Ame no Hoakari (one of the gods in Japanese mythology) (天火明命)
Ame no Hoakari is a Shinto god that appears in Japanese mythologies. The God is called Ame no Hoakari in the "Kojiki" (The Records of Ancient Matters), Hoakari or Amateru Kuniteruhiko Hoakari no Mikoto in "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), and Amaterukuniteruhiko Amenohoakari Kushitama Nigihaya no Mikoto in "Sendai Kujihongi" (Ancient Japanese History). It was also called Ikishinikiho no Mikoto, and Amaterasu Mitama no Kami in "Jinja Shiryo" (an history of shrines). The god is usually called Hoakari no Mikoto. Hoakari no Mikoto is an ancestor honored as a god for many clans such as the Owari clan (Owari Muraji group) and the Kaifu clan.
Ame no Hoakari was born to the deities Amenooshihomimi and Takuhatachijihime no Mikoto, a daughter of Takamimusubi. Ninigi was Ame no Hoakari's younger brother, but was described as a son of Ame no Hoakari in one of the editions of "Nihonshoki." In "Sendai Kujihongi," Ame no Hoakari was identified as Nigihayahi no Mikoto, who was the ancestor of the Mononobe clan. In "Harimanokuni-fudoki" (topography of Harima Province), Ameno Hoakari was described as a child of Okuninushi (chief god of Izumo of the southern Honshu Island, Japan, and the central character in the important cycle of myths set in that region).
As the names Amateru Kuniteruhiko and Hoakari suggest, Ame no Hoakari is deification of sunlight or heat. Also, in "Kojikiden" (Commentaries on the Kojiki), 'Hoakari' is written in a set of characters that expresses ripened and redden ears of rice; therefore, just like other gods that are linked to the Emperor, its name also is related to rice. Ame no Hoakari is worshipped as a god of the sun as well as agriculture. For this reason, the roots of Ame no Hoakari is believed to be in the lineage of Ameno Hohino Mikoto, which is an Izumogami of the Amatsu kami (god of heaven) group.
In "Shinsen Shojiroku" (Newly Compiled Register of Clan Names and Titles of Nobility), descendents of Ame no Hoakari are called the 'Tenson' (grandsons of the sun goddess (clan). The clan relocated itself from Takaowari of Katsuragi in Yamato Province to Owari Province, settled down during the generation of Ame no Hoakari's child Amenokaguyama no Mikoto, and enshrined Ame no Hoakari at the Mamisuda-jinja Shrine (Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture). The Owari clan had power over the Chubu region and had a strong relationship with the Mononobe clan, therefore, Ame no Hoakari enshrined by the Owari clan was considered to be a child of Amaterasu Omikami (Ise-jingu Shrine). Also, Sukune TAMINO who enshrined Sumiyoshi Sanjin and built the Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine (Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City) was one of the Owari clan, and his descendents are the Tsumori clan that has held the position of chief priest of the Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine for generations.
Note also that Ame no Hoakari has been enshrined at many of the Amaterumitama-jinja Shrines nationwide.