Ame no Uzume Crosses Boundaries

Ame no Uzume no Mikoto is widely regarded as Japan’s first comic-erotic diva. She is a shamanistic trickster goddess who appears in the eighth-century texts Kojiki and Nihon shoki. Uzume uses her body and performance effectively to establish communication and overcome actual and potential crises. In one of the most celebrated episodes of the mythology, Uzume’s comic-erotic dance successfully invites the sun goddess Amaterasu out of the Heavenly Cave. This chapter first outlines the portrayal of this goddess in the classical texts. Then, using Tsurumi Shunsuke’s theory, the discussion focuses on Uzume’s ability to cross various boundaries and find ways to communicate even in the most dangerous and challenging situations and with potential opponents. Applying the theory to the contemporary “vagina artist” Rokudenashiko, the final section of the chapter demonstrates the significance and validity of the Uzume model of comic subversion and revitalization in our misogynistic society.