Amenominakanushi no Kami

Amenominakanushi is the very first deity named in the Kojiki, appearing alone when heaven and earth first separated from primordial chaos. His name means 'the Heavenly Deity Who is Lord of the Center of the Universe.' Together with Takamimusubi and Kamimusubi, he forms the Zoka Sanshin, but unlike them, he takes no active role in subsequent narratives, concealing himself immediately after appearing.

Despite—or perhaps because of—this profound absence, Amenominakanushi became central to Edo-period theological movements, particularly the Hirata Atsutane school of National Learning (Kokugaku), which elevated him to the position of supreme creator deity, comparable to monotheistic concepts of God.

The Nihon Shoki does not name Amenominakanushi at all, mentioning instead Kuninotokotachi as the first deity. This discrepancy between the two sources adds to the theological complexity surrounding this most abstract of Japanese deities.