Shrine History

Sarutahiko-No-O-Kami

Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto

Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto

This Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto scroll was created by Sen Sen Dai Guji Yamamoto Yukiteru the 95th High Priest of Tsubaki Grand Shrine, and the Grandfather of the current High Priest.

Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto is the wife of Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami. It was Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto who, through a dance, caused the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu-OmiKami, to emerge from a cave, thus restoring light once again to the earth. Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami, guardian Kami of the martial arts as well as courage and justice, is the ancestor of the earthly Kami and stands at the junction of earth and heaven, Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Mie, Japan. Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, known as the fearless one, is the guardian Kami of art and entertainment, marriage, joy, harmony and meditation; her main shrine is also Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Mie, Japan.
Heavenly alarming female, strong (stout) tenacious hung around her Heavenly Club –Moss from Heavenly Mt. Kargu as the Obi made the heavenly spindle tree her Kanmuri/Kazura, made the Sasa as Suzu and made a sounding board Uke-Fusete before the door of the heavenly rock dwelling. She stamped her feet, and made the divine utterance of the Hi-Fu-Mi Norito.

Basic of the story of Amaterasu-OmiKami (Kami of the Sun) secluding herself in the Ame-no-Iwa-ya (rock dwelling/cave) to avoid further contamination/impurity after the encounter with her brother Susanao-no-Mikoto. The result was terrible for Heaven and Earth. Takama-no-Hara, the High Plain of Heaven, was obscure. With purifying sunlight removed from the Earth Plain many misfortunate occurrences arose. All the Heavenly Kami worked together to bring about the return of the source of light. The ancient texts deal with the actions, objects and potentialities assembled in great detail: jewels and a sacred mirror and a Hinoki palace were among the things made.

All the myriads of Kami assembled and it was then that Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto kindled many sacred bonfires, wrapped heavenly club moss around her as the Obi/sash, made the Kazura/head dress from the spindle tree, made the Sasa-ba/bamboo grass leaves into a bouquet, took into her hand a Hoko/spear wreathed in eulalia grass and danced the 1st archetypal Kagura on a sounding board (overturned wash tub) outside the door of the rock dwelling. During the performance of this dance she also invented the flute and koto. As she danced she made the divinely inspired utterance Kamu Gakari, recited the HI-FU-MI Norito and pulled her clothes open to expose her private parts. This dance has been discussed by Western scholars more than any other Shinwa (story of Kami-yo Kami-age).

Of course the uncovering action was one in a complex series of magical events. Western scholars have focused on this because of the Western society's discomfort/fascination with Women's bodies and sexuality in general. Another way to view the reason Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto showed her breasts is to remind Amatersu-OmiKami of her divine mission to nourish all life and exposing her belly was to remind Amaterasu-OmiKami that the Sun is the ultimate source of life for everything in Heaven and Earth. This divine dance made all the assembled Kami so happy they laughed, shouted and made "life sounds" as well as songs of praise. Then divine illumination was restored to Earth and Heaven. This episode is an example of Divine Female Power (generative power) and intelligence (life power) in progress with life process.