Religious and Political Reforms of Emperor Mimaki. Part 2: Dynastic Cult of the Sun Goddess and Its Transformation into a Statewide Cult

Abstract

The study featured Japanese sources about the onset of religious and political reforms introduced in the early Yamato period by Emperor Sūjin, who ruled in 324–331 A.D. and was also known as Emperor Mimaki. The Jimmu clan worshiped Takamimusubi and Ōhirume. The Yamato dynasty worshiped eight deities, including the Sun Goddess Ōmiya-no-Me-no-Kami, granddaughter of the supreme god Takamimusubi. She could become a prototype for the solar cult of Emperor Sūjin’s dynasty. This deity united the functions of the former supreme god Takamimusubi with those of the sun spirit Amaterasu, who was a hypostasis of kunitama, the patron spirit of the Yamato lands from the shrine at the foot of Mount Miwa. To give a higher status to the new Sun Goddess Amaterasu, it was to be transformed from an intra-family cult into a universal one. As a result, they built her a shrine in the village of Kasanuimura (ancient Jap. Kasanupi) in the Shiki area of Yamato region. The control functions were separated from the cult functions, but the ruler retained the functions of the high priest. He was left with one of the three imperial regalia, the jasper jewel Yasakani-no-Magatama. The other regalia, i.e., the sacred mirror and the sacred sword, were sent to Kasanuimura and replaced with replicas.

Keywords

• ancient japan
• yamato
• sūjin
• mimaki
• solar cults
• mount miwa
• high priest-ruler
• amaterasu
• ō-kuni-dama
• three sacred regalia
• magatama
• sacred mirror
• sacred sword