In the Ise Shinto, the Watarai clan, household in charge of priesthood for Ise-Geku (outer shrine of Ise-jingu Shrine) - trying to upgrade Toyoukebime, a deity enshrined in Geku, as a deity either equaling or surpassing the one enshrined in Naiku (inner shrine/enshrined deity: Amaterasu Omikami) - identified Toyoukebime with Ame no Minakanushi no Kami and Kunitokotachi no Kami, deities who had appeared prior to tenchikaibyaku (creation of heaven and earth in Japanese mythology), and created a variety of legends to endow Toyoukebime with universal divinity surpassing Amaterasu Omikami.
伊勢神道においては、伊勢神宮外宮の神職であった度会氏が、外宮の祭神であるトヨウケビメを内宮（祭神・天照大神）と同等以上の存在として格上げするため、天地開闢(日本神話)に先立って出現した天之御中主神・国之常立神と同一神とし、天照大神をしのぐ普遍的神格とするため、様々な伝承が作成された。