Amatsu-Mikaboshi

Amatsu-Mikaboshi (天津甕星), also called Ame-no-Kagaseo (天香香背男) or Hoshi-no-Kami Kagaseo (星神香香背男), 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.

Name

The deity is referred to as both Ama-tsu-mika-hoshi (天津甕星; "August Star of Heaven" or "Dread Star of Heaven") and Ama-no-kagase-o (天香香背男; "Brilliant Male of Heaven" or "Scarecrow Male of Heaven") in the Nihon Shoki. With the name Kagaseo theorized to come from the word kagayaku (輝く; "to shine").

Furthermore, the component mika (written using the kanji 甕; "earthenware pot"), from Mikaboshi, is interpreted as being derived from ika (厳; "imposing" or "austere"), which prompted the kokugaku scholar Hirata Atsutane to identify Amatsu-Mikaboshi with the planet Venus.

Mythology

In the Nihon Shoki, during the amatsukami<nowiki/>'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 at the behest of Takemikazuchi and Futsunushi:

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:

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.

Worship

The in Hitachi (Ibaraki Prefecture) enshrines Mikaboshi-Kagaseo (甕星香々背男) as a jinushigami alongside Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto (武葉槌命). Additionally, a "spirit-housing stone" (宿魂石, Shukukonseki) within the shrine's precincts is believed to contain Mikaboshi's ara-mitama.

Mikaboshi is also enshrined at various ' (星神社; "star shrine") and ' (星宮神社; "star palace shrine") throughout Japan.

In popular culture

Amatsu-Mikaboshi, the Chaos King, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

See also

• Futsunushi
• Kuni-yuzuri
• List of Japanese deities
• Takemikazuchi

References

Bibliography