The legend of the gods is passed on for generations
Takachiho is where the descendants of the sun goddess are known to have made their descent on earth.
As the story goes, the corruption of Japan was a major concern for Takamagahara, a country in heaven where the sun goddess Amaterasu-omikami commissioned her grandson Ninigi-no-mikoto to settle the problems. Thus Ninigi-no-mikoto invited millions of gods to descend upon earth with him. The party of gods arrived at the peak of Takachiho, but the thick fog that covered the area stopped them from going anywhere. Then a local man walked by and suggested to Ninigi-no-mikoto, who carried some ears of rice, to pluck out the grains and sprinkle them onto the area. When Ninigi-no-mikoto did as he was told, the fog cleared. The event gave Takachiho its name which Chinese characters imply the meaning of "thousand rice ears at the peak."
Another legend called Ama-no-Iwato involves Amaterasu-omikami, the sun goddess, who hid in a cave since she was distressed by her younger brother's mischief. This brought darkness to heaven and earth. The other gods who wanted the sun back had Ame-no-uzume-no-mikoto start a silly dance. Curious of the racket, the sun goddess opened the cave door to take a peek when the mighty Tajikarao-no-mikoto forced it open, bringing back sunlight to heaven and earth. These stories, frequently used as themes for yokagura dances, have been passed on for generations.
[
Takachiho ||
Look Back a Bit |
Transportation |
Main Street |
Places to Visit |
Museums and Parks |
Outdoor Activities |
Local Food |
Arts, Crafts and Specialities |
Festivals and Events |
A Local Celebrity |
Accommodations |
More Information
]
[
Hometown Homepage
]
