Ame-no-Uzume – Mythopedia (2024)

Japanese Goddess

By Gregory WrightLast updated on Nov 29, 2022

Ame-no-Uzume – Mythopedia (1)

Overview

Ame-no-Uzume is the Shinto goddess of dawn, a master of merry-making, humor, and dancing. A highly positivekami(a type of god or spirit in the Shinto religion), her ingenuity broughtAmaterasu, the sun goddess, back into the world, saving the earth from eternal winter’s night. A popular deity, Ame-no-Uzume is credited with the origination of the performing arts.

Etymology

Ame-no-Uzume’s full name is Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, represented by the Kanji天宇受売命or天鈿女命. Her name is sometimes shortened to Uzume, and the name Ame is sometimes rendered and pronounced as Ama, both of which meanlight. Her name can be translated a number of ways, one of which is “The great goddess, shining Uzume.” Other derivations include “The Great Persuader,” or the “Heavenly Alarming Female.”

An alternate appellation of hers isOmiyanome-no-okami, rendering her a retainer of the goddess Amaterasu from Yanome (near f*ckushima), translated as “The great goddess, retainer from Yanome.” In comedic theater, she is often called Okame.

Attributes

Ame-no-Uzume is first and foremost the goddess of dawn, placing her in the service of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun. Ame-no-Uzume is very different from her mistress, however, being more inclined to joviality and creativity, which connect to the potential, creation, and happiness often associated with sunrise. Because of this, Ame-no-Uzume is often portrayed as smiling.

Traditional stories describe Ame-no-Uzume as wearing loose or revealing clothing, which otherkamiin these stories find comical, but Ame-no-Uzume is joyful and unconcerned. Unlike the very reserved and proper Amaterasu, Ame-no-Uzume is open, easygoing, and dedicated to bringing joy to the world. Her nature makes her a great diplomat, and she acts as one of Amaterasu’s most trusted servants.

Mirrors, a sacred symbol of the Imperial family, are often connected to Ame-no-Uzume because of the way the ocean on Japan’s eastern coast reflects the dawn sun like a mirror.

Ame-no-Uzume is credited with the creation of many Japanese art forms, such askagura, a kind of dance telling the stories ofkami, and some forms of comedy and theater such as the ancientnoh. Ame-no-Uzume is often depicted inkyogen, a comedic theater tradition, and here she is often displayed semi-nude to comic effect. Because of these theatrical connections, Ame-no-Uzume is the goddess of revelry.

In relation to her husband, she is also considered aninari kami, or a goddess connected tokitsune, Japanese fox spirits known for their cunning and wiles.

Family

Ame-no-Uzume’s husband is Sarutahiko Okami, leader of the earthlykami. Their children created the theater forms ofkaguraandnoh.

Family Tree

  • Consorts
    Husband
    • Sarutahiko Okami

Mythology

Ame-no-Uzume appears predominantly in the tale of Amaterasu and her family.

Amaterasu and the Cave

...and stamping till [Ame-no-Uzume] made it resound and doing as if possessed by a Deity, and pulling out the nipples of her breasts, pushing down her skirt-string [all the way to her] privates.-Kojiki, translated by Basil Chamberlain

Amaterasu had gone into hiding, for her brotherSusanoohad shamed her greatly. With her disappearance, and consequently that of the sun, the world went cold and dark. No matter how hard thekamitried, they could not convince Amaterasu to reappear.

Ame-no-Uzume, a young maiden, concocted a plan with the other heavenly deities. She began to dance comically for all thekamito see, taking off various pieces of clothes until she was partially nude. Her dancing and nudity were so hilarious that thekamibegan to roll with laughter.

Inside the cave where she was hiding, Amaterasu heard the laughter and grew curious. She pushed away the rock that blocked the cave’s entrance and saw Ame-no-Uzume dancing; amused, Amaterasu came out to get a better view. Exiting the cave she discovered a mirror erected by Ame-no-Uzume. Distracted by her own reflection, the other gods pushed the rock back across the cave’s mouth and bound it with sacredshimenawarope, preventing Amaterasu from reentering the cave and causing the sun to return to the world. Ame-no-Uzume, it turned out, was the savior of all.

Later, when Amaterasu sent her grandsonNinigito rule the world, the earthlykamiSarutahiko refused to cede his land to Ninigi until convinced to do so by Ame-no-Uzume. She and Sarutahiko later married and had children together.

Other Mythology

Ame-no-Uzume is often compared to other dawn deities, such as the Vedic Ushas and Greek Eos, who share a Proto-Indo-European root. Ushas in particular is similar in that her tale involves a cave and the exposure of her breasts in goodwill.

Pop Culture

Ame-no-Uzume is found in popular culture, including:

In the Megami Tensei video game franchise and the Persona series in particular, has appeared often as a summonable demon.

Ame-no-Uzume – Mythopedia (2024)

FAQs

Ame-no-Uzume – Mythopedia? ›

Ame-no-Uzume or Ama-no-Uzume (天宇受売命 or 天鈿女命) is a Japanese goddess of the dawn, merriment and revelry, meditation, and the arts (specifically of dancing). She is also known as "the Great Persuader" and "the Heavenly Alarming Female", and is often considered a representative of female power.

Who is Ame-no-Uzume's husband? ›

Takachiho legend says that Ame no Uzume and Sarutahiko married once all arrived safely to earth, and that they built a residence together near Kushifuru Peak. Today, Aratate Shrine honors them as kami deities of matrimonial happiness and fulfilled wishes.

Did Amaterasu marry her brother? ›

Their stories gives way for the Imperial Regalia of Japan (三種の神器, sanshu no jingi, "Three Sacred Treasures") and are among the most well known Japanese myths! Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, and her brother Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon, were married.

What does the name Ame-no-Uzume mean? ›

Ame-no-Uzume : The Goddess of Dawn.

How did Ame-no-Uzume save the world from darkness? ›

Amaterasu, now outside the cave, was captivated by her reflection in a mirror put into place by Ame-no-Uzume. Distracted by her image, Amaterasu couldn't reenter the cave, and as a result, the radiant sun returned to illuminate the world.

What is the origin story of Ame-no-Uzume? ›

Amenouzume, in Japanese mythology, the celestial goddess who performed a spontaneous dance enticing the sun goddess Amaterasu out of the cave in which she had secluded herself and had thus deprived the world of light.

Who is the Japanese god of love? ›

Given that February 14 is Valentine's Day in the United States, today seemed like a good opportunity to share a little about Okuninushi-no-mikoto, the Japanese kami who acts as the patron god of love and “good matches” (in love and marriage).

Is Amaterasu a virgin goddess? ›

She is a virgin goddess and never engages in sexual relationships. However, according to Nozomu Kawamura, she was a consort to a sun god and some telling stories place Tsukuyomi as her husband.

Who is Amaterasu's lover? ›

Amaterasu is the sister of Susanoo and Tsukuyomi (who was also her husband), the daughter of Izanagi (according to Nihon Shoki, her mother is Izanami).

Who is the wife of Susanoo? ›

As with other Shinto kami, Kushinadahime is venerated at many shrines across Japan, usually together with her husband Susanoo but also sometimes by herself or with other (related or unrelated) deities.

Is Yukiko A Boy or a girl? ›

Yukiko is a feminine Japanese given name.

What Japanese name means flower from heaven? ›

Miki: A cute nature name meaning “flower stem,” this is a precious pick if you have a Michelle or Michael to name your baby girl after. Nara: Nara is a “flower from heaven,” giving a profound quality to this floral baby name for girls.

What is the wanderer Japanese name? ›

Haruto is a name driven from Japanese roots that means distant, soar, and fly. All of these characteristics describe the Wanderer perfectly. After he went with the Traveler and remembered his past life, he regained his past distant self and preferred solitude.

Why did Izanagi leave izanami? ›

She became angry when he lit a fire and saw her rotting and covered with maggots. A horrified Izanagi fled, with a host of women and then Izanami herself in pursuit. After reaching the entrance to Yomi, Izanagi placed a stone across it, thus sealing in Izanami and breaking their union.

What is Ame-no-Uzume weak to? ›

Like Divine race demons, Megami Demons, including Ame no Uzume, are not actually weak to Sword attacks, but take normal damage from them and resist everything else, making them only weak to Sword by comparison.

Who is the Japanese god of light? ›

Amaterasu, born Amaterasu Omikami, is a Shinto deity in Japanese mythology whose name means ''The Great Divinity That Illuminates Heaven. '' Known as the Sun Goddess and ruler of the heavens, Amaterasu is also called Ohirume no Muchi no Kami, which means ''The Great Sun of the Kami.

Who is the family of Ame-no-Uzume? ›

Family. Ame-no-Uzume's husband is Sarutahiko Okami, leader of the earthly kami. Their children created the theater forms of kagura and noh.

Who is Jurojin? ›

Jurōjin, in Japanese mythology, one of the Shichi-f*cku-jin (“Seven Gods of Luck”), particularly associated with longevity. He is supposed, like f*ckurokuju, another of the seven with whom he is often confused, to have once lived on earth as a Chinese Taoist sage.

Who is the god of death in Japanese mythology? ›

Shinigami (Japanese: 死神, lit. 'kami of death') are kami that invite humans toward death in certain aspects of Japanese religion and culture.

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