Ninigi-no-Mikoto

He is the son of Ame-no-Oshihomimi-no-Mikoto, the son of Amaterasu-Omikami, and his wife, Takahata-chiji-hime (Yorozuhata-toyoakizushi-hime-no-Mikoto), the daughter of Takamimusubi-no-Kami, and is a grain goddess representing the abundance of rice. He is the protagonist of the myth of the descent of the grandson of the heavens, the myth of Konohanasakuya-hime, and the myth of childbirth in fire, but the myth of Konohanasakuya-hime is a separate story inserted after the sacred marriage between the descended god and Kashitsu-hime (also called Atatsu-hime), who welcomed him at Kasasa-no-Misaki. The myth of giving birth in the fire is one in which Kaashitsuhime, who was suspected of being the child of a national deity (kuni-tsukami), conceived through sacred marriage, made a vow that if the child was an amatsukami (heavenly deity), there would be no misfortune. She then burned down the birthing room in Utsumuro and gave birth to Hikohohodemi-no-Mikoto (the protagonist of the Umisachi and Yamasachi myths) and his children in the fire.

[Yoshii Iwao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

天照大神(あまてらすおおみかみ)の子の天忍穂耳尊(あめのおしほみみのみこと)が高皇産霊神(たかみむすびのかみ)の女(むすめ)である栲幡千千姫(たくはたちぢひめ)（記、萬幡豊秋津師比売命(よろずはたとよあきづしひめのみこと)）をめとって生まれた子で、稲穂の豊饒(ほうじょう)を示す穀霊神。天孫降臨神話、木花開耶姫(このはなさくやひめ)の神話、火中出産神話の主人公だが、このうちで木花開耶姫の神話は、降臨した尊を笠狭崎(かささのみさき)で迎えた鹿葦津(かしつ)姫（吾田津姫(あたつひめ)ともいう）との聖婚のあとに挿入した別話である。火中出産神話は、聖婚によってはらんだ御子(みこ)を国神(くにつかみ)の子と疑われた鹿葦津姫が、天神(あまつかみ)の子ならば災いなしと誓約(うけい)をたてて、彦火火出見尊(ひこほほでみのみこと)（海幸(うみさち)・山幸(やまさち)神話の主人公）以下の子を無戸室(うつむろ)の産屋(うぶや)を焼き火中で出産する神話である。

［吉井　巖］

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