Ama-no-Uzume was the Japanese goddess of dawn and revelry. She famously relates to the tale of the missing sun deity, Amaterasu.
Amaterasu's brother, the storm god Susanowo, had ruined her sacred buildings and killed one of her maidens because she refused to trust him. In turn, the goddess became terrified of his wrath and retreated into a cave. The world, without the illumination of the sun, became dark and the gods could not lure Amaterasu out of her hiding place.
The clever Ama-no-Uzume overturned a tub near the cave entrance and began a wild, sexual dance on it, tearing of her clothing in front of the male deities. They considered this so comical that they laughed heartily at the sight.
Amaterasu heard them, and asked Ama-no-Uzume what was going on. The dawn goddess replied that the gods had found a better lover than her. This aroused Amaterasu's curiousity and she looked out of the cave. She saw her glorious reflection in a mirror Ama-no-Uzume had placed on a tree, and slowly emerged from her hiding spot.
At that moment, the god Ameno-Tajikarawo dashed forth and restrained Amaterasu, preventing her from retreating into the cave. Another god tied a magic shirukume rope across the entrance. The sun goddess was then asked by the deities, Ameno-Koyame and Futotama to rejoin the divine. She agreed, and light was restored to the earth.
Ama-no-Uzume is still worshipped today as a Shinto kami, or earth goddess. She is also known as Amano-Uzume, The Great Persuader, and The Heavenly Alarming Female.
