The Origin of the Sarume Clan
Following these events, Amaterasu bestowed upon Amenouzume the title Sarume no Kimi (Lady of Saru/Monkey), incorporating Sarutahiko’s name into her own. According to tradition, Amenouzume and Sarutahiko traveled together to Ise, where some accounts suggest they became husband and wife.
The descendants of Amenouzume served for generations as the Sarume clan, hereditary ritualists in the imperial court’s Jingikan (Bureau of Divinities). Notably, Hieda no Are—the figure credited with memorizing the oral traditions that became the Kojiki—is said to have been the last of this lineage.
Interesting Points You Might Not Know
The origin of kagura. Amenouzume’s dance before the cave is considered the mythological origin of kagura, the sacred music and dance still performed at Shinto shrines today. The word kagura itself is thought to derive from “kami no kura” (seat of the gods)—a place where deities are invited to descend and be entertained.
Why the sea cucumber’s mouth is split. A lesser-known episode describes Amenouzume gathering all the fish of the sea after arriving in Ise. When she asked if they would serve the heavenly grandson, every fish agreed—except the sea cucumber, which remained silent. Amenouzume cut its mouth with a small knife. Japanese folklore holds that this is why sea cucumbers have split mouths to this day.
The miko before the word existed. Although the term “miko” (shrine maiden) does not appear in the Kojiki or Nihon Shoki, scholars widely regard Amenouzume as the divine prototype of the miko tradition. Her techniques—ecstatic dance, spirit possession, bodily exposure as sacred act—define the shamanic practices that would characterize Japanese shrine maidens for centuries.
A goddess of many names. Amenouzume is still actively worshipped at shrines throughout Japan. At Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, she is venerated alongside Sarutahiko. She is also identified with Otafuku (the goddess of mirth) and is considered the patron deity of performing arts, making her beloved by entertainers, actors, and comedians.
The body as sacred instrument. To modern readers, Amenouzume’s exposure of her body may seem strange or even uncomfortable. However, in the context of ancient Japanese religion, the female body was understood to possess powerful sacred properties. Amenouzume’s dance was not obscene—it was a ritual act that channeled divine energy. This understanding persisted in various forms of Japanese folk religion for centuries.
Final Thoughts
What strikes me most about Amenouzume is not the strangeness of her methods, but their effectiveness.
When the world fell into darkness, the gods did not overcome the crisis through force or clever persuasion. They restored balance through laughter—through the unexpected, the absurd, the transgressive made sacred.
There is something worth considering in that.
Perhaps the story suggests that rigid seriousness is not always the answer. That breaking convention, approaching crisis sideways, finding the courage to be ridiculous—these too can be forms of power.
Amenouzume saved the world not despite being a dancer, but precisely because she was one. She understood something the other gods did not: that joy itself can be a force strong enough to draw the sun from hiding.
What might we coax out of darkness, if only we dared to dance?