Learn the story of Uzume (Ame no Uzume), the Shinto Goddess of happiness, joy and dance.
In this video I talk about two episodes involving Uzume:
- The first is when she takes Amaterasu (The Sun Goddess) away from the cave she was hidden;
- The second is when she helps Ninigi, Amaterasu's grandson, to come down to Earth. He needs to overcome Sarutahiko, the leader of the Earth Kamis.
Contents:
00:00 Uzume
00:13 Uzume's Joy
00:55 Uzume takes Amaterasu away from the cave
02:01 Uzume helps Ninigi to overcome Sarutahiko
05:08 Uzume's archetype
07:00 Uzume's legacy
Besides talking about Uzume's story, I also analyse her archetype and read the observations made by Tsurumi Shunsuke about her.
Uzume always solve her problems by laughing and she is credited for the creation of the Kagura Dance, a typical dance from Japan. Furthermore, the Otafuku mask, used during the Spring Festival Setsubun and in the Noh theatre, resembles Uzume's face.
