绳文时代 

开端 终结 在位 

　　天照大神（《日本书纪》称法），亦称天照大御神（《古事记》称法）、天照皇大神、日神，是日本神话中高天原的统治者与太阳女神。她被奉为今日日本天皇的始祖，也是神道最高神祇。
　　
　　诞生
　　
　　根据《古事记》与《日本书纪》记载，天照大神是从日本神话中开天辟地之祖伊奘诺尊（《古事记》里称为伊邪那岐）眼中诞生：伊奘诺尊思念难产而死的妹妹兼爱妻伊奘冉尊（《古事记》里称为伊邪那美），亲赴黄泉国。但看见她腐烂而丑陋的身躯后，因感到恶心与畏惧，遂逃离黄泉国。愤怒的伊邪那美派出数将追击，但被他用计甩开，最后在黄泉比良坂用大石堵住阴阳两界之路，才停止这场灾难。
　　
　　这时疲惫的伊奘诺尊停在日向国的橘小户阿波岐原休息，他脱去身上的衣物跳入河流中游洗涤，于是他脱掉的衣物与洗涤的部位顿时生出二十多位神祇。最后洗脸时，左眼生出掌管太阳的天照大神，右眼生出掌管月亮的月夜见尊（《古事记》里称为月读），鼻孔生出素盏呜尊（《古事记》里称为须佐之男）。伊奘诺尊便令天照大神治理高天原，月读治理夜之食原，素盏呜尊治理海原。
　　
　　统治高天原
　　
　　天照大神在天上时发现地上的苇原中国有保食神将来，令弟弟月夜见尊前去迎接。保食神来到后便转头，面对陆地的方向吐出米饭，又面会海洋的方向吐出各种鱼类，等吐出各种食物后，便存起来准备庭宴时供大家发享。见此情状，月夜见尊脸色大变，指责保食神居然拿吐出来的食物给他吃，随即拔剑杀之，然后把这件事告诉天照大神。天照大神听后很生气，大骂月夜见尊一顿后不再见面，从此日月相隔出现。
　　
　　之后天照大神派天熊人去看保食神的尸首，只见头顶化为牛马，头壳长出小米，眉毛长出蚕茧，眼睛长出稗，肚子长出稻米，下阴长出小麦、大豆和红豆。天熊人将这些物品取下来献给天照大神，天照大神把这些食物与丝品交给定天邑君管理，从此天下有养蚕与可耕种的谷物。
　　
　　天照大神与月夜见尊都接受父亲的命令，到自己的领地。唯独素盏呜尊因思念母亲伊奘冉尊而泣，被伊奘诺尊放逐。被放逐的素盏呜尊赴黄泉国见母前，决定先去高天原找其姊天照大神，但他行走时山川与诸土震动，反而惊动了天照大神。她以为他要侵占高天原，全副武装准备迎战。素盏呜尊到达后说明来意，天照大神仍些许怀疑，于是两人以生子为证；天照大神拿素盏呜尊的十拳剑折成三段，用河水冲洗后放入口中咬碎，然后吐出雾气，随之生出三女神：田心姬（《古事记》称为多纪理姬命）、湍津姬（《古事记》称为市寸鸠姬命）和市杵岛姬（《古事记》称为多岐都姬命）。
　　
　　文化影响
　　
　　2006年，游戏生产商CAPCOM发布了由Clover Studio制作的一个名为“大神”的PS2电视游戏，该游戏主角以“天照大神”作为原型。
　　
　　近代研究
　　
　　据说其原型是邪马台国女王卑弥呼。
　　
　　古代日本人每次饭前都要说：要感谢天照大神。

　　Amaterasu ("Nihon Shoki" said Law), also known as Amaterasu Goze ("Kojiki," said Law), Tensho god, Apollo, is a Japanese myth of high days of the original ruler of the Sun Goddess. She was enshrined as the ancestor of today's Japanese emperor is the highest Shinto gods.
　　Then tired Izanagi respect to the country stopped at the day of small farmers Awa Qi original orange rest, taking off his clothing and jumped into the river middle body wash, so he took off his clothes and wash the area immediately give birth to more than 20 gods . Final wash, the left eye birth control Amaterasu, the sun, moon moonlight right eye birth control, see respect ("Kojiki" where as on time), the nose give birth to light Ming Su respect ("Kojiki" in as Susanoo). Izanagi respect Amaterasu would make the high days of the original treatment, time management on the night of the original food, vegetarian light control Haiyuan Ming respect.
　　Amaterasu sent after the day the bear to see the dead bodies of Iron Chef Paul saw head into beasts of burden, head capsule grow millet, eyebrows grow cocoon, eyes grow millet, belly grow rice, wheat grown under the shade, soybeans and red beans. Days the bear will take these items off dedicated Amaterasu, Amaterasu and silk products of these foods to be Jun Tianyi management, sericulture and from this world, there can be cultivated cereals.
　　In 2006, the game maker CAPCOM released by Clover Studio produced a "great god" of PS2 video games, the games main character of "Amaterasu" as the prototype.
　　Each must be said before meals, the ancient Japanese: Amaterasu would like to thank.