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the disk of the sun, i.e., an image of Amaterasu-O-Mikami, out of copper brought from the Heavenly Mt. Kagu. Nagashiraha-no-Kami (Ancestor of the Omi Family in Ise Province. “Shiraha,” the ordinary name of cloth at the present day, originated from the name of this god) was to make “aonigite,” i.e., fine offerings of blue-coloured hempen cloth, whilst Ame-no-Hiwashi-no-Kami and Tsukuimi-no-Kami were bidden to make “shiranigite,” i.e., fine offerings of white cloth woven from the paper mulberry (Tradition says that at that time, both hemp and mulberry grew luxuriantly in a night after being planted) Ame-no-Hazuchio-no-Kami was to weave cloth of beautiful variegated colours, the Goddess Ame-no-Tanabata-Hime was to weave the divine robes (anciently called “nigitao”), the task attached to Kushi-Akaru-Tama-no-Kami was to link together five hundred large jewels on an august string, Taoki-Ho-Oi-no-Kami and Hikosashiri-no-Kami were to build according to the heavenly standard of measurement (i.e., measures of varying size and some measuring tools) a beautiful sacred hall of choicest timber brought from different valleys, and besides, were to make hats, spears, and shields, and lastly, Ame-no-Mahitotsu-no-Kami was ordered to make various kinds of swords, axes, and cast tinkling bells of iron.
When all this was finished, they were to bring a fine sacred “sakaki” (18) tree with five hundred branches, from the Heavenly Mt. Kagu, and hang jewels (19) on its upper branches, a mirror on its central branches both the blue and white-coloured choice cloth offerings on the lower branches, and then Futotama-no-Mikoto was earnestly to eulogize the great Goddess Amaterasu-O-
