Amatsu-Mikaboshi (天津甕星), also called Ame-no-Kagaseo (天香香背男
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.
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
thumb|343x343px|The Mikaboshi-Kagaseo Shrine (甕星香々背男社) at ([[Hitachi, Ibaraki|Hitachi City, Ibaraki).]]
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. 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.
The Mikaboshi (箕加星) are an ancient fictional sorcery clan appearing in Kagurabachi published by Weekly Shonen Jump.
See also
- Futsunushi
- Kuni-yuzuri
- List of Japanese deities
- Takemikazuchi