Amenouzume no Mikoto

Amenouzume holds a pivotal role in two of the most important episodes of Japanese mythology. In the Ama-no-Iwato incident, when the world was plunged into darkness by Amaterasu's retreat into the Rock Cave, it was Amenouzume who devised the solution. She overturned a tub before the cave entrance and performed a wild, ecstatic dance, partly disrobing herself, which provoked such uproarious laughter among the assembled deities that Amaterasu's curiosity drew her out.

In the Tenson Korin narrative, Amenouzume boldly confronted the fearsome Sarutahiko at the crossroads of heaven and earth, baring her chest in a gesture of fearless openness. This encounter led to their cooperation and, according to some traditions, their eventual marriage.

Amenouzume is regarded as the progenitor of kagura (sacred dance) and all performing arts in Japan. Her willingness to use humor, sexuality, and ecstatic performance for sacred purposes makes her a uniquely compelling figure. She is the ancestral deity of the Sarume no Kimi clan, who served as ritual performers at the imperial court.