Takamimusubi (タカミムスビ)

Takamimusubi is one of the gods who appear in Japanese mythology. It is written as 高御産巣日神 in "Kojiki" (the Records of Ancient Matters), and as 高皇産霊神 in "Nihonshoki" (the Chronicles of Japan). This kami appears under the name of Takaginokami at the time of the pacification of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni (the Central Land of the Reed Plain, which is the land between heaven and the land of the dead, i.e. the earth) and tensonkorin (the descent to earth of the grandson of the sun goddess). The name can also be written as 高皇産霊尊 (Takamimusubi no Mikoto) as an enshrined deity.

As Tenson Ninigi no Mikoto, the grandson of Amaterasu Omikami (the sun goddess) was born by the marriage of Amenooshihomimi (son of Amaterasu) and a daughter of Takamimusubi no Kami, Takamimusubi is equivalent to Tenson Ninigi's maternal grandfather.

According to Kojiki, Ame no Minakanushi no Kami first came into being in Takamagahara (the Plain of High Heaven) at the time of the creation of heaven and earth (Japanese mythology), and then appeared Takamimusubi no Kami together with another kami called Kamimusubi.

Ame no Minakanushi no Kami, Kamimusubi no Kami and Takamimusubi no Kami are collectively called "Zoka-sanshin" (three gods of creation), who are said to be genderless 'hitorigami' (god without gender) hiding their figures from the world of human beings.

Of the three kami of Zoka-sanshin, Kamimusubi no Kami and Takamimusubi no Kami were worshipped in the Hasshinden (eight shrines) of Jingikan (department of worship under the Ritsuryo system - a system of centralized government based on the ritsuryō codes) as their activities were considered to have been directly and heavily related to the Imperial Household and the Imperial Court.

In Nihonshoki, Takamimusubi is a god who merely appears in the Arufumi (supplement volumes of explanatory notes in Nihonshoki) Vol. 4 which covers the beginning of heaven and earth, and in Chapter 15 "Kenzo-ki" (Records of Kenzo period), wherein its name appears in an episode of Abe no omi no kotoshiro (a representative of Abe clan in present-day Ueno, Iga City, Mie Prefecture) making a stopover at the islands of Iki and Tsushima when he was dispatched to Mimana (countries in the southern Korean Peninsula).
But there is also a view that Takamimusubi is the primary god from whom the Imperial Family is believed to be descended based on a legend existing in the tensonkorin related mythology that he was in full control of tensonkorin, gaining ascendancy over Amaterasu Omikami
In addition, he is referred to as 'kamumioya (神王: divine ancestor) Takamimusubi' in Izumo no Kuni Kamuyogoto (auspicious words presented to the emperor by a newly assigned regional official in charge of Izumo Province), which is one of the "norito" (祝詞: liturgy) quoted in "Engishiki" (an ancient book for codes and procedures on national rites and prayers).

It is said that Kamimusubi no Kami is active in the Izumo mythology and Takamimusubi no Kami in the Takamagahara mythology.

Ame no Wakahiko, a child of Amatsukunitama no Kami, was ordered to descend to earth prior to tensonkorin, but he sent no report on his mission to the Plain of High Heaven, and moreover, he killed with an arrow Kigishi no Nakime (a pheasant) who was dispatched to reprimand him. It gave such offence to Takamimusubi no Kami who then shot back the same arrow and killed Ame no Wakahiko.

The word 'Musuhi' means production or formation, which leads to a possible interpretation that Takamimusubi no Kami and Kamimusubi no Kami are the deification of 'creation,' and that this couple, along with the goddess factor held by Kamimusubi no Kami, symbolizes 'musubi' (uniting) of man and woman.

Omoikane and Takuhatachijihime no Mikoto are the children of Takamimusubi no Kami.

[Original Japanese]