Amaterasu

Amaterasu (天照, Amaterasu), Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大神 / 天照大御神, Amaterasu-ōmikami) or Ōhiru-menomuchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神, Ōhiru-menomuchi-no-kami) is in The Japanese Shinto sun goddess, ruler of the Plain of Heaven, whose name means 'shining heaven' or 'she who shines in the heavens' and perhaps the most important Shinto deity (神, kami). Her name, Amaterasu, means literally "(that which) illuminates Heaven". She was born from the left eye of Izanagi as he purified himself in a river and went on to become the ruler of the Higher Celestial Plain (Takamagahara).

When her brother, the storm-god Susanowa, ravaged the earth she retreated to a cave because because of her brother's actions. She closed the cave with a large boulder. Her disappearance deprived the world of light and life. Demons ruled the earth. The other gods used everything in their power to lure her out, but to no avail. Finally it was Uzume who succeeded. The laughter of the gods when they watched her comical and obscene dances aroused Amaterasu's curiosity. When she emerged from her cave a streak of light escaped (a streak nowadays people call dawn). The goddess then saw her own brilliant reflection in a mirror which Uzume had hung in a nearby tree. When she drew closer for a better look, the gods grabbed her and pulled her out of the cave. She returned to the sky, and brought light back into the world.

Amaterasu's main sanctuary is Ise-Jingue situated on Ise, on the island of Honshu. This temple is pulled down every twenty years and then rebuild in its original form. In the inner sanctum she is represented by a mirror (her body). She is also called Omikami ("illustrious goddess") and Tensho Daijan (in Sino-Japanese pronunciation).

In Naruto, amaterasu was used by Itachi Uciha as his jutsu. Amaterasu will burn every thing with its strongest jutsu, opposite of Tsukuyomi, a genjutsu of similar power. Itachi Uchiha was the first person shown in Naruto that could use Amaterasu. He later gave the power to Sasuke Uchiha. The jet-black flames are said to be as hot as the sun. Since the Mangekyo Sharingan is necessary to be able to use this technique, not many have learned it. All that is known is that it is extremely powerful since it can punch through Jiraiya's Summoning: Toad Mouth Bind, which Jiraiya states to be fire retardent. Not surprisingly, it appears to use a large amount of chakra. Amaterasu burns everything within Itachi's wide field of vision to cinders with an unholy black flame, to the degree of being able to burn an entire forest or village with it. As long as the user keeps the target within their eyesight, this technique is unavoidable.