Amaterasu, or Amaterasu Okami, is basically the supreme being in japanese folklore.
I am utterly shocked no one has found this out yet - but there is a Cult classic (and one of my all time favs) game for ps2/nintendo Wii that focuses
on Amaterasu (or Ammy, as they call her for short). The game is called Okami.
From what I have gathered from googling after playing the game - Amaterasu is supreme goddess. In the game, she is in female Wolf form, and her
"method of attack" is to be able to "create things in the earth through painting".
Essentially - the game allows you to manipulate earth (with wind, sun, night, explosions etc) by drawing different things into the heavens with your
"celestrial brush".
Each new move you unlock involves you, as Amaterasu, tracing a constellation of an action specific god (the moon god, the water god etc.) to bring
about learning their power.
So you see it is not just ancient tribes around the world that have a connect this this "ama tera su", but even modern societies have kept it strong
in their Folklore.
Amaterasu is the son goddess, responsible for teaching the japanese how to grow rice, make silk, grow wheat, and weave with a loom (but I don't know
what that means).
Also - THEY CELEBRATE AMATERASU COMING OUT OF THE CAVE TO RESTORE SUNLIGHT TO THE WORLD ON DECEMBER 21st with STREET PARADES!!!
...the plot thickens
all info is from the amaterasu wiki and
www.uwec.edu...
ps - even the sub characters in the game Okami are as true as they could be to the japanese folklore of amaterasu. From her being mother to all and
the sun goddes, to her falling from the celestial plain and having to look back to it for help from her fellow gods. Susano (in folklore called
Susano'o) is even a drunk that rampages around causing problems that you have to clean up after. Susano'o is responsible in Japanese folklore for a
drunken rampage that caused Amaterasu to hide in a cave. After seeing her reflection in a cave (and being shocked at how bright she was), she came out
and restored light to the world on December 21st.
Amaterasu - how is that your name and you have never played the digital entertainment masterpiece known as Okami?
If anyone has any more information on the matter please explain. My knowledge is limited to what I grasped from the game, and then cross referenced
with actual text I found online.