Ajisukitakahikone (アヂスキタカヒコネ)
Ajisukitakahikone or Ajishikitakahikone is a Shinto deity who appears in Japanese Mythology.
In the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), it is written in Japanese kanji as "阿遅鉏高日子根神," "阿遅志貴高日子根神," or "阿治志貴高日子根神." In the Izumo fudoki (topography of Izumo Province), it is written as "阿遅須枳高日子." It is also written as "阿遅鋤高日子根神," or "味耜高彦根命." His other name is "Kamono Omikami."
Descriptions in Japanese mythology
He was born between Okuninushi (chief god of Izumo in southern Honshu Island, Japan, and the central character in the important cycle of myths set in that region) and Takiri-bime, one of the Munakata Sanjojin (three goddesses enshrined in the Munakata-taisha Shirine). Taka-hime (Shitateru-hime) is his half sister by the same mother.
In the Kojiki, he appears in Ashihara no Nakatsukuni heitei (the conquest of the world between Heaven and Hell - the human world). He attended the funeral of Amenowakahiko, Shitateru-hime's husband, who died because he did not report on his mission to Takamanohara (Heaven). However, Ajisukitakahikone so closely resembled Amenowakahiko that Amatsukunitama, Amenowakahiko's father, misunderstood that his son was still alive, and hugged him. As Ajisukitakahikone got angry for being confused with a dead person, he cut down the funeral house with a sword and destroyed it. Shitateru-hime composed a tanka (a 31-syllable Japanese poem) to disclose the identity of Ajisukitakahikone.
According to the Izumo fudoki (the topography of Izumo Province), in early childhood, his crying and screaming were so loud that he was forced to get into a boat to sail to the Yasoshima islands until he calmed down, or repeatedly climb up and down a ladder set up against a high tower. He had a child named Takitsuhiko with Ame no mikaji-hime, the god of rain.
Commentary
Suki or Shiki' used in this god's name means spade; the deification of spade might lead him to become the god of agriculture. According to "Kojikiden (Commentaries on the Kojiki)," 'Aji' used in his name is a synonym for 'Umashi (splendid),' and 'Shiki' written as 磯城 means stone pavement. There is another opinion that 'Shiki' means Shiki in Yamato Province.
There is also a theory regarding the origin of Ajisukitakahikone in which he and Amenowakahiko were originally defined as the same god from a description of their resemblance; and he symbolizes grains which wither in autumn and regrow in spring, or the sun which becomes lower in Winter and higher in Spring.
The Kojiki describes the way he comes and goes between heaven and earth, and how much he gets infuriated; the Izumo fudoki also describes how loudly he cries and screams, and the way he goes up and down the ladder; these descriptions imply thunder. Ajisukitakahikone is the god combining miraculous power of spade and thunder.
His other name means the god of Kamo-sha Shrine. Accordingly, he is the god of Yamato which was worshiped by the Kamo clan, a family of the Kamo-sha Shrine in Katsuragi, Yamato Province. However, there is an opinion that the Kamo clan moved from Izumo Province to Yamato Province. Amaterasu Omikami and Kamono Omikami are the only examples of deities which are called 'Omikami' (Great God) from the beginning of the Kojiki.
Religion
Ajisukitakahikone is worshiped as the god of agriculture, thunder, or real estate business, and is enshrined in the Takakamo-jinja Shrine (Gose City, Nara Prefecture) and Tsutsukowake-jinja Shrine (Tanagura-machi, Higashishirakawa-gun, Fukushima Prefecture).