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Amatsu-Mikaboshi

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Ama-tsu-mika-boshi (天津甕星[1], interpretable as either "Dread Star of Heaven"[2] or "August Star of Heaven"[3]) (あまつみかぼし), also called Ame-no-kagase-o (天香香背男[1], interpretable as either "Scarecrow Male of Heaven"[2] or "Brilliant Male"[3]) (あめのかがせお), is a god of stars who appears in Japanese mythology. No reference to Mikaboshi is made in the Kojiki, however, he plays a minor role in the Nihon Shoki as a deity insubordinate to the amatsukami during the latter's subjugation of the land.[4][2]

Mythology

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The Mikaboshi-Kagaseo Shrine (甕星香々背男社) at Ōmika Shrine [ja] (Hitachi City, Ibaraki).

In the Nihon Shoki, during the amatsukami's conquest of the Central Land of Reed-Plains, Mikaboshi (referred to as Kagaseo) is mentioned in passing as a rebellious kunitsukami who is subdued by Takehazuchi [ja] at the behest of Takemikazuchi and Futsunushi:

The two Gods at length put to death the malignant Deities and the tribes of herbs, trees and rocks. When all had been subdued, the only one who refused submission was the Star-God Kagaseo (星神香香背男, Hoshi-no-Kagase-o). Therefore they sent the Weaver-God Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto (倭文神建葉槌命, Shitorigami Take-ha-dzuchi-no-Mikoto) also, upon which he rendered submission. The two Gods therefore ascended to Heaven.[5][6]

A second account provided in the Nihon Shoki instead presents Mikaboshi as an amatsukami, who is slain by Takemikazuchi and Futsunushi before their descent to earth:

The Heavenly Deity sent Futsunushi-no-Kami and Takemikazuchi-no-Kami to tranquillize the Central Land of Reed-Plains (葦原中国, Ashihara-no-Naka-tsu-kuni). Now these two Gods said: "In Heaven there is an Evil Deity (悪しき神, Ashiki-gami) called Amatsu-Mikaboshi, or Ame-no-Kagaseo. We pray that this Deity may be executed before we go down to make clear the Central Land of Reed-Plains."[7][6]

These are virtually the only passages in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki that deal with a kami of stars, and, uniquely, present the deity as antagonistic towards the amatsukami.[4]

Based on these two passages, the kokugaku scholar Hirata Atsutane, also identified Mikaboshi with the planet Venus.[1]

Worship

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The Ōmika Shrine [ja] in Hitachi (Ibaraki Prefecture) enshrines Mikaboshi-Kagaseo (甕星香々背男) as a landlord deity (地主神, Jinushigami) alongside Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto (武葉槌命).[8] Additionally, a "spirit-housing stone" (宿魂石, Shukukonseki) within the shrine's precincts is believed to contain Mikaboshi's "violent spirit" (荒魂, Ara-mitama).[9]

Mikaboshi is also enshrined at various Hoshi-Jinja [ja] (星神社; "star shrine") and Hoshimiya-Jinja [ja] (星宮神社; "star palace shrine") throughout Japan.

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Main article: Amatsu-Mikaboshi (character)

Amatsu-Mikaboshi, the Chaos King, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a supervillain and demonic god of evil who is best known as an enemy of Hercules and Thor. Amatsu-Mikaboshi first appeared in Thor: Blood Oath #6 (February 2006), and was adapted from mythology by Michael Oeming and Scott Kolins. The character subsequently appears in Ares #1-5 (March–July 2006), and The Incredible Hercules #117-120 (May–August 2008).

Amatsumikaboshi is the God of Stars who have gifted two stellar-demon swords of light and shadow, Zanseiken and Bakuseiken, to Earth in Nara Japan, later the two swords wielded by qilin daiyōkai Kirinmaru, who rules in the Eastern Lands, and his daughter Rion, in episode "The Girl Named Rion" of Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon. He is also known as the God of Chaos that he's loyal to the Grim Comet and its true form: the Grim Butterfly. In episode "The Collapse of the Windmill of Time", Sesshōmaru's mother mentioned that the Zanseiken is the Sword of Amatsumikaboshi that her granddaughter Towa is wielding while they fighting Meidomaru. In episode "Father and Daughter", after Setsuna severed the red thread of fate between Rion and Kirinmaru the second time for their death, the two swords have been merged to become the Sword of Amatsumikaboshi as their souls are being sent inside as it sent back to heaven as the Grim Butterfly is destroyed.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c 長崎大学教育学部人文科学研究報告 (Nagasaki Daigaku Kyōiku-bu Jinbun Kagaku Kenkyū Hōkoku) [Nagasaki University Education Department Report on Humanities Research]. Issues 37-45 (in Japanese). Nagasaki: Nagasaki University. 1988. Retrieved 2013-06-06. ...願染みの度合い、等の様々な観点から判定して、この金星が、やはり、天津甕星(天香 香背男)として、一番相応しいのではないかと考える。 - ...so judging from degree of familiarity, and various other perspectives, this Venus indeed looks to be the most appropriate match for Ama tsu Mikaboshi (Ame no Kagaseo).
  2. ^ a b c William George Aston: Shinto, the Way of the Gods. Longmans, Green, And Co., 1905, p. 142, available at Google Books here
  3. ^ a b Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities by Charles Russell Coulter and Patricia Turner, Routledge, 4 Jul 2013, p.96
  4. ^ a b "Encyclopedia of Shinto詳細". 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  5. ^ Aston, W. G. (William George) (1896). Nihongi : chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697. Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. London : Published for the Society by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübrer & Co., Limited. pp. 69–70.
  6. ^ a b "Scroll 2- Age of the Gods (2) - shoki". web.archive.org. 2011-08-23. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  7. ^ Aston, W. G. (William George) (1896). Nihongi : chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697. Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. London : Published for the Society by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübrer & Co., Limited. p. 79.
  8. ^ "皇紀元年（紀元前660年）創祀。茨城県日立市にある大甕神社のWebサイトです。 | 大甕神社". 大甕神社 Webサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  9. ^ "皇紀元年（紀元前660年）創祀。茨城県日立市にある大甕神社の境内のご案内です。 | 大甕神社". 大甕神社 Webサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-02-01.

Bibliography

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