Long long time ago, there were three countries in the world, One is “Amatsu-kuni” 天つ国 or “Takamagahara 高天原, and “Ashiwar Nakatsu kuni 葦原中つ国 and “Neno-kuni” 根の国. Ashiwarano Nakatsu kuni was to become present day Japan. “Ne no-kuni” was the world of death. So, where was Amatsu-kuni ? The word “Ama” means “on the sky” or “heaven” in Japanese. So, it was above the clouds in mythology.
The deity who ruled “Ashiwara Nakatsu-kuni” was “Okuninushi 大国主.
One day, Amaterasu and other deities (They live in Amatsu-kuni) thought that they had rule that country. They sent a messenger to Okuninushi.
The first messenger was “Ameno-bohi” . He became Okuninushi’s retainer and did not come back.
The second messenger was “Ameno-wakahiko“. He did not came back too because he married with Okuninushi’s daughter.
The third messenger was “Take-mikazuchi”. He was a strong soldier. He pressed Okuninushi hard to reply. Okuninushi said, “I have two sons. I don’t know whether they would agree even if I agreed. Take-mikazuchi asked the sons. One of them named “Take-minakata” answered as follows; “If you win a battle with me., I will agree.” So they fought and Take-minakata lost. He was frightened of Take-mikazuchi, because he was so strong. Take-minakata ran away to Suwa area (this is in Nagano prefecture) and said “Forgive me pleasw. I will stayed and never go out.”
Finally, Okuninushi handed over his own country to Amaterasu and he retired. This is the mythology of ceding of land.