇岐志天津日高日子番能邇邇芸命) or "The Great God Ninigi, of the Imperial State, The Child of the Sun of Many Talents." Ninigi is speculated to be translated as "beloved jeweled mallet."
Myths
Birth
Ninigi was born from
Ame-no-oshihomimi
Amenooshihomimi (天之忍穂耳命) or Oshihomimi for short, is the first son of Amaterasu.
He is believed to be the ancestor to the Japanese imperial family.
Name and Etymology
Amenooshihomimi name means (Ruling Rice Ears of Heaven) he al ...
and
Takuhadachiji-hime.
Takamimusubi, treated him with special affection, and nurtured him with great regard.
Sent to rule
Depending on the version Amaterasu sends Ninigi to rule either after his father refuses the offer, after several failures, or to replace
Ōkuninushi after his troubled rule.
In many stories, Ninigi receives three gifts. The sword
Kusanagi
is a legendary Japanese sword and one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was originally called , but its name was later changed to the more popular ("Grass-Cutting Sword"). In folklore, the sword represents the virtue of valor.
Legend ...
, the mirror
Yata no Kagami, and the jewel
Yasakani no Magatama.
Descent to earth
Ninigi's descent to earth appears in both the
Nihon Shoki and the
Kojiki. In a earlier version of the
Nihon Shoki Ninigi descends to earth unaccompanied.
But in a later version of the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki, other gods accompany Ninigi’s journey to earth; who accompanies him and how many depends on the version. But it usually includes the following gods:
Uzume,
Sarutahiko,
Ame-no-Koyane
Ame-no-Koyane-no-mikoto ( 天児屋命, 天児屋根命) is a '' kami'' and a male deity in Japanese mythology and Shinto. He is the ancestral god of the Nakatomi clan, and Fujiwara no Kamatari, the founder of the powerful Fujiwara clan. An ' ...
,
Futodama,
Ishikori dome, and
Tamanoya
Tamanoya is a kami from Japanese mythology. He is believed to be the creator of Yasakani no Magatama.
Tama-no-iwaya is believed to be the grave for the kami, and he is venerated at Tamanooya-jinja but is not venerated at any kampeisha.
Famil ...
; many of these deities would later become the ancestors of many clans like
Sarume clan ,
Nakatomi clan
was a Japanese aristocratic kin group (''uji''). Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Nakatomi," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 39 retrieved 2013-5-5. The clan claims desce ...
,
Shinabe clan
Shinabe refers to a human group or organization in Ancient times, Japan, with the Japanese prefix of ''Shinashina no tomono o'' or ''Tomonomiyatsuko''.
They descend from Tamanooya-no-Mikoto according to legend
Overview
* A general term for ...
, and
Inbe clan
Imbe clan (also spelled Imibe clan or Inbe clan) was a Japanese clan during the Yamato period. They claimed descent from Futodama.
The Inbe clan originally had a religious function by preparing and taking care of offerings.
Overview
As the n ...
.
Ninigi tries to go to earth but he is blocked by
Sarutahiko.
Uzume then persuades Sarutahiko to let Ninigi pass.
In most versions Ninigi descents to earth landing on to
Mt. Takachiho located on the island of Kyushu in
Kagoshima Prefecture where Ninigi built his palace there.
Loss of immortality
One story involves Ninigi looking for a wife; he meets this mountain god named
Oyamatsumi, Oho-Yama presents Ninigi his two daughters
Konohana and
Iwa-Naga. However, Ninigi rejects Iwa-Naga for her looks and is cursed for rejecting Iwa-Naga. Now he and his descendants will live shorter lives.
Birth of Ninigi’s children
Soon after Ninigi and Konohanasakuya-hime got married, Konohanasakuya-hime got pregnant.
Ninigi accused his wife of adultery. In many versions his wife decided to went in to a hut and set the hut on fire to prove that she was a faithful wife. Konohanasakuya-hime and her sons survived, she gave birth to three sons named Hoderi, Hoori, and Hosuseri.
One variation says that Konohanasakuya-hime gave birth to Hoderi in the hut and had the other two children later.
Death
Later on, Ninigi died and got buried at
E no Goriyo.
Family
Many versions have
Amaterasu
Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu Ōmikami () or Ōhirume no Muchi no Kami (), is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology. One of the major deities (''kami'') of Shinto, she is also portrayed in Japan's earliest literary texts, the '' K ...
and
Takamimusubi as Ninigi's grandparents, and the son of
Ame-no-oshihomimi
Amenooshihomimi (天之忍穂耳命) or Oshihomimi for short, is the first son of Amaterasu.
He is believed to be the ancestor to the Japanese imperial family.
Name and Etymology
Amenooshihomimi name means (Ruling Rice Ears of Heaven) he al ...
and as his parents. Ninigi is said to be the nephew to Futotama and Ame-no-Koyane.
Ninigi is in the
Three generations of Hyuga a time period between
Tenson kōrin and
Jimmu's Eastern Expedition.
Children
Most stories state that Ninigi had three sons
Hoderi
, in Japanese mythology and folklore, was a deity of the bounty of the sea and enchanted fisherman.
He is called in the '' Kojiki'', and or in the '' Nihon Shoki''.
In Japanese mythology, he appears with his younger brother Yamasachi-hiko (Hoo ...
, Hosuseri, and
Hoori. However, other ancient Japanese texts say that he had four sons and lists "Hikohohodemi no mikoto" as the fourth child of Ninigi. However, it isn’t clear if Hikohohodemi is a fourth child or another name of
Hoori.
According to Nihongi, Tamanoya is a offspring of Ninigi.
Worship of Ninigi
Shrines
Ninigi has very few temples where he is enshrined.
Shrines like
Amatsu Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in the Ichinomiya neighborhood of the city of Itoigawa, Niigata.Kotodamaya.com "Amatsu Jinja" retrieved 2012-10-24. It is one of the three shrines claiming the title of ''ichinomiya'' of former Echigo Province. The ma ...
and
Kirishima-jingu Shrine are dedicated to Ninigi.
At
Ise shrine, Ninigi is said to be worshipped with
Kunitokotachi.
See also
*
Tamanooya-no-Mikoto
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ninigi-No-Mikoto
Japanese gods
Shinto kami