Japanese Mythology · deity

Ame-no-Uzume

天鈿女命
also: Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto · the Heavenly Dancing Goddess
deitydancejoythe lure of the sun

The 'Heavenly Dancing Goddess' whose dance, in the Rock-Cave myth, lures Amaterasu back out and restores the light.

Ame-no-Uzume, shinbutsu-zue panel — Ame-no-Uzume
Ame-no-Uzume · 玉蘭斎貞秀 · undated · Wikimedia Commons (institution in source file) · Public domain
The account

Who they are

Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto ('Heavenly Uzume') is the dancing goddess who, in the Heavenly Rock-Cave myth, performs the central act of restoration [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. When Amaterasu withdraws into the cave and the world is dark, the other kami devise a plan; Ame-no-Uzume dances (a ritual kagura) on an upturned tub, and her dance, with the assembled kami's clamor, provokes Amaterasu's curiosity and joy, drawing her to the cave mouth so that she is lured back into the light [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. She is the embodiment of the dance that 'lures the sun back,' and the kagura (Shinto ritual dance) is ritually linked to her act [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
Worth knowing
  • Her dance in the Rock-Cave myth restores the light [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗.
  • The kagura (Shinto ritual dance) is ritually linked to her act [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗.
Uncertainties & variants
  • The precise role of each deity in the cave myth (and the naming of the cave and the 'deities of the cave') differs between the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
Relationships (1)

Connections

Alliances & rule

ALLY_OFAmaterasu — Ame-no-Uzume's dance lures Amaterasu out of the cave.[S1] [S2]
Local graph

Their corner of the divine world

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hierarchical — generations top → bottom, partners side by side
Overlays
FocusAme-no-UzumeJapanese
JAPANESE · 21♥♥♥Kusanagi-no-Tsu…Yasakani no Mag…Yata no KagamiAme-no-NubokoAme-no-UzumeAmenominakanushiInariIzanagiIzanamiTakamimusubiKotohikoneKushinada-himeNinigiŌkuninushiSarutahikoTakemikazuchiYamata-no-OrochiYamato TakeruAmaterasuKagutsuchiKonohanasakuya-h…SusanooTsukuyomiToyotama-himeHooroni (Ōyahata)
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  • parentage
  • marriage ♥

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Myths featuring Ame-no-Uzume

1 story

The Heavenly Rock-Cave (Amaterasu and the Dark World)

After his brother Susanoo is banished from the High Plain of Heaven for his violent misconduct, Amaterasu, in grief and fear, withdraws into the Heavenly Rock-Cave (Ame-no-Ohafutsu), and the world is plunged into darkness [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. The assembled kami devise a plan to lure her out: the goddess Ame-no-Uzume performs a dance (on an upturned tub), and with the clamor of the assembled deities (including the thunder god Takemikazuchi) and a held-out mirror, they provoke Amaterasu's curiosity and joy [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. She peers out to see what the commotion is, sees her own radiance in the mirror, and is drawn back into the light, restoring the world [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. This is the mythic origin of the kagura (ritual dance) and of the 'luring back of the sun' [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.

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Artworks

Depictions

Ame-no-Uzume, shinbutsu-zue panel — Ame-no-Uzume
Ame-no-Uzume · 玉蘭斎貞秀 · undated · Wikimedia Commons (institution in source file) · Public domain
Ame-no-Uzume · undated
Ame-no-Uzume with rooster and mirror (Harvard Art Museums print) — Ame-no-Uzume with rooster and mirror (Harvard Art Museums print)
Ame-no-Uzume with rooster and mirror (Harvard Art Museums print) · Unknown · undated · Wikimedia Commons (institution in source file) · Public domain
Ame-no-Uzume with rooster and mirror (Harvard Art Museums print) · undated
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