Chapter I
The Aim and Object of the Book
According to a time-honoured tradition, when our Imperial ancestors were still in the Plain of High Heaven, there were certain families in whose special care the rites of Shinto were preserved. Namely, the Nakatomi, the Imbe and also the Sarume, of whom we may reasonably believe that the Nakatomi and the Imbe were equally entrusted with the Imperial religious functions. The Imbe Family is lineally descended from Takamimusubi-no-Kami through Futotama-no-Mikoto and Ame-no-Tomi-no-Mikoto, while the Nakatomi Family is descended from Kamimusubi-no-Kami through Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto and Ame-no-Taneko-no-Mikoto, and, together with these two Musubi-no-Kami, stands Ame-no-Minakanushi-no-Kami, thus forming a divine triad in the Japanese Pantheon at the opening of the Kojiki and Nihongi Chronicles.
According to our Japanese mythology, the “eternal night” of darkness prevailed after the withdrawal of the Sun-Goddess into the Heavenly Rock-Cave, and then Futotama-no-Mikoto (whom the Imbe Family claim as their ancestor), and Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto (the ancestor of the Nakatomi Family), aided by Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto (the ancestress of the Sarume Family), were summoned to perform due ceremonies essential to draw forth the Sun-Goddess from her retreat. On this momentous occasion, the
