Amatsu-Mikaboshi

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Template:Short description Amatsu-Mikaboshi (天津甕星[1]), also called Ame-no-Kagaseo (天香香背男[1]) or Hoshi-no-Kami Kagaseo[2] (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.[2]Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Name

The deity is referred to as both Ama-tsu-mika-hoshi (天津甕星; "August Star of Heaven"Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". or "Dread Star of Heaven"Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) and Ama-no-kagase-o (天香香背男; "Brilliant Male of Heaven"Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". or "Scarecrow Male of Heaven"Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".) in the Nihon Shoki.[2] With the name Kagaseo theorized to come from the word kagayaku (輝く; "to shine").Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[3]

Furthermore, the component mika (written using the kanji 甕; "earthenware pot"), from Mikaboshi, is interpreted as being derived from ika (厳; "imposing" or "austere"),[4] which prompted the kokugaku scholar Hirata Atsutane to identify Amatsu-Mikaboshi with the planet Venus.[5]

Mythology

File:Ohmikamikahoshi.JPG
The Mikaboshi-Kagaseo Shrine (甕星香々背男社) at Template:Ill (Hitachi City, Ibaraki).

In the Nihon Shoki, during the amatsukami'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 Template:Ill at the behest of Takemikazuchi and Futsunushi:

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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:

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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.[2]

Worship

The Template:Ill in Hitachi (Ibaraki Prefecture) enshrines Mikaboshi-Kagaseo (甕星香々背男) as a landlord deity (地主神, Jinushigami) alongside Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto (武葉槌命).[6] Additionally, a "spirit-housing stone" (宿魂石, Shukukonseki) within the shrine's precincts is believed to contain Mikaboshi's "violent spirit" (荒魂, Ara-mitama).[7]

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

In popular culture

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".Amatsu-Mikaboshi, the Chaos King, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.[8]

See also

References

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Bibliography

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