{{Short description|Japanese deity}} {{Page numbers needed|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox deity | type = Shinto | father = Ame-no-oshihomimi | mother = Takuhadachiji-hime | children = {{ill|Ame-no-Kaguyama-no-Mikoto|ja|天香山命}} }} {{Nihongo|'''Amenohoakari'''|天火明}} is a ''kami'' of sun and agriculture in Japanese mythology. The ''Shinsen Shōjiroku'' marks his descendants as {{Nihongo|descendants of ''kami''|天孫族|tensonzoku}}.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Hanawa|first=Hokiichi|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/959773242|title=Shinsen Shōjiroku (新撰姓氏錄)|date=1983|publisher=Onkogakkai|location=Japan|oclc=959773242}}</ref>
== Name == Other names for Amenohoakari are listed below.
* Amaterukuniteruhikoamenohoakarikushitamanigihayahi-no-mikoto (天照国照彦天火明櫛玉饒速日尊) in the ''Kujiki'' * Amaterukuniteruhikoamenohoakari-no-mikoto (天照國照彦天火明尊) * Amaterukuniteruhikohoakari-no-mikoto (天照国照彦火明命) in the ''Nihon Shoki'' * Amenohoakari-no-mikoto (天火明命) in the ''Kojiki'' * Hoakari-no-mikoto (火明命) in the ''Nihon Shoki'' * Ikishiniho-no-mikoto (膽杵磯丹杵穂命) * Amateru Mitama-no-kami (天照御魂神) in ''Jinja Shiryō''
== Genealogy == According to the ''Kojiki'' and volumes six and eight of the ''Nihon Shoki'', Amenohoakari was born to Ame-no-oshihomimi and Takamimusubi's daughter, Takuhatachijihime, and lists that Ninigi-no-Mikoto is his younger brother. However, in volumes two, three, five, and seven of the ''Nihon Shoki'', Ninigi-no-Mikoto is said to be his father.
The ''Kujiki'' treats Amenohoakari as an alternate name for Nigihayahi, the ancestral ''kami'' of the Hozumi and Mononobe clans, though this interpretation raises many questions in terms of genealogy and domain.
The ''Harima no Kuni Fudoki'' notes Amenohoakari as the child of Ōkuninushi and Notsuhime.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Okimori|first=Takuya|title=Harima-no-kuni Fudoki|publisher=Yamakawa Shuppansha|year=2005|isbn=4634593912|location=Japan}}</ref>
== Descendants == The ''Shinsen Shōjiroku'' list the descendants of Amenohoakari, in addition to the descendants of Amatsuhikone, Ame-no-hohi, and {{ill|Amanomichine-no-Mikoto|ja|天道根命}}, as {{Nihongo|descendants of ''kami''|天孫族|tensonzoku}}. The ''tensonzoku'' descended from the heavenly realm of Takamagahara to former Japanese provinces of Owari and Tanba, and are considered to be the divine ancestors of several clans including the Owari, {{ill|Tsumori clan|lt=Tsumori|ja|津守氏}}, Amabe, and {{ill|Tanba clan|lt=Tanba|ja|丹波氏}} clans.<ref name=":0" /> The {{Nihongo|''Genealogy of the Amabe Clan''|海部氏系図|Amabeshi Keizu}} also notes Amenohoakari as the clan's ancestor.
Amenohoakari is also said to be the same ''kami'' as Nigihayahi, the ancestor of the Hozumi clan and Mononobe clan.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Sendai Kuji Hongi}}</ref> However, there has been research which rejects conflating the two ''kami'' and insists it is a fabrication and absurd claim made only to link the two ''kami'' when it is said that Nigihayahi is Nigini-no-Mikoto's older brother.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Toya |first=Manabu |title=ニギハヤヒ : 『先代旧事本紀』から探る物部氏の祖神 |publisher=河出書房新社 |isbn=9784309225562 |language=ja |trans-title=Nigihayahi: Finding the ancestral god of the Monobe clan in the Kujiki}}</ref> Additionally, the ''Shinsen Shōjiroku'' lists the descendants of Amenohoakari as {{Nihongo|descendants of ''kami''|天孫族|tensonzoku}} while Nigihayahi's descendants are {{Nihongo|''kami'' of the heavens|天神|tenshin}}.
== Name meaning == As Amenohoakari's name suggests, he is the deification of sunlight and heat. Also, in the ''Kojiki-den'', his alternative name of Hoakari is written differently {{Nihongo|2=穂赤熟|4=ears of grain + red + ripen}}, meaning he warms grain so that it may ripen. Like other ''kami'' connected to the emperor, this name is connected to rice, leading to worship of him as a ''kami'' of the sun and agriculture.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Motoori|first=Norinaga|title=Kojiki-den|publisher=Nabu Press|year=2011|isbn=978-1178814958}}</ref>
While his name contains two characters in common with Amaterasu {{Nihongo|2=天照}}, they are not the same ''kami''. At Kono Shrine, the primary ''kami'' is Amenohoakari, while Amaterasu, enshrined in the same location, is considered another ''kami''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=御祭神・御由緒｜丹後一宮 元伊勢 籠神社(このじんじゃ) 奥宮 真名井神社（まないじんじゃ） |url=https://www.motoise.jp/about/about01/ |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=丹後一宮 元伊勢 籠神社(このじんじゃ) 奥宮 真名井神社（まないじんじゃ） |language=ja}}</ref>
== Notable Shrines ==
* Kono Shrine - Enshrined as Hikohoakari-no-mikoto. A member of the Kaifu clan, said to be a descendant of Amenohoakari, has long inherited the position of head priest. * Masumida Shrine * Osada Nimasu Amateru Mitami Shrine - Sakurai, Nara Prefecture * Sumiyoshi-taisha - Descendants of the Owari clan, said to be descendants of Amenohoakari, historically inherited the position of head priest. * Owaribe Shrine - Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture * Tanabata Shrine * Various Amateru Mitama Shrines across Japan
== See also ==
== Notes == <references group="lower-alpha" responsive="1"></references>
== References == <references /> Category:Japanese gods Category:Shinto kami Category:Agricultural gods Category:Solar gods